I didn’t mean to.”
Shaw looked at Lainie. “What’s wrong?”
“My daughter tried to wash her fuzzy bracelet in the sink.”
Shaw frowned. He wasn’t sure what a fuzzy bracelet might look like, but if it was stuck in the drain, he could get it out. “No problem. We’ll get it out and have your sink working in no time.”
Lainie sent Natalie to her room with instructions to take her sister with her and get ready for bed. “I’m so sorry.”
“This is an old house and something always needs fixed. This sink drain should have a cover. I never noticed that before.” He started feeding the slender wire snake down the drain. “I guess everything went okay today?”
“Yes. I met your neighbor.”
“Gwen and Eric are good people. We attend the same church.”
“You go to church?”
Shaw wasn’t sure if he should be hurt or angry at her surprise. He shot a glance at her over his shoulder. “Just a sinner saved by grace.” Her lack of response told him she regretted her comment.
“So, how is the library coming along?”
He knew what Lainie really wanted to know. Had he made significant progress today? She wanted to make sure he was keeping on task. Shaw pulled out the snake. Whatever was clogging the drain was wedged in the trap. He pulled a wrench from his tool box and sat on the floor, opening the cabinet doors to work on the pipes. “We hit another snag. Russ and I will have to do the drywall ourselves. We can’t find a crew available to do the job.”
“What does that mean?’
“Several days’ delay. Can you get me a bucket?”
“What?”
“I have to take the trap off. I need something to catch the water.”
“Oh. I think I saw one in the laundry room.”
She returned quickly with the bucket. He lay down under the sink, stretching his legs across the floor as he fought the rusty pipe. “Don’t worry, Lainie. I’ll stay on top of the project. I want it done on time as much as you do.” He put all his strength behind the wrench and pulled. The joint finally broke free. A stream of brown water and a thick glob of slimy junk plopped into the bucket.
“I doubt that.”
Shaw tugged himself from under the sink, staring up at Lainie from the floor. “If I don’t complete this job on time, I’ll have to pay a fine that will probably bankrupt my company. So yes, I do have as much to lose as you do if I fail.”
He hadn’t meant to sound angry. But he was painfully aware of the looming deadline and what he had to lose. The setback with the drywall hadn’t helped. Moving back under the sink, he reconnected the trap and stood. It would need to be replaced with plastic pipes soon, but it should hold for a while.
He ran water through the sink to make sure the drain flowed freely. “Good as new.” He stepped back and found Lainie staring at him.
“Is that true?” she asked. “Could you lose your business if the construction isn’t done in time?”
“Those are the terms of the contract I signed. I’ve got four weeks to finish and six weeks of work yet to do.”
“I didn’t know.”
“No reason you should.”
“Do you think you can finish in time?”
“It’ll mean pulling some all-nighters, but I have no choice. I need to finish. My future depends on it. It’s not just the fine. It’s my reputation that would be ruined. The people here would never trust me again. I’ve worked too hard to mess that up.”
Lainie studied him a moment as if she were contemplating what he’d told her. “Thank you for fixing the sink.”
“You’re welcome. There’ll probably be more repairs to do. Like I said, it’s an old house.” He thought he saw a hint of understanding in her eyes. Hope took root. He wanted to see more than understanding. He wanted to see friendship, anything other than condemnation.
“Hey, Misser Shaw.” Chrissy hurried over to him as he dried his hands on a paper towel. “Did you find my sister’s fuzzy bracelet?”
“Uh, yes, but I don’t think it’s any good anymore.” He pointed to the bucket on the floor filled with brown gunk.
“Ew.” Chrissy pinched her nose against the smell.
“Thanks for the pizza, Mister Shaw.” Natalie grinned up at him from her mother’s side.
“My pleasure.”
“Girls, it’s bedtime. Say good-night and go back upstairs. I’ll be up in a minute.”
“Night, Mister Shaw.” Natalie smiled full out, flashing her twin dimples.
Chrissy came to his side and grinned. She placed her hand over her mouth, made a kissing sound, then blew it toward him. “Night. See you in the morning.”
Shaw watched the girls scurry up the stairs, a strange warmth curling inside his chest. He wasn’t sure if he liked the sensation or not. Gathering up his tools and the bucket of water, he said good-night and returned to his side of the house.
He liked helping people. He enjoyed working with the teens he taught. He welcomed the chance to aid the members of his church. But helping Lainie tonight had been a different experience. He’d felt like a knight coming to the rescue and receiving a boon in the form of a kiss blown by a tiny girl with glasses.
Shaw rubbed his forehead. He was obviously exhausted and not thinking clearly. He closed his kitchen door, snapped his fingers at Beaux, then headed into the bedroom. He needed sleep. But he had a feeling Lainie and two little charmers with blond hair and blue eyes would be invading his dreams tonight.
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