The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(51)
“You work fast.” He crossed his arms to keep from lifting her off the ground in a happy hug.
“I have to if I want to keep someone from razing it.” She retrieved her phone from a side pocket in her overalls. “Look!”
They scrolled through the photos, shoulder to shoulder. His whole body tingled from that contact. He nearly held his breath as he leaned in closer to view the pictures. Touching her made it tough to concentrate on what he was seeing. A breeze blew some of her hair in his face, giving him an excuse to tuck it behind her ear.
He sensed her freeze and wondered if, like him, she felt tormented.
“How much?” he asked, hoping conversation would help him clear his head.
“Four hundred, but I think I can get Gretta way down. Selling without a broker will save twenty-four grand right off the top. I told her I’d get her a rough estimate of the cost anyone else would incur to fix all the problems in the house. That’s easily another forty before I even get into upgrades. If I can get her closer to three, I might be able to swing it. If I do the majority of the work, I know I can turn a profit on this one.”
He clucked his tongue. “Sorry I can’t help. It would be a sweet little place for Emmy and me.”
“You never know. By the time it’s remodeled, you might be in a different position.” A twinkle lit her eyes as she dropped the phone back into her pocket.
He shrugged half-heartedly. “Well, I hope Emmy isn’t holding up your progress here.”
“By the time she gets home, I’m slowing down for the day anyway.” Steffi tucked her hands under her armpits, just like Ben often did. “I was surprised by her lack of enthusiasm about Block Island.”
That trip, he thought grimly. Emmy’s satisfaction about the nail gun had let him forget about that for a few minutes. “The weekend was a bust, to say the least.”
“I got that sense. Sorry.”
“I’m glad they never got around to sailing because I want to be the first one to teach her. But John made her feel unwelcome. And Emmy didn’t make it easy. She cried to Val about wanting us to reconcile, and Val thought I put her up to it. Emmy’s been doing the same to me. It’s hard to let her down. Sometimes I wonder if Val and I don’t owe it to her to try again, but then I just . . . can’t.” He noticed Steffi suck her lips inward, as if it would be the only way to keep herself from voicing her thoughts. “For the life of me, I don’t understand what the hell Val is thinking. How can this guy mean more to her than her own kid?”
“I don’t know.” Steffi gazed into the distance. “What I do know is that lots of us make terrible choices and hurt people we love. Hopefully, Val will figure that out before it’s too late for her and Emmy.”
“It’s already too late, in my book. I’ve lost count of Emmy’s tears this past summer.”
“That must kill you.” Steffi touched his arm, then dropped her hand.
“It should kill Val.” A fusillade of insults shot through his thoughts until he remembered that he hadn’t been a doting husband and he shared some responsibility for the divorce.
“It will eventually.”
“By then the damage will be done.” He raised his arms from his sides. “Emmy doubts her own mom’s love. No wonder she’s lost the confidence to make new friends.”
“Could you meddle a little? Round back with her teacher for suggestions about a classmate Emmy might be working well with more recently? Then you could reach out to the parents for permission to take their kid sailing, or for pizza and a movie.”
Meddling was his mother’s gig, not Ryan’s. “Maybe.”
“I can’t imagine many kids would pass up a chance to go sailing.” Steffi grinned. “I sure wouldn’t.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve sailed. Val was afraid of the deep sea, so my dad has kept the boat here these past several years.” Ryan crossed his arms and stared at the ground. “It’ll be good to take her out.”
“I always loved those days on the water.” She held his gaze once he looked at her again.
The sun hung suspended above the horizon, bathing them in honey-toned light. Warm and rich like the thick emotion flooding his veins. From the soft glow in her eyes and the stillness of her body, he knew she felt it, too. His heart trembled with its reawakening.
“Me too.” His gaze homed in on the throbbing pulse point in her neck. Without thinking, he grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it. “Sunday is something to look forward to. Something to make Emmy smile, too.”
“Absolutely.” Steffi drew a breath. “And if it’s okay with you, how about you let Emmy call me Steffi, or Miss Steffi, if you insist on a little formality? The Miss Lockwood thing is getting awkward and makes me feel old.”
“Dinner soon!” came Emmy’s yelp from inside the porch.
His daughter’s reappearance broke the spell, so they let go of each other. He considered Steffi’s request, weighing it against letting Emmy get even closer to someone he still wasn’t sure she could count on. “Miss Steffi should work.”
“Thanks. See you later.” Steffi smiled and wandered off.
Ryan stood in the yard, watching her saunter away until she disappeared around the corner of the house. He then went inside and found his mom in the kitchen and kissed her hello. “Smells good.”