Chapter 27
H ilary and Marcia had jumped on the idea of teaching home repair classes to seniors.
To Tomas’s relief, they agreed not to record the first class on video.
He was consulted as to what was needed for the demonstration, and he looked over the infographic hand-out of instructions, but other than that, the women took care of the planning and preparation.
The first class would be taught at KBS rather than the senior center because it meant less schlepping stuff around and more room to work.
An area used for seasonal products—Christmas decorations, gardening supplies, and the like—was emptied out.
Workbenches and stools were brought in, a demonstration table was set up at the front of the room, and Keeney Builds students constructed walls six feet high and four feet wide.
The temporary walls were made from two-by-four studs and covered with drywall so the class attendees could try installing grab bars themselves.
The class was capped at twelve, three per workbench because Tomas didn’t think he could provide adequate instruction to more than that many people.
Within an hour of the class being posted on the KBS website, every seat was filled, and there was a waiting list. Who knew that many people in Keeney were interested in learning how to install grab bars.
After much pleading from Marcia, he agreed to double the class size provided he had help. So Carl was brought on board, and since Vincent wasn’t available, Tomas’s sister Sylvie stepped in.
The compartments of Sylvie’s leather toolbelt were filled with her own pink handled tools, pink work gloves, cellphone, and she’d stitched on an elastic holster for her lip gloss. She was comfortable with all things building related and handled the tools with easy familiarity.
Sweat trickling down his spine, Tomas paced in front of the improvised classroom while Carl and Sylvie set out tools and supplies on the workbenches.
He’d been teaching students on the job site for over a year and couldn’t figure out why he was so nervous.
He’d gone through the demo in front of Iris and Marcia, and they, in turn, installed a grab bar while he watched, and it had gone fine.
It would be fine, he told himself for the 100 th time.
“Are you ready?” Marcia called. Everyone gave her a thumbs-up, and she opened the door with a game show flourish. “Come on down!”
Ernest Gardiner was the first to enter, then…nobody.
Marcia stuck her head out the door, then turned back, looking shocked and dismayed. “Let me figure this out,” she muttered and hurried away.
“This is it?” the old man sneered, pushing his walker into the big, bright, empty space. “This place is supposed to be filled with hot babes. Where is everybody?” Spotting Sylvie, he smiled wide. “Here’s the eye candy. How ya doin’ sweetheart?”
Sylvie rolled her eyes at her brother and stomped over to Mr. Gardiner. “The name is Sylvie, and do not refer to me as sweetheart, babe, or eye candy. Got it?”
The old man’s eyes sparkled. “Got it.”
Seemingly satisfied they’d reached an understanding, Sylvie softened her tone and led the old guy to a workbench in the front row. “Let’s get you situated. Do you want to sit on a stool or your walker?”
He looked confused for a moment. “You’re gonna teach the class just for me?”
Sylvie and Carl looked to Tomas, waiting for his answer.
Relief rolling off him in waves, Tomas replied, “Sure am.”
Mr. Gardiner settled himself on a stool and pulled out a pair of smudged reading glasses to look over the tools laid out before him.
“You don’t need to stick around,” Tomas told Carl and Sylvie. “I’ve got this.” He was pleased the old curmudgeon had shown up and knew they’d get along just fine.
“Nah.” Sylvie shook her head, making her ponytail swing. “It will mess up Marcia’s bookkeeping if I don’t stay the full two hours. Besides, you’ll need help putting all the stuff away.”
“I’ll stay, too,” Carl answered quickly, eyes glued on Sylvie, who pinked up under his scrutiny.
Marcia opened the door and held it wide for two women to enter.
Both were tall, with skin colors that fell somewhere closer to Sylvie and Tomas’s light bronze than Carl’s dark brown.
One woman appeared to be in her seventies, her gray hair pulled into a tidy bun, and the other looked closer to forty.
Marcia led them to the front and made introductions as they sat at the bench beside Mr. Gardiner.
“This is Emily Leota and her daughter Megan. Carl and Sylvie are assisting Tomas today.”
