It went quickly, unfortunately, and with no cash payments made during the day, she had no reason to go by the bank.Which meant there was nothing else to do but tell her stylists goodbye, get dutifully into her car, and head for home.
His car was in the drive when she got there, quashing any hopes she’d had for a reprieve.And when she walked in the front door, he was there, beer in hand and sprawled on the couch that was now back in its usual spot, her mattress nowhere to be seen.
“What happened to my bed?”she asked, shutting the door behind her.
“I moved it back upstairs,” he told her, thumbing the remote to pause whatever he was watching.
“Why?”she began, then paused.She could hear something, a low, quiet hum that had hope singing in her heart.But more, she couldfeelsomething.
Cool air.
“Oh, my God.”She dropped her purse with a thump, a gleeful grin spreading across her face.“They fixed it.”
“Finished about an hour ago,” he confirmed.“It’s still a little warm in here, but it’s working.”
“It’sglorious,” she enthused, hurrying over to the vent on the floor in front of the window.She stood over it, shivering with delight when her bare legs popped out in goosebumps.“Oh, thank God.I don’t think I could’ve taken another night.”
“Me, neither,” he drawled, and she froze.
He was smiling, just a slight curve of his mouth, his eyes dancing with humor, and a quick surge of relief weakened her knees.
He wasn’t going to make it a thing, and she should be grateful for that.So the twinge of disappointment that followed quickly on the heels of the relief confused her.
Shaking it off, she smirked.“Ha, ha.”
His smile deepened, making the dimple pop.“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
She stuck out her tongue.“Jerk.”
“Hey, would a jerk have hauled your mattress upstairs all by himself?”
“The two things are not mutually exclusive.”The idea of him alone in her bedroom had nerves leaping in her belly.“You could’ve waited for me.”
He shrugged.“It wasn’t too hard.It only took forty-five minutes.”
She wanted to sayha, haagain, but he probably wasn’t kidding.“Well, thanks.”
He lifted his beer in salute.“Anything for a friend.”
She couldn’t have asked for a more perfect segue.“Well, in that case, I have a favor to ask.”
He paused mid-sip, then slowly lowered the bottle.“Okay.”
“It’s not for me,” she explained, and since her legs were starting to get sincerely cold—joy!rapture!—left the vent to sit across from him.“It’s for Chloe.”
His eyebrows shot up.“I don’t think Chloe’s my friend.At least, that’s the impression I got.”
“Okay, then a favor for an acquaintance.”
Still watching her, nodded.“Okay.”
“She’s pregnant.”He waited, calmly watching, and she went on.“She’s terminating on Monday, in Ann Arbor.”
“Does she need a ride?Money?”
She shook her head.“No, Jesse and Knox are going with her, and they’ve got it covered.”
“Then what?”