Page 40 of Always My Love

ChapterThirteen

Working alongside Nick was almost magical. Watching how he cut the pieces of wood and hammer them together to make two full walls was like watching an artist create a masterpiece. She didn’t know exactly how he knew how to do everything, but by the time they were done for the night, there were two new walls made of lumber in the bathroom. One would separate what would be her new double sink area from the toilet and shower area, and the other was the wall for the shower, which would soon have tile on it.

Nick had surprised her by building a smaller wall with a top on it in the shower.

“This will be for the shower bench,” he said when she asked.

She’d never dreamed she’d have a shower with a bench in it like his. She’d just hoped to have something big enough that she didn’t bump her elbows on the sides while she washed her hair.

Then he’d gone one step further and told her that he could build a shower niche. She wasn’t sure what that was, so she did a Google search. It was a box inside the wall to hold her shampoo and soap bottles.

“We made good progress today,” he said, standing back as he dusted off his hands.

“We? I basically stood back and handed you tools and kept your iced tea glass full,” she replied as she leaned on the doorframe.

“A very important job.” Nick chuckled. “How early can we be here tomorrow?” he asked, motioning to Blue, who was snuggled up next to Lucy on her dog bed.

“How early do you want to be here?” she threw back at him.

He smiled. “I’ll bring donuts and coffee.” He snapped his fingers, and Blue groaned but got up from the bed and followed him to the front door.

She didn’t know what she had expected as a goodbye. It was slightly shocking when he stopped at the door, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her until she forgot her name.

Before she could recover, he and his dog were gone.

Lucy whined at her feet, shaking Harper out of the stupor that kiss had caused.

“They’ll be back tomorrow,” she told Lucy as the truck’s taillights disappeared down the driveway.

Covering her lips with her fingers, she stood in the door and watched the rain for a few moments.

She’d pulled away from him for a reason. It was for the best. She had to focus on Hailey’s safety. On securing a future here for her sister. Even if that meant fighting for it.

There was a reason she’d started construction on the bathroom. She wanted Hailey to have a real home. Someplace she loved.

Sure, a little part of it was for herself too, but Hailey was the one who complained constantly about only having one small bathroom.

She’d give anything for her sister. She had done so her entire life.

The more she thought about things, the more positive she became that she wasn’t going to let herself be run out of Pride. There was no way she was going to let her past push her out of the one and only place she and Hailey had ever felt like they belonged.

Watching the rain now, she could feel pride and comfort swell inside her for what they’d built here. She’d never felt anything like that anywhere else.

When her stomach growled, she made herself and Lucy dinner and then watched television with the dog snuggled up against her feet.

The next morning, she opened the door to help Nick carry in a huge box of sweets from his aunt’s bakery.

They sat at her dining room table and downed their coffee and enjoyed a variety of donuts, muffins, and kolaches.

There was so much food there that she was sure they’d have plenty for lunch.

When Hailey came in, she sat down and ate with them and then disappeared back into her room to get ready for work later that day.

When Harper suggested she lend a hand, Hailey laughed and walked out of the room. “You made the mess, you clean it up,” she called over her shoulder.

“Where do we start today?” Harper asked Nick when they were alone.

“Today, we put up the tile backer, do a little wiring, and some plumbing for the sinks. If all goes well, we can have the sinks in and usable by the time we’re done.”