“Ah, yes, the whole sharing thing. Let’s see, college didn’t stick. I stayed for two years, and I just couldn’t hack it. I tried, I really, really did. So, I worked in loads of different jobs. Waitressing, bartending, I even took up a position as a legal secretary for a couple of months. No boyfriend or husband waiting for me. No kids either. For the past ten, no, twelve years, I’ve done nothing. I’ve accomplished nothing.”
He heard the sadness in her voice. All he wanted to do was hold her and let her know it was going to be okay.
“Now, I’m back home. Living with Aunt Betty, and I’m sure she has a boyfriend but she won’t tell me because she doesn’t want me to feel like a complete and total chain around her neck.” She ran her hands down her face and groaned. “I really shouldn’t have unloaded all of that crap on you, should I?”
“No, it’s fine. Really.”
“Do you live with your parents?”
“No. I don’t live with them, but I do have to enjoy breakfast with them every weekend. Both days. They won’t accept that I’m a grown man and can make my own breakfast.”
“I eat with Aunt Betty. She makes the best pancakes ever. I love them so much. She has even perfected my scrambled tofu.”
“Scrambled tofu?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, it’s a thing.”
“I’ll believe you.”
She smiled. “This is nice, James.”
He pulled up outside of the doctor’s office. The one and only nurse was waiting. “I know.”
“It looks like my aunt got them prepared.”
“Nothing can happen to her girl. You should know that by now.”
“I’m starting to get it.”
James parked the car and helped her out and into the wheelchair.
“I don’t think it’s broken.”
“You’re not the doctor,” the nurse said. “You’ll know what has happened when we tell you. Can you wheel her in?”
Before James had even said he would love to, the nurse was gone.
“I don’t recognize her, but she’s got a stick up her ass,” Eliza said. “You don’t have to stay.”
“I ran you down. The least I can do is make sure you’re taken care of.” He pushed her into the building, using the wheelchair access to help. He noticed Eliza had a cut on her forehead. Part of her face also had a bruise, but the cut on her leg was the worst.
The doctor was already waiting. “I’d hoped to see you under better circumstances,” David said.
“Not my fault this time. James ran me down,” she said, looking back. “I’ve got to get myself some street cred.”
He laughed. “It was an accident.”
“I know that. Come on. Let’s have a look.” He pulled out a little light and shone it in Eliza’s face.
She winced. “Ouch! Seriously.”
“I see you still don’t like doctors.”
“I like doctors just fine. You like to test the limits of what’s nice and what’s not.”
Another chuckle. “Come on. It’s good to see you, Eliza.”
James heard the affection in David’s voice. He and his brothers had been stitched up and repaired many times over the years by this man. He was one hell of a doctor.
James stayed out in the waiting room and he had to wait for a good hour.
The doctor’s door opened and they were both laughing as they came out.
“Damn it, Eliza, you really are something.” He was crying from laughter. “The puppy, the tofu, wow, okay, business. She has a concussion so she’ll need to be monitored over the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I’ve already called Betty, and she’s heading out of town. James, will you be able to take care of Eliza for the next forty-eight hours?”
“He doesn’t have to.”
“I would love to,” James said. “It’s the least I could do.”
“But don’t you have a life?”
“I have no life. Believe me. This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me in a long time. Not that running people down is a hobby.”
She snorted.
“What about her leg?” he asked.
“I’ve bandaged her knee. A sprain. Nothing too severe. She will be more than fine as long as she rests it and doesn’t try to do anything too strenuous. I’ve got to head out on a house call. As always, Eliza, it’s a pleasure. And it’s good to see you back.” David hugged her. “You can take the wheelchair, and I expect it back as soon as you’re able to walk around without needing assistance.”
“I know you’re going to need this.” Eliza stood up. “I can use crutches or something.”
****
“You could drop me off at home, you know. I don’t mind.” Eliza watched as he ran down his inventory list. Aunt Betty had checked on her and even offered not to go to the conference and wholesale she’d set up last year.
She wouldn’t hear of it. There was no way she was stopping her aunt from going to the conference. She’d organized everything when she thought she wasn’t coming back. Her life in the big city keeping her from coming home.
Her fear of failing was what kept her in the city all those years. She had nothing to hold her there. Nothing of any importance, anyway.
Humming to herself, she looked out at James’s DIY store. It wasn’t large, but it was neat, thorough, organized. He had the basics, the most-used tools, supplies, but for anything specialized, he had a whole load of catalogs to order from.
It looked … good. She wasn’t a DIY specialist or anything, but he made it work.
Also, there was no denying he made DIY look … sexy.
Again, she wasn’t supposed to notice these kinds of things. They were strictly forbidden to her.
“I promised to take care of you and I’m going to keep my word. It’s what I do.”
“I know, but you don’t have to. That’s the point.”
David had gotten some crutches for her. The wheelchair was a little extreme, since she hadn’t broken her leg. The last thing she wanted to do was feel like she was receiving care from someone else. She was perfectly able.
Grabbing said crutches, she stood. “So, what do you need me to do? There are a lot of empty shelves. I can help stock them.”
“I have a specific order.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” He grabbed a bag. “I’ll show you.”
They walked over to the area for screws, bolts, and nails. There were little empty holes for products to go in. He opened up the bag, and only used half of it, filling up one section. He pointed at the label. The codes matched from the label to the bag.
“I can help. Please. I know how to read labels and put them in the appropriate place.”
“I have to do it this way. I’m not being a pain in the ass.”
“You are.”
“If I don’t, they try to pretend I marked it down at a cheaper price.”
“I know. Everyone is always trying to save money.”
He laughed. “I’m not paying you.”
“I’m a damn good worker. You’ll be hiring me by the end of the day.” She moved toward his supplies, picked up multiple bags, stuffed them in her pockets, and walked back to the shelves, holding the crutches. Checking each label, she began to fill the screws, nails, and bolts. Once the entire shelf was filled, she bagged them up and carried them right back. “Is this how you stock the rest of the shop?”