The Builder by Grayson Reyes-Cole

Author:Grayson Reyes-Cole
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Published: 2009-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Devon jumped a mile at the sound of her voice. He dropped the bottle of water in his hands and it spilled over the gnarled wood of his porch.

“I didn’t hear you come up.” He bent to retrieve his bottle. “Well, here I am.”

Devon looked beyond her to see taillights fading into the dark. “Someone dropped you off.”

“Same someone. At least, I think it was.”

“You mean like last time.”

“Yes. Just like last time.”

“You don’t seem particularly troubled by it,” Devon remarked.

“I’m not particularly troubled by much these days.” She sounded exhausted. There were still

those sad smudges beneath her eyes and she still looked too thin, but she looked better. Hell, she looked a lot better.

“The house looks good.”

“Yeah, it does.” Pride swelled in his chest. “The walls in here came out great. I couldn’t have asked for better. All the plumbing and electrical are complete. There’s water, lights, cable, phone, even internet.”

“Wow. You’re done with it?”

“Not quite. There are a few more things to be done. The master bath isn’t finished. We’re going to drop in the whirlpool on Tuesday. The landscaping is still a bit of a mess out back, too.”

“Still, you’ve made a lot of progress in just—what—a month?”

He shrugged, coming over to stand beside her. “Jada.”

“Hmm?”

“You do realize you have just showed up at my house a second time.” “Yes.”

“You didn’t think to call? Don’t get me wrong. You can come anytime you want, just—” “Come on, Devon. Don’t play around.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You can admit it. I’m not mad. You had to know I would figure it out the second time.” “The second time what?”

“The second time you sent the car around.” Devon’s mouth hung open.

Jada’s smile slowly started to fade. Devon noticed the shine of the Super Bowl ring on her thumb as she touched her throat, then lower.

“You didn’t do it this time, either?”

Devon put his hands out to her, palms up.

“I don’t believe it,” she growled. “You didn’t tell Nicky to stop doing this?”

“I thought about it. I don’t think Nicky did it. She could do it, but it’s just not her style. She’s

way too straightforward.”

Fast anger seized her. “Obviously she’s not. I don’t like people playing with my life.” “Look, I don’t either. But, Jada, when you came up to me today you looked happy.”

She bowed her head and now looked the absolute opposite of happy.

“I shouldn’t have been.”

“Been what? Happy? That’s crazy. Everyone deserves to be happy. Admit it. You were

happy when you thought I’d sent for you.”

The words were bold, showing a bravery he didn’t actually feel. But he hoped like hell he

hadn’t misread her.

“Don’t you want to understand it?” she asked.

“I do. I do want to understand it, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was happy to see you too.

Someone knew we would be happy to see each other. I’d like to keep seeing you. We’re friends.” Those words felt lame and obnoxious. Were they friends? Better question: were they only friends? Was this the moment when she would finally accept and maybe embrace the chemistry

between them? No.

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