Why Did It Have to Be You? by Allyson Charles

Author:Allyson Charles [Charles, Allyson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Sweat streamed down David’s back, making his college T-shirt cling to his skin. His knees were caked with dirt from kneeling in Connie’s yard, and he realized that his three hundred dollar jeans had now become work pants.

The damn wire fencing kept wanting to roll back up, resisting his efforts to hammer it into the fence post. He reached behind him for the terry cloth he used to wipe his face, but felt nothing but dirt. Looking at the spot on the ground where he’d thought he’d left it, David frowned.

“Well, well,” a male voice drawled. “This isn’t something I thought I’d ever see. David Carelli kneeling on the dirt with a hammer in his hand.”

Connie’s father stood on the back porch of her house, a steaming mug cupped in one hand. He leaned against the railing, seeming content to enjoy the show.

David pushed his work glove down his wrist and checked his watch. “It’s eleven o’clock. You just getting up now?”

The older man shrugged, and sipped his coffee.

Lazy bastard. His daughter worked her tail off, and he lounged around all morning. Joel Wilkerson had always been worthless, always looking for the next big deal that would set him up for life. Looking for easy money. The break never came. The deals always fell through. And the man was fifty-something with nothing to show for his life. Except Connie. How she could have come from such a man baffled David. She must have inherited her work ethic from her mother’s side, before the woman had up and left her young daughter and husband to search for a better life.

Joel Wilkerson settled onto a porch swing and stretched his legs out to rest on the railing. David could appreciate a wife leaving that man, but he didn’t understand why she hadn’t taken Connie with her when she’d gone.

Using the fence post as leverage, David rose to his feet. “This is a two-man job, if you want to help.” If you want to get off your ass and be useful for a change was what he wanted to say. He didn’t expect any assistance, but for Connie’s sake, he felt he should give the man a chance to do something around the house.

And he could use the help. Idiot that he was, he hadn’t pulled one of his men out to work with him. He hadn’t known he’d be working at Connie’s today, or any other day considering their fight. Connie didn’t even know he was there. But when he’d woken this morning, instead of facing paperwork, and building plans, and demanding clients, he’d just wanted to come pound some nails. Maybe when Connie saw the completed pen, she’d understand how sorry he was about the settlement.

“I’m fine up here.” Wilkerson settled his mug on the porch railing and leaned back, swinging slightly. “I’ve got a bad back, you know.”

David snorted. Sure. His back hurt whenever he made a disability claim, but it never hurt enough to stop him from bowling or dancing at the Pins ‘N’ Pints.

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