Chapter Seventeen
Haley placed her lunch order at Panera’s counter and took the pager from the cashier’s hand. Getting out there to date had only made the pain of missing Sam worse, and her heart grew heavier with each passing day. “So, I met bachelor number two after work yesterday.” She stepped aside to wait while Kathy and Felicia placed their orders.
“Yeah? Where’d you go?” Felicia asked, handing over her credit card to the woman behind the counter.
“I met him at Nina’s Coffee Café.” Once Kathy had ordered her lunch, the three of them moved to the beverage stand, and Haley filled a large mug with coffee.
“Was this BlueHeeler?” Kathy asked.
“Yep.” She scanned the restaurant. “There’s a table. Let’s grab it before someone else beats us to it.”
“BlueHeeler, huh?” Felicia giggled. “I’ll bet his tail wagged when he met you.”
“Ha, ha.” Haley slid into a chair. “Actually, he was really weird. He just kind of sat there and stared at me. He hardly said anything, and it made me really nervous. And when I’m nervous, I babble.”
“Maybe he’s shy.” Kathy settled on the seat across from her.
“Could be, but there was no chemistry. I’m not going to see him again.” She sipped her coffee. “At least his profile picture matched his current age. That’s an improvement over Rad7.”
“So, who’s next?” Felicia asked.
“I’m meeting bachelor number three after work today. He goes by Waiting4U, and he works as a financial advisor.” She wasn’t really up for number three. Maybe she’d pull a no-show.
“Waiting4U. Huh, his online handle sounds kind of corny but sweet.” Kathy grinned. “Where to this time?”
“J&S Bean Factory on Randolph. It’s close to home.” She could swing by, take a look and then keep going if she wanted. Haley huffed out a breath. “By the time I meet someone decent, I’ll have visited all of the coffeehouses in St. Paul. In less than two weeks, I’ve been to Caribou, Nina’s and now the Bean Factory.” Her pager started to buzz. “I’ll be right back.”
She went to pick up her soup-and-sandwich combo from the counter. Waiting4U might be a great guy. She hoped so, but she wasn’t counting on it. Still, three men in two weeks’ time, and nothing to show for it? Her stomach dropped. If bachelor number three didn’t work out, she’d take a break. The fact that she compared them all to Sam didn’t help. Well, nothing could’ve helped Rad7. One more date like that, and she really would be ready for a man ban.
Haley parked her car across the street and half a block down from the coffeehouse. Waiting4U stood on the corner. He’d seen her and waved as she’d driven by. OK, he was nice looking, and she liked the way he dressed. She’d smiled and waved back. Thank goodness he matched his profile picture. She climbed out of her car, crossed the street and made her way down the sidewalk. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Haley.”
“Nice to meet you, Haley. I’m Jason.” He gestured toward the coffeehouse. “Shall we?”
“Sure.” She moved to the door, expecting him to open it for her. He didn’t. Sam would have, but then he was a throwback. Let it go. Most men didn’t open doors for women anymore. She walked into the small café. The smell of coffee and the savory scent of food permeated the coffee shop, and her stomach grumbled.
Jason pulled his wallet from his pocket and ordered a coffee for himself before stepping back to give her room. “I hope you don’t mind going Dutch.” He flashed her a smarmy grin. “I mean, since it’s just a meet and greet. Not really a date at this point, right?”
“Oh.” No door opening, and cheap. Hmmm. “No, that’s fine.” Did that mean he’d taken one look at her and decided she didn’t do it for him? Haley ordered a chai tea—in a to-go cup just in case—and by the time she got her beverage, Jason had already seated himself at a table. Another point gone. He hadn’t waited for her. She’d give him twenty minutes to redeem himself, and if he didn’t, she’d leave.
She set her tea on the table and started to take off her coat. “So, you’re a financial advisor. What’s that like?”
