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“Honey, I’m home,” Hannah sang, then giggled. “Sorry, I just had to.”
She came into the kitchen and dropped a few grocery bags and her purse on the table. “What the—” Looking around, she held a hand to her face.
“I... clean when I’m upset. Surprisingly, I actually like the touch of cleansers and rags.” He swallowed down the tight feeling growing in his throat. He could see it in her face. He had done something wrong, and now she was upset. He blazed on, feeling more nervous with each silent reaction. He cleared his throat. “I tried to organize things the way they were, but I probably didn’t do it exactly how you like it. I didn’t check into the hotel yet because I wanted to be nearby the house in case they needed me, but I can go if you’re mad.”
“No,” she said softly. She clapped her hands together. “I actually hate cleaning. I just... I haven’t seen it this clean for a while, and it’s a little shocking.”
He relaxed his sore shoulders and chuckled. “I think you’d get tired of me really fast. I’m glad you’re not upset.”
“Nah, if I were, it wouldn’t take long for me to mess it up again.”
He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. He looked at the bags she’d dropped on the table. “What are those?”
She picked one of them up and pulled out some bananas. “Groceries. It’s been a while since I’ve gone shopping.”
He had noticed. His stomach growled as she pulled out the food. “Well, I was about to clean your fridge, but maybe I should go check into my hotel.”
“Will you have to do more at your house tomorrow?”
He blew out a slow breath. “Afraid so. I have a few companies giving me bids on tearing out the old drywall and repairing the walls. I hope to pick one tomorrow so they can get started soon. I already took off the next two days.”
“The closest hotel is ten minutes away. Just... stay here until you can go home. It’ll be easier that way.”
“I can’t do that.” He looked around. Her house had been a strange kind of haven over the last few hours, but it could be days before his was livable again.
“Yes, you can. I’m hardly ever home, anyway, and if it helps you to clean and organize, then you’d be helping me too.”
“I don’t know. If people find out . . .”
“Then what? They’ll definitely think I kidnapped you.” She laughed with him. “It’s just for a few days anyway.”
“You promise I’m not putting you out?”
“Not at all. I’m going to cook and then crash.”
“Fine, if you’re making dinner, I’ll keep cleaning. What did you have planned?”
“Hamburgers. I make a mean one, and I make homemade fries.” She looked around. “Although, you might need to tell me where things are.”
He gave her a wide grin. “Will do.”
The two of them moved around each other in the small kitchen, but it was nearly impossible to work in such a tight space without bumping. So instead, he brought things from the fridge to the table, wiped down shelves, and threw things out—though there was a ton of things she refused to let him throw away.
While they worked, he updated her on the progress of his home and she talked about work.
“It was weird without you there. The office was too quiet.”
His hands stilled on a mustard bottle. “Are you saying you missed me?”
There was a long pause. “Sure, I mean I had to eat in the staff room. It was just weird.”
She was hidden behind the fridge door, but he was sure she was blushing.
Did she have feelings for him? Surely, she knew he wasn’t capable of a real relationship.
“Anyway, I feel like Brandy has really gotten interested in the two of us.”
He closed the fridge door so he could see her. “How so?’
