Always and Forever: A Small Town Second Chance Romance (Connor Brothers Next Generation Book 1) by Leah Busboom

Author:Leah Busboom [Busboom, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LBRB Consulting, LLC
Published: 2023-06-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Noah

Tackle a Home Improvement Project Together

Today is demolition day in Lilly’s kitchen. I’ve rounded up all the tools and supplies we’ll need—sledgehammer, a power saw, eye protection, and work gloves. When I asked Lilly what tools she owns, she said a hammer and a screwdriver. Those alone aren’t going to get this job done.

As I drive to her house, I ponder her warning about resuming our relationship not being a sure thing. Of course I’ll give her my help freely, without any strings attached. But the optimist in me hopes that spending time with her helps win her back.

My determination to find a way to convince her heart to take me back grows every time I see her. It’s like having a second chance makes me want to try even harder. Just like Mom said, you don’t always get second chances in life. I’m going to do everything I can not to squander this one.

Lilly meets me at her door wearing her hair up in a messy bun, old blue jeans with a rip on the knee, and a T-shirt sporting several different colors of paint spatters. Her demolition-appropriate attire makes my heart do a crazy flip in my chest.

“Wow! You came prepared,” she says, eyeing the tools in my hands.

Chuckling, I say, “We’re going to need big boy tools, not just your wimpy hammer.” A vision of Tim the Tool Man Taylor pops into my head, and I can almost hear the caveman-like grunt he used to do when discussing tools. I suppress a grunt of my own that wants to slip out, so hopefully I don’t come off as too much like the TV character.

Lilly shrugs and ushers me into her kitchen. She’s cleared the countertops, her coffee pot and toaster sitting out of the way on the kitchen table. All the drawers are removed like I instructed, and they’re stacked neatly in the hallway.

I put the tools down, the sledgehammer making a loud thump as it hits the floor.

“Would you like a cup of coffee and a muffin first?” Lilly says, pointing to the half-full coffee pot. She’s just like Mom, always offering coffee and a sweet treat prior to any activity. I think that’s the Midwest way.

“Sure, we can strategize how we’re going to tackle the demolition,” I say.

She grins, then collects a plastic container from what must be the pantry. “Sit,” she says, retrieving two little plates, mugs, and a knife and fork before joining me. My mom would do the exact same thing. When company visits she always hauls out real plates. No paper plates or napkins for guests.

The coffee’s strong, and the blueberry muffins are tasty. “Did you bake these?” I ask, holding my second one up before biting into it.

“I did. It’s Mom’s recipe.”

That’s the answer I expected. “They’re delicious.” She smiles shyly as if the praise is unexpected. “Okay, which countertop do you want to tackle first?” I ask, jutting my chin towards the work area.

“Do we need to move the stove?” she asks.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.