“It’s great,” he said, launching into all the high-profile clients he had, their portfolios and his own financial goals. “I own a nice house in Edina, and a rental property in south Minneapolis. This summer I’m going to look into buying a vacation home somewhere on a lake up north.”
He hadn’t even waited until she’d sat down before giving her a list of his assets. Was she being nitpicky? “Sounds great,” she muttered as she took her seat, and he was off again.
“Yep, it is, plus I have a Chaparral Signature 31, which is a great boat, by the way. I keep it at the King’s Cove Marina on the St. Croix River. I also have two four-wheeler all-terrain vehicles if you’re into that sort of thing, and a membership at the Interlachen Country Club. I golf a lot.”
Did he think telling her what he owned made a difference? Not once did he ask a single question about her. “Besides boating, golf and ATVs, what else do you like to do for fun?” she asked, hoping to steer him away from his materialistic monologue.
“I like to travel, especially to tropical places. In fact, next week I’m going on a vacation to Jamaica. I’ll be staying at the Sandals Negri Spa and Resort. It’s all-inclusive, top of the line.”
She nodded, and sipped her tea. Disappointed, she fought the urge to roll her eyes, and only half listened as bachelor number three went on and on about the ritzy places he’d been, and where he wanted to go in the future. Her boycott on men looked better and better by the minute. She could always start the remodel on her downstairs bathroom.
Her heart ached as images of Instructor Sam flashed through her mind. Thanks to him, she now knew how to get the job done herself. Had she kept all the catalogs Sam had given her? She’d go with a lighter decor this time, a cream-colored vanity, shiny subway tiles on the walls, and a nice one-piece shower insert. Or, maybe it would be fun to do it up in a fifties motif to match the post WWII era her bungalow had been built. She’d do an online search for retro stuff once she got home.
“So, what do you think?”
“Huh?” Her attention returned to Jason. “About what?”
“My Mercedes is five years old now, and I’m shopping for a new car. Should I buy a BMW or a Lexus? Which do you prefer?”
“Oh.” Haley stood up and reached for her coat. “I’m sorry, Jason. This just isn’t working for me. It was nice meeting you though. Best of luck in your date search.” She grabbed her chai and headed for the door. Once she got home she’d go downstairs with her tape measure—which she could use properly now, also thanks to her relationship-phobe handyman—and start planning her new home improvement project. To hell with online dating. If she was meant to meet someone, she would. And if not? Her eyes stung a bit at the alternative.
She could join a few clubs, find volunteer opportunities. Perhaps it made better sense to meet a man in a more organic way, so the two of them would be drawn together by mutual interests. Or not. Again the urge to call Sam overwhelmed her. Did he miss her even a little bit? She waited for a break in traffic so she could cross the street.
“Hey, wait up, Haley.” Jason joined her. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“When I’m nervous, I get . . . Well, you’re much prettier in person than you are in your profile pictures. I guess I was trying too hard to impress you, and it came off as shallow.”
She got that, and she may have been a smidge judgmental. “It’s OK.”
“Let me walk you to your car. I’d love to take you out for dinner. If you’re free tonight, that is.”
“All right.” He did have a nice smile. “You have until we reach my car to convince me you’re worth another shot, and by worth, I don’t mean things you own,” she teased.
Sam drove down Randolph, heading downtown to meet Wyatt and Josey at The Bulldog. After talking to Gramps two days ago, he’d racked his brain for a way to redeem himself with Haley. He needed to run things by his siblings. Stopping at a red light, Sam tapped his fingers to the rock music blaring from his radio.
The scent of coffee infiltrated his van, and he looked for the source. J&S Bean Factory on the next block up and to his right. A woman walked out and stopped by the curb as if waiting for someone. There was something so familiar about her that he stared harder. She turned then, and his lungs seized. Haley.
A man joined her. They talked, and Haley smiled. The two of them crossed the street together and disappeared from his view. Sam’s heart pounded. She was on a date. He’d been losing sleep, losing weight, hemming and hawing over what to do, and meanwhile, some other man had swooped in to steal her away.
