When August Ends(5)

“So you work for yourself now? That’s why you have the freedom to take time off?”

“Yeah.”

I kept prodding. “There are some really pretty shots you could get on the lake, particularly when the sun sets. Is that why you chose to come here? Photographic inspiration?”

“No. I’m not here to shoot anything. I’m taking a break from that. Like I said, I chose this place randomly. It was far enough away but not too far from home. The main requirement was that it was quiet and peaceful, some place I could think.”

“So, I guess I’m interrupting your peace, then.”

“Nah…botched water rescues are extremely relaxing.”

He smiled, and I returned it.

God. I noticed his eyelashes. It seemed unfair for a man to have lashes that long.

There was a bit of silence before I asked, “You think I’m a dork, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

I laughed at how quickly he answered. He didn’t even have to think about it.

He cracked another smile. Every time he smiled at me, I felt my insides stir. I felt like a damn fool, actually. I needed to slap my face to rid myself of this giddy feeling.

I looked out into the distance to try to clear my head. “I’ve never seen the lake at night from this angle.”

“Why not? You live here, right?”

“I don’t spend much time at the boathouse. Since childhood, I’ve been conditioned to avoid the people renting it. My mother always made me stay away. Things are different now, of course, since the responsibility of this place has changed hands, but I’m only ever here to take care of business. I don’t spend quality time on this side of the property.”

“That’s actually a good thing,” he said.

“Because I won’t be around to bother you?”

“Well, that, too. But I was referring to the fact that growing up your mother made you stay away from the guests. There are a lot of bad people in this world. Having a business where strange people are coming and going can’t be easy when you have kids.”

That reminded me of a time when it hadn’t been just me. Whenever anything made me think of Opal, I felt incredibly sad. No way I was going to subject him to that right now, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

He interrupted my rumination. “It’ll be getting dark out soon. You’d better go back to your house so your mother doesn’t think something happened to you.”

“She didn’t even see me leave, probably doesn’t realize I’m gone. My mother stays in her room most of the time…because of her depression.”

He seemed to process what I’d just divulged. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay.”

Things were silent for a while.

He looked around. “You think you’ll keep this place forever? It’s got to be expensive to keep up. That’s not counting all of the work you have to handle.”

“It is a lot. And I really want to sell the whole property.”

“Why can’t you?”

“It makes me sad to think about it, for one. The lakehouse and boathouse have been in my family for years, and I love living here. But I think selling is inevitable. The main house is too big for just my mother and me, and it’s too much land to maintain. My mother is open to the idea of selling. But there’s a lot we’d need to fix up before putting it on the market. That’s really the holdup.”

He held the cigar between his teeth and looked at me before inhaling. “You have a lot on your plate. It’s no wonder you dance around like a goon in the water. Whatever gets it out, you know?”

“That’s right. Dancing is a stress-reliever.”

Noah stood up and walked off the porch to put his cigar out on the cement. When he returned, he remained standing across from me. I was reminded of just how tall he was as he towered over me. A breeze blew his scent—a mix of cigar and cologne—in my direction. The same smell saturated the shirt I was wearing. I could’ve breathed it in all night. His nearness was doing things to my body I hadn’t ever felt.

Noah looked around. “You mentioned some stuff around here needs to be repaired. What specifically?”

I blew out a breath. Even thinking about it was exhausting. “So much. I’d have to make a list.”

“Why don’t you do that? Make a list. I’m pretty good with my hands. I’ll see if there’s anything I can help with while I’m here.”

He’d lost me at pretty good with my hands. My imagination was running wild. Shit. I imagined those hands doing a lot of things—mostly to me.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“You’d be stupid not to take me up on it. I came for a change of pace, but the truth is, too much quiet isn’t good. I like to keep busy.”

Biting my bottom lip, I shook my head. “I don’t know…”

“Make the list,” he insisted.

Noah was right. It would be dumb not to take him up on his offer. It wasn’t like there was anyone else knocking down our door to help.

I tilted my head. “What would be in it for you?”

His expression turned dark. “People don’t always have to have ulterior motives.”

Suddenly feeling bold, I said, “I thought maybe you would want me to go out with you in exchange.”