Chapter 19
HUDSON
My crew was on site at Angela's shop. Today we were removing the existing pipes. It was hard work, and I was hoping it would keep me from thinking about Christmas. The evening had played on a loop in my head.
Now that I had a crew and the pipes in stock, I wanted to get as much of the work done as quickly and safely as I could.
I was in the back using a Sawzall to remove the damaged pipe, when Jonathan, one of my crew members, motioned for me to turn it off.
I pushed the safety goggles onto my forehead. "What's going on?"
"There's someone out front, says he needs to speak to you."
"I'll check it out." I set my tools down and removed my gloves. I wiped the sweat from my brow as I headed to the front.
Bill was standing just inside the door.
Knowing that Angela wouldn't want this man in her shop, I walked past him and pushed open the door. "Let's talk outside."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "What can I do for you?"
"I was hoping you'd replace my pipes first."
"This is Eve's project, so it was her call. We usually take care of damaged properties first. Get the business up and running again. There's an apartment on the second floor that is uninhabitable until we replace the pipes. The work on your building is preventative."
His face screwed up. "The pipes could leak at any moment."
"As soon as we're done here, we'll move onto replacing the pipes in the other buildings."
"I don't understand why this property would get fixed if it's just a temporary lease. If Eve doesn't renew the lease, then she won't need anything fixed right away."
My stomach twisted. I couldn't believe that he didn't care if a mother and her daughter were out on the street. "I already explained the situation, and I have work to do. If you have any more questions, you should talk to Eve."
She was the town's owner and coordinator. I hated to send him her way, but it was her job to deal with difficult people.
He harrumphed and walked away.
I let out a breath, relishing the cool air after working in the warm and dusty space inside.
Jonathan joined me outside. "He give you a hard time?"
"He wants us to work on his shop first."
"There's always an asshole, isn't there?"
I chuckled. "Yeah."
We headed inside to continue working, but I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Would Bill try to kick Angela out of her space? Did he have that kind of power over her or the decisions that Eve made? I didn't like that Angela only had a short-term lease. It left her in a precarious situation.
I didn't want her to be stressed out any more than she already was. She didn't need Bill meddling in her life, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I was here to do a job, and I wasn't treating her differently by working on her shop first. It was the same procedure I'd use in any large project.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that Bill acted entitled because he was used to getting his way. I didn't want him to push Angela out or make it more difficult for her to stay.
I'd only just gotten her, and I didn't want to lose her.
What if Eve asked me to abort my work on Angela's shop and work on Bill's?
It would be within her rights to direct me in any direction she preferred.
My professional judgment was just a guideline in this situation.
The owner might have different priorities, and Angela was just a temporary lease holder.
What if Eve terminated her lease? I hated the idea. I didn't want that for Angela and Ayla. They were just getting on their feet, and they didn't need someone pushing them down again.
In the evening, I ran home to shower before calling Angela and offering to pick up a pizza. When I knocked on Angela's door, Ayla answered.
"You got dressed today," I said as soon as I saw her in sweats and a hoodie.
Her lower lip protruded. "Mom made me."
I chuckled as I stepped inside. "Yeah, moms do that sometimes."
"What do moms do?" Angela asked as she approached with a smile, taking the pizza box from my hands.
"Make you get dressed and take showers. Brush teeth. Stuff like that."
Angela rolled her eyes. "Imagine that. What tyrants."
Ayla skipped into the kitchen. "It's holiday break. I should wear my pj's the entire time."
Angela sighed. "Ugh. No."
I got the plates while she opened the box.
She plated the slices, and we sat at the counter to eat.
"How was work?" Angela asked me.
"Got a lot of the pipe removed." Should I mention that Bill stopped by? I didn't want to upset her, especially when she was supposed to be taking a break.
"I'm excited that work is finally started."
"It won't be long now until you're back in your place."
"I hope you're right."
"Anytime you open up walls, you could run into something but I'm hoping for an easy fix," I said, taking a large bite of pizza. "How's the online shop coming?"