He had to do something fast, or he’d lose her for good. The light changed, and he hit the gas, praying she hadn’t seen him. He wasn’t ready to plead his case to her yet. A new kind of panic welled. He loved her, and she’d said she had feelings for him too. He’d been insane to push her away, and now he might miss his chance to win her back.
Sam parked his van and hurried into The Bulldog. He caught sight of Wyatt and Josey and wended his way through the packed bar and grill. “I need help,” he said, sliding into his seat.
“Been telling you that for years, bro,” Wyatt said, saluting him with his bottle of beer.
“Seriously.” Sam signaled the server, holding up Josey’s Michelob and pointing to it. “I need help coming up with a plan to get Haley back in my life. I saw her with another guy about ten minutes ago.”
“Glad to hear you’ve finally come to your senses,” Josey said. “Roses. Show up at her house with a dozen long-stem red roses, and beg for mercy.”
“No.” Wyatt’s expression turned pensive. “The begging part is good, but roses are temporary. If I were a woman, I wouldn’t want flowers. They don’t last.”
“Neither do chocolates, unless you count the extra poundage they cause,” Jo said with a smirk.
“Nope, chocolates won’t do either,” Wyatt said, straightening in his chair. “Given the way Sam left her, he needs to stay away from anything that implies temporary. Flowers or candy might even come across as an empty gesture. Sam needs to come up with something meaningful and Haley-specific, something that says I paid attention and I know you. You want to make a statement, Sam, like, I’m here to stay.”
“Wyatt is right,” Jo admitted. “What you need is a grand gesture, something that screams you want a future with her.”
“She enjoys snowmobiling, and she did say she ought to get one for herself. I’ve considered buying one for her. Would that work?” Sam’s hopes soared. Although, if Haley had her own snowmobile, he’d miss the fun of having her arms around him.
“Too much and not sentimental at all.” Jo pursed her lips. “Besides snowmobiling, what did the two of you enjoy doing together the most?”
“I enjoyed everything we did together, which wasn’t much. We . . . we’d just gotten started.” Sam rubbed the stubble on his chin, remembering the way he and Haley had worked side by side on her house. “We enjoyed remodeling her house together,” he offered. “She’s great with tear-outs and installing tile. I’d buy her a new sledgehammer, but she already has one.”
Wyatt straightened. “Oh, man. I have the greatest idea.”
“Me too.” The perfect gift came to Sam in a flash. He explained what he had in mind, and certainty welled in his chest.
“Perfect.” Wyatt grinned and high-fived him.
“What do you think, Jo?” Sam asked. “You’re a girl. Would something like that work for you?”
“First of all, I’m a woman, not a girl.” She scowled at him.
Their server came to the table with his beer, and the three of them ordered food. Now that he’d come to grips with his need to have Haley in his life, Sam actually had an appetite. “Sorry. A woman. Would it work? Will it be a grand enough gesture?”
“It might work if you’re not too late, and if she isn’t over you yet.” Her pitying expression put a damper on his spirits. Josey shrugged. “I hope it’s not too late, Sam, but you said you saw her out with another man, and it may have been a date. What if she really likes the guy?”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks since I stopped by to talk to her. She can’t be that serious about him yet.”
“No? Well, here’s a question for you.” Wyatt flashed him a pointed look. “How long did it take you to fall for Haley?”
“Ten minutes.” He buried his face in his hands and groaned. “Oh, God, I’m screwed.”
“Not necessarily. Tomorrow is Saturday. As soon as Home Depot opens, go get what you need.” Wyatt did a search on his phone. “The Target on University Avenue stays open until midnight. After we eat, go buy her a sentimental card to go with the gift. Women love that kind of thing.”
“We do,” Josey added.