The older woman, Emily, murmured hello to everyone while Megan grinned at Tomas. “Nice to see you again,” she said.
Frowning, Tomas shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember meeting you.”
“That’s okay,” Megan said. “It was dark, and I was in uniform.”
“Oh! You’re the cop.” He ignored Sylvie and Carl’s interested looks. “Glad you were able to come.”
“I called the activity coordinator at the senior center to find out what happened to everyone else. She told me that their bus broke down and they don’t have a way to get people here.
Everyone is very disappointed to miss the class, so I told her we’d reschedule it.
” Marica gave Tomas a hopeful look when she finished her explanation.
He nodded and looked at the others. “Let’s get started. You can each have your own workbench, and Carl and Sylvie will assist if necessary.”
Carl went to stand beside Emily Leota while Sylvie moved closer to Mr. Gardiner. He picked up an electronic stud finder and opened his mouth to say something, but Sylvie got there first.
“No jokes or I’ll take it away from you,” she warned, waving a finger at him.
Chuckling, the old man put it down. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.
“ I t sounds like having such a small turnout made for a good trial run,” Fiona said, dishing up the Thai food she’d picked up on the way home. “I wish I could have been there.”
“That’s okay. Apparently, I’m doing another one for the people who couldn’t make it this time.” Tomas plucked the cat off a dining chair and deposited her on the couch before sitting at the table.
“Any big takeaways from the day?” Fiona asked, handing him a plate.
“Yeah, keep Carl away from my sister.”
Fiona laughed. “Why? What did he do?”
His eyebrows beetled together, Tomas poked at his food, not saying anything.
Fiona hid her smile behind her water glass.
Protective big brother was a side she hadn’t seen before, and it was pretty darn cute.
“Was he showing her how to handle a tool?” She blinked innocently at Tomas’s scowl and giggled.
“Seriously, was he being a jerk? Because that doesn’t seem like Carl.
” The youngest of KBS’s contractors reminded her of a Labrador puppy, friendly, eager, and ready to try anything.
“No….” Tomas drew out his answer, still frowning. “I was supposed to ask you to talk to Sylvie about career counseling, but I forgot. Mom and Carlos are worried that she can’t seem to settle and doesn’t have a clear path.”
“Okay, but what does that have to do with Carl?”
“I don’t have a problem with Carl. I just don’t want her to….” He flicked a glance at Fiona before staring down at his plate. “I want her to figure shit out sooner than I did, and not drift from job to job.”
Fiona forked up some noodles, thinking about what he’d said. “And you think dating Carl would distract her from figuring things out?”
Little One strolled over to rub against Tomas’s leg and stared up at him. As much as the cat lived at Fiona’s house, Tomas was clearly her person. He reached down to scratch her ears before answering Fiona’s question. “Maybe?”
“And maybe Carl could be a good influence on her. You’ve told me he’s a good worker.”
Tomas nodded. “Oh yeah. The kid’s come a long way, and I don’t expect him to stick around KBS much longer. Customers like him and I know big building firms are trying to poach him. He’s got a great future ahead of him.”
“So would it be so bad if Sylvie spent time with him?” Fiona prodded.
“I suppose not,” he said grudgingly before finally eating his dinner.
She wasn’t going to say anything else, but Fiona suspected that if Tomas tried to interfere with Sylvie’s love life, he’d get an earful. Part of her wanted to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Seeming more relaxed, Tomas finished his meal and pushed the plate away to rest his elbows on the table. “We’ve never talked about the future.”
Fiona toyed with her fork, wondering where he was going with that comment. “Not really.”
“You haven’t been divorced that long. Do you think you want to marry again?”
“I hadn’t thought about marrying again. That is, not until Mother invited Pastor Andy to dinner.”
Tomas caught her eye, lips quirked up. “That worked out for Joseph, though.”
“Yeah. They’re a cute couple and if Joseph doesn’t screw it up, this might work.”
“Have you heard from your mother?”
Frowning, she shook her head. It hurt that her mother’s pride was more important to her than her daughter’s happiness.