"I had a few more sales, and I'm still adding more products to the site. It's slow going but gives me something to focus on while the shop is closed."
It was important to her that she stay busy, and I could understand that. "The store will be open soon."
Ayla set the crust down on her plate. "Can we watch a movie?"
"If our guest wants to," Angela prodded.
Ayla turned her brown eyes on me. "You want to watch a movie with me?"
My lips twitched. "Of course."
She hopped off the stool. "I'll go look for one."
"Before you run off, clear your dish, please," Angela said.
Ayla's nose pinched, but she grabbed the plate and rinsed it in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher.
"Thank you," Angela said before Ayla ran into the living room. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"
I raised a brow. "A princess movie?"
A smile spread over her face. "It's very possible."
"I've been looking forward to this all day." Was it weak to admit that? There was something about being in my old house where Angela and Ayla lived that was satisfying.
An emotion flicked over Angela's face too quickly for me to place it. "You might regret your decision."
"I highly doubt that." I pushed the lever for the garbage with my foot, dumping my leftover crusts into the can.
Ayla ran back into the room. "Can we make cotton candy?"
That made me pause and look at Angela for direction.
She shrugged sheepishly. "She got a machine for Christmas, but we haven't set it up yet. She's been bugging me."
I got the impression she didn't want to do it because she was tired.
"I can set it up if you want."
"I'll get it," Ayla disappeared into the living room.
"You don't have to help if you don't want to."
"I love cotton candy," I said as Ayla returned with a box.
I took it from her and set it on the island. She knelt on the stool, helping me open it and take out the pieces. There were several pink-and-blue plastic cones that you used to assemble the cotton candy, and a few loose parts for the machine itself.
I opened the instruction book. "We have to put the round piece here in the middle." Ayla attempted to place the small metal round piece but got frustrated when it didn't immediately click into place. "Can you do it?"
I pressed harder, getting it to slide into place. "The larger plastic piece goes here. Think you can do it?"
"Yeah." A tongue darted out in concentration as she secured it. "I did it."
"You sure did." I grinned, meeting Angela's gaze across the counter. "Now, we need to turn it on. It has to heat for a few minutes before we add the sugar. Do you have any?"
"That was separate, remember?" Angela asked Ayla.
"Oh, yeah." She hopped off her stool. "I'll go get it."
Ayla ran into the living room.
I raised a brow at Angela. "Did you think through this present? It's literally all sugar."
Angela smiled. "She asked for it, and I like to get her a few things on her list. That way, she thinks that Santa is fulfilling her wishes."
"Did you not want me to open it now?" It was evening, and sugar probably made kids hyper before bed.
"I didn't want to put it together. So you're doing me a favor. And if she's hyper, you're sticking around to entertain her."
I chuckled. "Fair enough."
Ayla returned with a box. "Got it."
I took it from her and set it on the counter. "Which flavor? Pink vanilla, blue raspberry, grape?"
Ayla studied the description of the flavors on the box. "Pink Vanilla."
"Pink vanilla it is," I said, pulling out the pink container. "We need one teaspoon in the space here." I indicated where to put it and handed her the measuring spoon.
She poured the sugar, and I waited for her to sit on the stool.
"You think it's warmed up enough?" I asked.
Her eyes wide with excitement, she said, "Yup."
"Let's do this." I pulled a pink funnel out of the plastic wrap and placed it like the directions indicating before turning it on. It started spinning, and I waited for the little webs to form, then wrap them around the cone.
"It's working," Ayla said as the candy attached to the plastic.
I was impressed that it was so easy. "My siblings would have loved something like this growing up. But somehow I don't think my mom would have bought it for us."
"Sugar would make you crazy," Ayla said seriously, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"You're probably right." I refocused my attention on the cone, which was attracting a good amount of candy. I handed it to Ayla. "Why don't you try this one, and I'll make another?"
She took the cone from me and bit the cotton candy.
I grinned at the site of her eating it that way. Then I grabbed another cone from the packaging and wrapped more candy. When the sugar ran out, I asked, "You want to try one?"