“I will.” Sam took a fortifying swig of his beer. He had one more thing in mind to get her, but at this time of year, he wasn’t sure if he could find what he wanted. His cousin might be able to help. He pulled his phone from its holster. “I’ll be right back. I need to call Andrea.”
“What for?”
“To ask a favor.” He headed to the street where it was quiet enough to hear her. Goose bumps formed on his arms and his hands froze, but he toughed it out, made the call and got the answer he needed. He’d stop at her house on the way to Target. Smiling, he walked back to their table. “All set.”
“What was all that about?” Jo asked, her forehead puckered.
“It’s no big deal, an added prop is all.”
“If this doesn’t work, you’re going to feel like shit,” Wyatt said. “Call if you need company.”
“I will.”
“And if it does work out”—Wyatt smirked—“and you end up marrying her, you do realize there’s only one letter difference between her first name and our last name, right?”
Sam frowned. “Yeah, so?”
“She’ll become Haley Haney. Isn’t her middle name Helen? Her initials will be H.H.H. She’ll be one H short of four. I’m going to have to tease her.”
“Good thing her name isn’t Laney.” Josey snorted. “Then she’d be Laney Haney. In fact, if you two ever have a daughter—”
“You’re both idiots.” Their food came, and Sam wolfed his down. He laid fifteen dollars on the table and put on his coat. “If that’s not enough, I’ll pay you back later.”
Josey picked up the bills and handed them back. “Don’t worry about it. Dinner’s on us tonight. Go.”
“Thanks. Wish me luck.” He started for the door.
“Good luck. Text us,” Wyatt called after him.
Sam held up his hand, letting his brother know he’d heard. He headed to his cousin’s house first. He had a plan. Haney men had skills, and there wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix.
Haley’s phone pealed. She dropped her toast on the plate and chewed fast while reaching for her cell. Swallowing, she checked the ID and brought it up to her ear. “Hey, Felicia. How’re you this fabulous sunny morning?”
“Well aren’t you perky as hell? That must mean yesterday’s date with Waiting4U turned out OK.”
“Not really. It started out horribly, but he talked me into having dinner with him, which I did.” She moved to her living room couch and curled up in the pool of sunshine beaming in from her east-facing window. “He’s a very ambitious and materialistic man. Nice, but not at all my type. I ended up paying for my own dinner and telling him I wasn’t interested in seeing him again.”
“I don’t get it. If Waiting 4U was a bust, then why do you sound so cheerful?”
“Because I’ve decided to take a break from online dating.”
“But you just started. At least give it a few months.”
“Nope. I’m going to remodel my downstairs bathroom instead.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes, by myself. I’ll hire an electrician and a plumber when I need to, but there’s no reason I can’t do most of the work on my own.”
“Oh?”
“You don’t sound convinced.” Haley recalled the disastrous state of her kitchen and bathroom pre-Haney & Sons. She couldn’t blame her. “Sam taught me a lot, and I’m confident I can pull it off.”
“I’m sure you can remodel your bathroom, Haley. I’m just disappointed I won’t get to live vicariously through you now that you’ve decided to take a break from online dating.”
“You could always sign up on an online site yourself, you know.”
“Mmm. Do you need any help with your new project? I’m pretty good at painting. I’d appreciate it if you’d teach me a few new skills. There are things I’d like to do with my townhouse, but with my student loans and car payment, I can’t really afford to hire anybody to do the work.”
“I’d love to teach you what I’ve learned. If you want to pitch in, get your hands dirty and callused, that’d be great.” Excitement for her new project surged. “I’m going to need help with carrying things out to a dumpster, like the old vanity, the toilet, buckets of construction debris and stuff like that. Do you think your brother would be willing to lend a hand? I’d pay him, of course.”
“He’s always looking for a way to earn some cash. His college classes keep him too busy to take on more than temporary jobs, and something like this would be perfect.”
