was professional, not personal. Since he’d been so clear about his aversion to serious relationships, she figured he’d be glad to know she felt the same way. Judging by his response, he was anything but glad. His swift turn from teasing to intense made no sense to her, and that brought her back to something that, as the only girl in a sea of overbearing brothers, she’d believed for most of her life.
Boys were stupid, and a smart girl never forgot that.
* * *
Cam ended up spending a good chunk of his day helping Erin.
He was shocked to discover that it was a lot more enjoyable than he’d expected it to be when Natalie had volunteered him for pack and schlep duty. Even more surprising was the fact that every time he stopped by to check in at the café, things were running more or less smoothly.
“Sure, boss,” Kyle assured him with a competent nod. “You put on extra staff to help with the after-holiday crowd, remember? Everything’s going fine.”
Lately, things had been going anything other than fine for him, and Cam couldn’t quite believe the change was for real. “What’s the word on the cooler?”
“Just a worn-out doohickey that had to be replaced. Fred didn’t even charge you,” the kid added with a grin. “Said to call it a late Christmas present.”
The cavalier attitude rubbed Cam the wrong way, and he came close to ordering Kyle to pay the repairman, anyway. Then he thought again, reminding himself that he was in Oaks Crossing, not Minneapolis. Against all modern odds, Oaks Crossing was still the kind of place where neighbors helped each other out when they could. While he certainly owed Fred some kind of favor in return, Cam decided that trying to force the generous man to accept payment for his services would come across as rude. So, despite the fact that it bugged him, he opted to leave the situation as it currently stood.
“All right,” he finally said, taking a last look around the orderly kitchen. “I’ll be next door a while longer. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
Baffled by the strange twists and turns his day had taken so far, Cam left the restaurant and grabbed the last of Erin’s boxes from the bed of his truck. He hauled it upstairs and found her in the small living room, listening to a local country station and pulling together anything labeled Parker.
“What’re you doing?” Cam asked as he set the box marked Kitchen Stuff on the breakfast bar. While he was at it, he discreetly bumped the volume knob on the small stereo so the music dropped to a more acceptable murmur. Erin gave him a knowing look but didn’t say anything, so he counted that as a victory.
“Parker’s hanging out with Abby at the farm today, and Mom’s going to bring him by in—” she checked the oversize watch on her wrist “—an hour. I want his room to be ready when he gets here.”
The gesture got his attention, and he went closer to get a better look at the rugged piece of jewelry. Nothing fancy, it was obviously designed for a man, with bold numbers inside a cloudy crystal that had seen better days. And then it hit him: it hadn’t always been hers. “Is that your dad’s watch?”
“Yeah.” She tilted it toward her with a sad smile. “I used to like wearing it when I was a little girl, so he left it to me. I’ve worn it ever since.”
“That’s nice.” While he appreciated her down-to-earth tribute, Cam couldn’t help wishing that he and his father had shared the kind of relationship that made him want to do something similar. The truth was, David Stewart had left his son with nothing but icy hatred for the man who’d abandoned his wife and children because their life together hadn’t turned out the way he’d planned.
Eager to embrace something more positive, Cam shouldered a box full of bedding and headed down the hallway. After a few moments’ hesitation, he heard Erin sigh and start dragging another carton down behind him.
When he turned into the smaller bedroom, she called out, “No, the other one.”
“That’s the master,” he argued, turning to face her. “It’s got two windows and a much bigger closet. Plus, it faces Main Street with a view of the park instead of the brick wall from the building next door.”
“I want Parker to have the brighter space,” she insisted in a don’t-argue-with-me tone. So, being a relatively intelligent man, Cam changed direction and hung a left.
As he carried the heavier pieces back for her, he couldn’t help being awed by her selflessness. “Most women I know wouldn’t have given up the walk-in closet, much less the pretty view outside, for anyone.”
Erin shrugged. “I guess I’m not like the other women you’ve known.”
Got that right, he nearly said before he stopped himself. The comment had a good chance of being taken the wrong way, and he didn’t want to say anything that might suggest he was more impressed with his new tenant than he should be.
The pieces of Parker’s twin bed were leaning against the wall, and when Cam started assembling the frame, he noticed the parts didn’t quite fit but had been rigged to work as a set.
“What’s up with this?” he asked, motioning to the glued-and-screwed posts.
“When Parker came to live with me, I didn’t have a bed for him. The boys were tough on theirs, but Josh took them apart and scrounged enough pieces to make one good set.”
“That’s debatable,” Cam commented with a scowl. Looking around the room and then at the enormous pile of things she intended to cram in here, he added, “This kid has a ton of stuff. Where are you gonna put everything?”
“I’ll figure it out,” she assured him, determination flaring in her eyes. “Contrary to what men like to believe, some women are perfectly capable of managing all kinds of things on their own.”
Translation: I counted on a man once, and he let me down. While Cam’s failed marriage helped him understand where she was coming from, the unexpected bite of her Irish temper set him back a step, and he raised his hands in a calming gesture. “Trust me, I’m not one of those guys. If I was ever stupid enough to have that attitude, Mom and Natalie would’ve set me straight years ago. Can I make a suggestion?”
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, but she gave him a tentative nod.
“Let’s start the new year out with a clean slate.” Offering his hand, he said, “I’m Cam Stewart. Welcome to the building.”
After a moment, she laughed and followed along. “Erin Kinley. Nice to meet you.”
“So, I hear you’ve got a bunch of stuff to fit into this oversize closet of a bedroom,” he went on, continuing the charade. “I can see you’ve got things under control up here, but would you be interested in some free help to boss around?”
“That would be great, if you’re not too busy.”
“Never too busy to lend a hand to a new neighbor,” he assured her with a grin. “As a matter of fact, I’ve got a couple of old counter stools over at the café that’d work for your breakfast bar. Would you like me to bring ’em up here for you?”
She rewarded him with a pixie grin that told him he’d finally struck the right chord