Angela hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"
I handed it to her, then turned off the machine because the sugar had run out. I didn't want to make more, so I pulled off the extra pieces and placed them in the sink to be washed.
"I need water," Ayla said.
"I think you took your water bottle into the living room."
"Oh, yeah," Ayla said, disappearing.
"You're not making anymore?" Angela asked me.
"I don't want to make another batch because then Ayla would ask for more, and we both know how that would go."
"You couldn't say no?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"Definitely not."
She gave me an amused look. "If you ever have kids, you're going to have to be firm or they'll walk all over you."
I turned and faced her. "I guess I'll have to work on that."
She smiled, lifting her cone that still had pink candy on it. "You want to try some of mine?"
"Are you going to feed it to me?" I asked, my voice lower.
She moved closer and pulled off some of the sweet treat, holding it in front of my lips. I took it from her finger, my tongue touching her skin.
She shivered from the contact, and I wished we were truly alone because I wanted to kiss her so badly.
"I'm starting the movie," Ayla called to us.
"We'll be right there," Angela said as she moved even closer.
I dropped a hand to her hip, squeezing lightly to warn her that she was in dangerous territory. She tipped her head to the side. "Is it sweet?"
"Not as sweet as you," I said, right before my mouth descended on hers.
She tasted like sugar, and I couldn't get enough. I turned, pressing her against the cabinet. Her hands slid up my chest, resting over my pecs. My heart was beating rapidly as I pulled away.
I wanted time alone with her, but there was something about these stolen moments that heightened the anticipation.
She patted my chest with one hand. "This weekend."
I grinned. "I can't wait."
"We should go watch that movie now." She moved away from me, and I watched her hips sway in tight jeans.
I threw a thumb over my shoulder. "I'm just going to wash the parts. Then I'll be in."
A crease appeared between her brows. "Oh, you don't have to. I can get it tomorrow."
"I'm the one who made a mess, and I'll clean it up."
She bit her lower lip, and my gaze snagged on the movement. "That's— Thank you."
"You're welcome." If she wasn't used to a man cleaning up after himself, then she'd have to get used to it. I didn't want to be a burden. I wanted to make her life easier.
I quickly washed the parts and left them on a towel to dry. Then I carefully placed the machine and the unused cones into the box. I closed it and set it in the pantry for them to use later.
I turned off the light and joined the girls in the living room. Ayla was on the floor in front of the couch, and Angela patted the cushion next to her.
"What are we watching?" I asked, and Ayla hissed, "Shhh."
I sat next to Angela and raised a brow in question. She leaned over and whispered, "Frozen."
"I don't know this one," I whispered to Angela.
She moved close to me and explained what I'd missed. Then we turned our attention to the movie. The music wasn't half bad, and it was kind of cool that the princess shot ice out of her hands. But it was the snowman that stole the show.
At the end, Ayla turned, and asked me, "Did you like it?"
"It was good."
"Can we watch the next one?" Ayla asked Angela.
I stretched my stiff neck. "There's another one?"
Angela sighed. "Yes, but it's someone's bedtime. We can watch it another time."
"Wait for me though. I want to see it."
"We will." Ayla jumped up and took off for the stairs.
"You don't have to stick around and watch princess movies, you know."
She expected me to take the out. I suspected a part of her wanted me to, so she could place me in a box. One I didn't deserve to be in. "I enjoy hanging out with you guys."
She looked at me as if she couldn't quite understand that. "Yeah?"
I nodded, leaning my elbows on my thighs. "Yeah, it's nice spending time with you and Ayla."
Her cheeks flushed. "You seem too good to be true."
"I have a feeling you haven't been with the right guy. And I intend to prove you wrong. I'm not too good to be true. I'm exactly what you deserve."
With that parting shot, I stood, holding my hand out to her. "Now, I have a story to read. Are you coming?"
She placed her hand in mine, and it felt like a step in the right direction. I needed her to trust me, but I knew it wouldn't be easy.