A knock on her door startled Haley, and she glanced out the front window toward the street. Sam’s SUV was parked in front of her mailbox—in the same spot where he’d always parked when they were working on her house. Her heart leaped up her throat. “Oh my God, you’ll never guess who’s at my front door.”
“Kathy told me about this game. Wait. Isaiah Mustafa?”
Her mouth dry, Haley walked to the door. “Who’s Isaiah Mustafa?”
“The hot brother who made Old Spice famous a few years ago.”
“Oh, I remember him. Gotta go. I’ll call you back later.”
Felicia sighed. “You’d better.”
Haley ended the call. Her hand shaking and her heart thumping, she opened the door. “Sam. What are you doing here?”
“I brought you a present.” He lifted a gift bag in the air for her to see. His gaze roamed over her. “Along with fresh cinnamon bagels and cream cheese.” He lifted the other hand to reveal a Panera bag.
She was still in her pajamas, flannel pants and a snug long-sleeve T-shirt. No bra. Great. “Wait here.” She slammed the door in his face and hurried to her room to dress. She had no idea why he’d shown up at her door, but she didn’t need him ogling her braless, traitorous breasts. Her nipples had pebbled at the sight of him, or maybe it was from the cold coming in through the door. Must be the cold.
She tossed her phone on her dresser and rummaged through the drawers. Haley dressed in record time, jeans, a sweater—with a padded bra beneath that would not show off the state of her nipples. Running a brush through her hair, she struggled to calm her nerves.
She marched back to her front door, and once again threw it open. “If you’re here for your bowls, they’re still in the breezeway.” It hurt to look at him, so she didn’t.
“I’m not here for the bowls. If you don’t want to invite me in, I’ll understand completely, and I’ll leave these for you.” He tried to hand her the two bags.
She didn’t take them. “Come in.” She moved aside, and he stepped over the threshold, close enough that she caught a whiff of his aftershave. That hurt too. “Coffee?”
“I’d love a cup, thanks.”
“Have a seat.” Haley hurried off to the kitchen, buying herself a few more seconds to pull herself together. She poured herself a fresh cup, and another for Sam. Taking a deep breath, she returned to the living room and set the mugs on the table next to the Panera bag.
Sam had placed the gift bag on the floor by the couch. Curiosity burned through her, but she was distracted by the very sight of him. He wore the nice blue sweater his grandmother had given him for Christmas, and a pair of jeans that looked as if he’d ironed them. They had a crease in front. As surreptitiously as possible, she drank him in.
She reached for her coffee, going for casual nonchalance. Ha. Her insides quaked and stirred like some kind of off-kilter washing machine in a mad spin cycle. “So, what brings you here today, and bearing gifts no less? A consolation prize?”
“No.” Sam raked his fingers through his hair, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
Good. At least she knew he was nervous too. “What is this for then?” She set her coffee down and leaned over the gift bag, trying like hell to catch a glimpse of what might lie beneath the tissue paper.
“Haley, I can’t—”
“I know you can’t, Sam.” She shot up from the couch and paced. “We’ve already been through this, haven’t we? Did you show up today just to—”
“Are you always going to jump to conclusions every time I open my mouth? Is this what it’s going to be like for the rest of our lives? You interrupting me?”
Stunned, she stopped her pacing and wrapped her arms around herself. She stared out her front window, unsure she’d heard him correctly and unwilling to ask him to repeat himself.
“I was going to say that I can’t sleep. I’ve lost weight, and you’re on my mind pretty much around the clock. And with you so close right now, I can hardly breathe. I was wrong, Haley.”
“About what?” she asked, afraid she’d break down into a weepy, snotty mess if she looked at him.
“Pretty much everything. I’ve kept myself cut off from becoming seriously involved with anyone because more than anything, I fear losing the people I love. I believed that losing my one and only—that would be you, by the way—would be the very worst kind of loss, and it would destroy me.”
She nodded, conscious of the way he watched her. Wait. Did he just say . . . Her stupid hopes shot up again. She put a lid on them, unwilling to allow herself to go there. Besides, she wasn’t about to jump right back into his arms.
