Page 23 of Loving a Warrior

Ogling the man’s farmer tan? Really? Get a grip, Hovland.

They climbed into the truck, and a few turns later Matt eased to a stop in front of Shane’s house.

“This is it?” he asked dubiously, peering out through the windshield.

Defensiveness welled up and tightened Shane’s jaw. “Well, whaddya expect from something built in 1948?” he snapped. “It’s got good bones.”

Matt looked unconvinced. “Good bones, huh? If you say so.”

“I do say so! Well, my appraiser does, at least.”

“A homeowner without a clue.”

“And how many homes do you own again?”

“Touché.” Matt grinned. “You’re pretty easy to needle; you know that?”

“Pot, meet kettle.” Shane shoved his door open with his foot and climbed out, surprised when Matt shut off the engine and did the same.

Shane paused. “You wanna come in?” He’d thought Matt would just drop him and leave.

“Why not? Let’s see these ‘great bones.’”

As Matt followed him up the uneven walkway toward the front door, Shane winced at the sight of his weed-choked yard.

“It’s the landscapers’ week off,” he muttered, bristling anew when Matt scoffed. “Hey, the last thing I wanna do on weekends is yard work, okay?”

“Didn’t say a word, Hovland. Not a word.”

“I can hear you thinking it!”

“I’ll think more quietly, then. Christ.”

The house itself was a small and unassuming ranch-style home. Shane unlocked the door and swung it open, determined to beat the peanut gallery to the punch.

“Yes, it’s outdated. Yes, an old lady lived here who loved peach and green, and flowers. Yes, the linoleum is ugly and some of the walls have wood paneling.”

Matt ignored him as he wandered through the living room into the kitchen, hands stuffed in his pockets. He was quiet for long minutes until he finally said, “The first thing I’d do is knock out this wall to open everything up, maximize the space.”

“Really?” Shane grabbed a piece of paper he’d attached to the fridge with a magnet. “That’s exactly what I was thinking! Look, check out this rough sketch I made.” He started babbling on about his home renovation ideas, only subsiding when he saw the amusement in Matt’s eyes.

“Sorry,” he said ruefully. “I know you don’t care, but I haven’t had anyone to talk to about this. Alexis just wants me to sell it now and give her half the money.”

“And you—” Matt broke off, his attention caught by something outside. He slid the glass door open and walked into the backyard, where he shaded his eyes with one hand. “Is that the pier?”

Shane followed his gaze. “Yeah, we’re only a couple blocks from the beach. Sometimes when the sun hits it just right, I can see the ocean shimmering.”

Whirling around, Matt said, “Then, dude, pay her off now, shut her up. With the renovations you’re talking about, it’s gonna be worth a shit-ton someday and too bad for her; she already got her money.”

“I’ve thought about that. It’s just—”

Matt made an impatient gesture. “What?”

“Am I biting off more than I can chew here?” Shane scuffed his toe against an uneven piece of flagstone. “I mean, I used to help my dad with boat repairs all the time, but this would mean stuff like electrical, plumbing and shit. Just the thought of it is way too overwhelming, man.”

“Wow.” Matt turned on his heel and went back into the house, Shane right behind him.

“What does that mean, ‘wow’?”