Her mother did not apologize; Fiona had always acquiesced.
But this was too big, and she wasn’t going to back down.
“What she said was wrong. Even if you weren’t in a relationship with me, she has no excuse for saying that. ”
“I’ve heard it before.”
Fiona lifted her head and met his bitter gaze. “Still, that doesn’t make it right. I don’t know when I’ll hear from her.”
“How is that going to affect our project?”
“That’s business, and I know my father likes the idea. It shouldn’t be hard to convince the other family members, and with Joseph beside me, I think it will be fine.” Yeah, her mother would jump at the chance to lead a venture that brought a lot of positive attention her way.
Tomas didn’t push. Just accepted her answer and changed the subject.
“So, marriage. If you met a guy who had a record, worked with his hands, was a bit overprotective, and shit with words, would you consider marrying him?”
Mouth suddenly dry, Fiona fortified herself with a sip of water. Having seen her at her worst and knowing all her ugly secrets, he should be the one having reservations about marrying her . “Yes. I’d consider it.”
The tightness around Tomas’s eyes relaxed. “I won’t push you. We’ve got time, and when you’re ready, we’ll talk about it. But I want you to know that I’m all in. You’re it for me.”
“You’re it for me, too,” she replied softly as warmth flooded through her.
As far as proposals went, it wasn’t the most romantic.
Eddie had gotten down on one knee in a high-end restaurant to present her with an ostentatious engagement ring.
And look how well that went. She could see Tomas in her future, but as a husband?
The thought scared and excited her at the same time.
However, there was something she needed to know. “Do you want children?”
“Yeah. But I’m not in a hurry. You?”
“I don’t know.” If this was a deal breaker, they may as well face it now. She searched his eyes for a reaction. He didn’t flinch; he didn’t pull back. Simply nodded. “My childhood was fine, but my mother was cold. I don’t want to be?—”
Tomas cut her off. “You aren’t your mother. And if you choose, I think you would be a great mother. Again, we’ve got time.”
“You can father children for the next forty years. But if we wait too long, or I can’t have children…
” she trailed off. After realizing Eddie had married her as a business arrangement, she’d put children firmly out of her mind.
He’d be a crappy father, and Fiona wouldn’t allow children to be used as pawns.
Her father would probably love grandchildren.
Her mother would be more interested in continuing the family business.
Having seen the closeness of Tomas’s family, the generous, loving heart of Louisa, and the quiet acceptance of Carlos, she knew they would be awesome grandparents.
The kind who wanted to be involved and could be counted on when needed.
Tomas reached across the table to take her hand, guiding her out of her seat and around to his lap.
He pulled her down and held her loosely, looking into her worried eyes with a warm, loving gaze.
“My father took off when I was so young I don’t remember him.
I had uncles and cousins and grandfathers to take his place.
I was a little shit, and I made his life miserable, but Carlos is my dad. Not by blood; by choice.
“I want to be with you, with or without kids. I won’t pressure you to get pregnant. If we do decide, and we can’t have kids of our own, I’m happy to adopt and raise a child with you.”
“Yeah?” For the first time ever, raising a family—especially if it was with Tomas, held her interest. With the way he treated her, she knew any children they had would be loved unconditionally.
“Yeah. In fact, if you want to practice, my cousin Johnny has twins. We can borrow them.”
“You can’t borrow kids!”
“Sure, you can. Johnny says they’re exhausting, and he and his wife Esme would love to get rid of them for a while. They’d probably pay us.”
Fiona’s eyes narrowed at his grin. “I think that’s called babysitting.”
“Whatever.” Tomas shrugged in dismissal.
“Just say the word and we can be practice parents for a few hours. We can also practice making babies.” He leaned closer, gliding his nose along hers, then across her cheek to her ear.
His low voice sent delightful shivers through her body. “That’s probably more fun.”
“I like practicing. In fact, we can practice all night if you want.”
He rose from the chair with her in his arms, and in a few short strides, they were in the bedroom. They took care of the dishes much, much later.