“I asked Grandpa Joe how he dealt with loss, how he coped with the possibility that Grandma Maggie might go before him. Do you want to hear what he had to say?”
Her eyes filled. Still giving him her back, she nodded again.
“Then come sit with me, Haley. Please come sit with me.”
She shook her head, and a tear slid down her cheek. She so didn’t want to blubber in front of him, and she was definitely on the verge.
“OK. I respect that.” Sam sighed heavily. “Grandpa Joe believes he and Grandma Maggie will somehow be together again once they both leave this world, and even without her, having family around will help make his life worth living. He says if Grandma Maggie goes first, a part of her will live on in us, so it’s not like he’ll ever lose her completely.”
The rustle of paper behind her piqued her curiosity.
“Here,” Sam said, coming up beside her. “I brought you these, because I wanted you to know I heard what you said. I paid attention. You got through to me.”
He handed her a pair of water wings, the kind little kids wore while swimming. She turned them over in her hands, staring at them. “You brought me water wings?”
“I brought you flotation devices. Remember? You said memories are like flotation devices, and they keep us afloat through the tough times. When Grandpa Joe talked about how his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will sustain him if he loses Grandma, I figured families are also flotation devices. I get it now. I want to make memories with you, Haley. Please give me a second chance, because I fell in love with you the day we met, and I’m not going to fall out of love with you. Ever.”
A sob broke free, and she covered her mouth. Sam drew her into his arms and held her just right. The water wings fell to the floor, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. She wanted to stay right there for the rest of the day. “I fell in love with you, too. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Please,” he whispered into her ear. “Come sit on the couch and see what I brought you.”
“All right,” she said, wiping her eyes. “We need to discuss a few things, negotiate terms.”
“I’m all ears, Ms. Paralegal.” He led her to the couch and settled her there. “I have a feeling I’m going to need sustenance for this conversation. You sit. I’m going to go get plates, a knife for the cream cheese and napkins.”
“Bring me a few sheets of paper towel, too,” she said, tossing him a watery smile. She sagged into the couch cushions, drained, hungry and optimistic.
Sam returned and set two places at the coffee table. He reached into the Panera bag and brought out two bagels, placing one on her plate and one on his. “I’m starving,” he said, handing her a wad of paper towels.
She wiped her nose and sopped up her tears. As hungry as she was, she couldn’t eat, but she let him fix a bagel for her anyway. “Panera’s cinnamon bagels are my favorite,” she said, her voice quavering.
“Mine too. See? We’re perfect for each other.” He grinned. “Do you want to open your present or negotiate first?”
She sniffed and hiccupped. “Negotiate.”
“I figured, what with you being a paralegal and all.” He straightened and placed his hands on his knees, bracing himself. “OK, shoot. What do you need?”
“How do I know I can trust you when you’re working? Women are still going to throw themselves at you.” She gestured toward him. “You’re hot, Sam, and you have this scruffy-little-boy-who-needs-care thing going on. It’s irresistible.”
“You find me irresistible?” His grin grew wider. “You think I’m hot? How hot?”
“I do think so, and you are not helping your cause right now.” Haley crossed her arms in front of her and lifted her chin.
“Aw, Haley. You’re pretty irresistible yourself.” He laughed. “I love it when you look down your nose at me. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
He reached for her, and she held herself stiff in his arms. “Negotiations first.”
“OK.” He let her go, his expression solemn. “Haney men don’t stray. According to Gramps, fidelity is part of our DNA. When all that stuff happened on the job, I wasn’t involved with anyone, and I’ve never hooked up with a woman who was involved with anyone either. That’s not who I am. If I had been in a relationship, none of it would’ve happened. The women who threw themselves at me, what we did together, it was . . . empty. Physical gratification, and that’s all. I lost interest in empty the minute I laid eyes on you.”
