Jesse was preoccupied with a book as he scarfed down the quesadillas. Realizing she was alone in her wallowing, she stood to find her phone. Might as well pull it off like a Band-aid. The sooner she started these episodes, the sooner she could move on from Zach.
She located her phone and swiped it on. Just as she moved to push the talk button under Zach’s number, there was a knock on the door. She set her phone down on the counter and moved to open the door, only to reveal Zach standing in her hallway. He had a tool belt around his waist and a white t-shirt that highlighted his muscles.
She swallowed as her gaze made its way behind him to see—Jonathan, if she remembered right—standing there holding a huge piece of sheetrock.
Confused, she turned back to Zach. “What’s going on?”
Zach gave her a quick smile and moved closer to Danielle. She could feel his presence wash over her as she blinked up at him.
“I told you that I’d come to fix your bathroom and that’s what I’m here to do.” He glanced down at her and his smile deepened. “I mean, if that’s okay with you. I figured you wanted your deposit back.”
Too stunned to speak, Danielle nodded and stepped out of the way as Zach and Jonathan made their way into her apartment. Just as Jonathan walked by, he nodded and smiled at her.
“Good to see you again,” he said.
Danielle returned the smile and then turned to her apartment and shut the door. Jesse had finished with lunch and was staring at Zach. Worry rushed into her mind and she made her way over to him.
“You can play some video games,” she said, pushing her son in the direction of his room.
Jesse whipped around. “But it’s not after seven.”
Zach was watching them with interest. Not wanting to draw more attention, she wrapped her arms around his shoulder. “It’s fine. Just go.”
Jesse sprinted to his room as if he were anticipating her sudden retraction of words. Once his door was shut, she turned back to Zach. He was pulling tools out of the toolbox that she hadn’t notice him carrying. Jonathan had disappeared into her bathroom.
Not sure what to do, she stood there like an idiot. Should she talk to him? Let him work?
Jonathan appeared and clapped Zach on the shoulder. “Well, I did my job. I think you’ve got it covered.”
Zach shot a look in Jonathan’s direction and for a moment, Danielle wondered if she saw a hint of desperation in that look.
“Really? I’m cool with you staying.”
Jonathan glanced over at Danielle and then back to Zach. “Nah, man. You’ve got this covered. Besides, knowing me, I’ll just get in the way.” He gave Zach a smile and then headed toward the front door. When he passed by Danielle, he nodded. “It was nice seeing you again.”
Danielle smiled as he walked out into the hall and shut the door. Glancing over to see Zach surveying her, she suddenly realized how alone they were. Again. How did this keep happening?
Zach shouldn’t be in her apartment. He shouldn’t be wearing a tool belt and getting ready to fix her bathroom wall. They had a strictly business relationship despite the fact that they also had a very torrid history.
“I can get someone else to do that,” stumbled out of her mouth before she could stop it. Her cheeks heated as her words touched her ears.
Zach raised an eyebrow as he pulled out a saw from his toolbox. He gave her one last pointed look and disappeared into her bathroom. Frustrated that he wasn’t listening to her, determination rose up in her chest as she marched in after him. There was no way she was going to just stand in her apartment and be ignored. If she wasn’t going to take that from her eight-year-old, she certainly wasn’t going to take it from Zach.
“I said, you don’t have to do it,” she said when he came into view.
He was crouching down and pressing his fingers into the wall as if testing for soft spots. Her gaze immediately made its way down to his jeans that hugged his body quite nicely. The NFL had done amazing things to his form. She felt flushed and agitated all at the same time.
“Zach, you’re not listening to me,” she said with a hint of desperation in her voice. She was rapidly losing herdetermination to kick him from her apartment. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to help her. She’d been the one carrying the torch for their family and she was lying to herself if she said that having Zach here wasn’t filling a very deep and endless well that had formed inside of her.
“I am listening. I’m just choosing to ignore you.” Zach’s voice was low with hinted sarcasm in it. He pressed in a few more places and then straightened and turned, bringing himself inches from her. “I’m not going to let you live in a house that could get mold. I’ll replace your sheetrock and then be out of here.” He glanced down at her and tingles erupted from her toes and raced up to her heart, causing it to pound so loud, she was sure he could hear it.
“Is that okay with you, Ms. Danaher?” His voice was smooth and sweet. It wrapped itself around her and soothed her in a way she hadn’t been soothed in a long time.
Knowing that it was futile to argue with a Stedman, she chewed her lip and nodded. “I guess. If you promise that’s the only thing you’re here for.” She needed that confirmation. She needed to know that after the fix, he’d be gone. She was rapidly losing all ability to push him away and if he stayed, she was sure her resolve would crumble.
He hesitated and she swore she saw his gaze flick down to her lips. But just as fast as it happened, he returned to meet her gaze. Then he nodded. “I’ll stay until you ask me to go.” He held her gaze as if he wanted her to feel the full weight of his words.
Not sure what she was going to say to that, Danielle just nodded. She didn’t trust her voice not to betray her so she kept her response as basic as possible.