His gaze met and held hers. “When we made love, it blew me away, freaked me out and brought on a panic attack. Do you know why?”
“No, why?” Her heart danced around in her chest, her pitiful hopes soaring.
“Because making love to you was so much more than physical gratification. Intense doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt that night. I bonded with you at a soul-deep level, and it scared the shit out of me.” He took her hands in his. “I won’t do anything to threaten that bond, Haley. What I feel for you is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I realize now what a fool I was to run from you the way I did. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Her breath hitched, she wanted him so badly right now. “Have there been other women since we met?” Haley lifted her chin again, determined to get all of this out of the way. She stared deeply into his eyes, so she’d be able to tell if he told the truth or not.
One of the things she loved about Sam was his basic goodness, his forthright nature. What you saw was what you got with him. He was as salt-of-the-earth as they came, a throwback and a gentleman. She understood how he’d gotten caught up in the whole handsiest handyman thing, but that was over now. Still, she needed him to say the words—for his benefit as well as for hers.
“No, Haley.” He continued to meet her gaze, his steady and sure. “I have not been with anyone else since the day we met, and it has nothing to do with flak from my grandfather or the stupid radio show. It has everything to do with you. My heart knew you were the one for me right away, but I fought it, and it took a while for my head to catch on.” He ran a knuckle down her cheek, and she leaned into the caress.
“There have been offers, but even the thought of touching another woman makes my skin crawl. Plus, if you want, you can stop by my job sites to check on me at any time.”
“Not necessary.”
“Well, you still could.” He waggled his eyebrows. “We could do some role-playing. Me, handyman; you, sexy client in need of my special touch.”
She laughed. “We’ll talk about that another time.”
He blew out a breath. “How long before you trust me?”
“I did trust you until you pushed me away. I want to trust you again, Sam. I really do, but—”
“Let me prove to you I’m worthy of a second chance.”
“All right.” Her heart melted. “I’m willing to try.”
“Good.” He leaned back. “What else?”
“I understand about the trauma from your childhood and the panic attacks, but can we come up with a plan to deal with them that doesn’t include you running away from me?” Another tear slid down her cheek. “I have a hard time dealing with . . . with—”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
“I know you are.” She sighed. “What if when you feel a panic attack coming on, you tell me what’s going on? Maybe we can talk things through?”
“I swear to you that’s exactly what I’ll do.” Sam lifted her to his lap.
Haley leaned against him, savoring his scent. He smelled like home. “There’s one more issue, and it’s huge,” she murmured.
“Oh?” He kissed her.
She put her arms around him and kissed him back, so happy more tears flooded her eyes. She could hardly wrap her mind around everything he’d said, everything he was willing to do for her.
Sam broke the kiss and reached for a paper towel to dry her tears. He studied her. “Uh-oh.” He sucked in a huge breath. “OK. Lay it on me. What is this huge issue I must face?”
“T-Trudy Cooper,” she managed through more hiccups. “What about my mother?”
Sam chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “She’s going to have to get used to me, because I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not worried about her getting used to you; I’m worried about you getting used to her.” She huffed. “You have no idea.”
“I kind of do. It’s a nonissue.” He grunted. He reached for the gift bag and handed it to her. “Open your present.”
Haley scooted off his lap and removed the white tissue paper. She gasped. “A tool belt!” She laughed. “I love it. I absolutely love it.” She hugged the stiff leather to her chest.
“There’s more,” Sam said, putting his arm around her. He reached into the bag and pulled out an envelope. “Here,” he said, handing it to her.
Haley opened the flap and pulled out the thick folded sheets. Flattening them on her lap, she frowned. “This is from Haney & Sons, an estimate form.”
“Yep. Read.” He ran his hand up and down her arm.
“One thousand forty hours of handyman/carpenter labor at no charge, no matter what.” Her eyes widened. “That’s a lot of hours.”
“I figured it out. If I put in twenty hours a week, it’ll take me a year. I hope that will be long enough for you to see you can place your faith in me.”
She smiled, unable to speak for the strong emotions swirling through her.
“Can I start proving myself right away, Ms. Cooper?”
“What did you have in mind?” she asked as he swept her into his arms.
“Let’s spend the weekend together. We can go snowmobiling today, and—”
“It’s far too cold out for snowmobiling today.” She shrugged and sent him a sultry look.
“OK, how about the winter carnival? Do you want to go see the ice sculptures?”
“Again. Too cold.” She sighed, and studied her nails. “Maybe tomorrow we can see the ice sculptures. It’s supposed to be warmer, in the twenties I heard.”
“What then?” Sam gave her a squeeze. “What would you like to do today?”
“I thought maybe we could do some of that soul-deep bonding thing you mentioned earlier.” She bit her lip, and heat flooded her cheeks.
“Are you suggesting I take you to bed? Are you propositioning the handyman?”
“I am, and feel free to tell my mother if you want.” She rose from her place and held out her hand. “It’s a test. If you stick around afterward, you pass.”
“I can do that.” Taking her hand, he allowed her to lead him toward her bedroom. His cell phone pinged, and he stopped. “Wait.” Sam took it from his back pocket and checked his texts. “It’s Wyatt. He and Josey made me promise I’d let them know how things go with you today. Do you think you might let me out of bed later this afternoon?”
“Maybe. Why?”
He shot her an amused look. “Do you want to get together with Wyatt and Josey this evening? We can shoot some pool or play darts.”
“I’d like that. Plus, I can finally get Josey’s bowl back to her.”
“See?” he said, texting back. “We’re perfect for each other.”
“Prove it.”
Laughing, Sam tossed his phone on the dining room table and scooped her up. He carried her to her bedroom and laid her out on her bed, where he proceeded to undress her—slowly enough that he drove her crazy.
“I love this spot right here where your neck and shoulder meet. Mmm.” He kissed her there before nibbling his way down her torso. “And this bit of skin right here,” he said, swirling his tongue along the curve of her waist. “And this one.” He ran his cheek over her belly, causing delicious currents of heat coiling through her.
Haley moaned and pulled him up to her for a kiss. The tenderness in his touch, the reverent look in his eyes, was a balm to her heart. Haley lost herself in his arms, reveling in the way he loved her, the way she loved him.
Running her hands down his shoulders, across his chest, she savored the feel of him under her palms. His sudden exhalations as she explored every inch of him sent her desire to new heights.
“You drive me wild, Haley.” Sam cradled her head and kissed her forehead, each cheek and finally her mouth. With every touch, nibble and bone-melting kiss, he loved her fears and doubts away. When their bodies joined, he stared into her eyes, his love for her shining through.
And when they were both breathless and replete, he stayed with her in a tangle of arms, legs and sheets.
“I love having superglue sex with you,” he said, turning on his side to wrap her in his arms.
Haley giggled. “Superglue sex? Are you saying I’m sticky?”
“Exactly. I’m involved, bonded—heart, soul and body. I’m sticking to you, which means you’re stuck with me. Superglue sex.”
“Wow. That’s deep, Sam,” she said, her tone teasing. “And so hot. I’ll never be able to look at glue the same way ever again. Elmer’s, Gorilla, Titebond, talk dirty to me, baby.” She sighed. “Now I want you again,” she teased.
He tickled her ribs, and she giggled and tried to squirm away. Her threw his leg over hers and tightened his hold. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a nap.”
“Me too.” Haley pulled the covers up over their shoulders. “I need to rest so I can kick your ass at darts later.”
“Dream on, Ms. Cooper. Dream on.”
Once again he wrapped himself around her. Surrounded by his heat, scent and strength, Haley succumbed to drowsiness, the kind that only happened when she was perfectly content and happy. She fell asleep, secure in his arms and certain her handyman would still be with her when she woke.