Page 7 of Choosing Happily Ever After

“I know what I posted,” she interrupted him. “But what do you mean, you’re here for the job? You just finished telling me that you’re working on the coast.” She dropped her arms and turned back to the table she’d been clearing. “Besides that, I don’t need any help.”

She was lying, and they both knew it.

“Are you doing all this on your own?” He already knew the answer. Levi crossed the room so he was on the other side of the table from her and she couldn’t avoid looking at him. He followed her lead and started to gather up the dirty glassware the way she was.

“I am.” She threw him a look. “And I’m doing just fine.” She abandoned the glasses and started to snatch up napkins.

“I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t doing fine.” He followed her to the next table. Maybe showing up at her place the way he had was a bad idea. Maybe he should have just stayed away.

But he couldn’t have done that. Not for anything. The last ten years had been hard enough, and that’s when there’d been actual physical distance between them. Just being back in town, knowing he was only a few minutes away, had been torture for the less than twenty-four hours he’d been back. The pull to her had been magnetic. Even if there hadn’t been a stupid help wanted ad, there was no doubt in his mind that Levi would have found a reason to get over to Ever After Ranch. And now that he was here…not touching her, not pulling her into his arms…it was hard.Veryhard.

“Good.” She shot him a look over her shoulder.

Yes. She’d definitely developed a bit of an edge since he’d been gone.

He liked it.

“Because I’m doing more than fine,” she said.

Levi didn’t think it was worth mentioning the exhaustion that was threaded through her voice, or the ever so slight circles under her beautiful blue eyes. She was tired. And maybe she was doing fine. More than fine even. But she needed help. Even if only so she could take a rest. That much was certain.

“I got that.” He grinned. “But you did put the ad on Facebook, didn’t you?”

She dropped her head and shook it before looking up at him with a bashful smile. “I’m afraid to admit that I did that in a moment of weakness late last night.”

“It’s not weakness to need help, Hope.”

“I’ve never needed it before. And I don’t need it now. I was just tired and it was late and—”

“Give me the job.”

She put a hand on her hip. “I told you, Levi. I don’tneedhelp. I’m not hiring.”

“Your ad says differently.”

“I didn’t think you were even on Facebook.”

Aw! So she was looking!

He tried and failed to hide his smile. “I’m not. Logan is.”

“Of course.”

She shook her head and turned back to her work.

“So you’ll hire me?” He was relentless. He needed to be. Because now that he was there, looking at her, talking to her, justbeingwith her, he needed more.Muchmore. Even if that was only in the shape of working for her. He’d take what he could get. Because dammit, he’d missed her. “I can do whatever you need.” He moved swiftly around the table and grabbed the tray full of dirty glasses. He lifted it easily and turned to put it…where? She pointed to a cart and covered her face with her hand.

“I don’t really need anyone to do dishes.”

“But you do need someone?” Levi deposited the tray on the cart and immediately started stacking chairs. “I can get these for you.”

“You need to take the covers off first.” She shook her head, but he saw the smile on her face.

“Done.” With a flourish, he started to whip off chair covers and throw them in a pile. “See? I’m very helpful.”

“I don’t know about that.” Hope laughed. It was a sound that filled every cell in his body and froze him in place. Careful to keep his face as neutral as he possibly could, he looked at her and waited for her to say more. “Are you handy? Like with building things? I have a few projects…” She trailed off. “I’m going to regret this.”

“You’re not!” But she might, because as much as he knew heneededto spend time with her, a part of him—a very deep part—started to regret his impulsive decision to take the job. Could he really handle being around Hope Turner again? Could he handle being so close to her withoutbeingwith her? He had no idea. “It’ll be great,” he said. But he couldn’t be sure who he was reassuring. “I’m very handy. I can build all kinds of things. Between my work years ago on the ranch and various odd jobs I did on the boat, I have mad skills.”

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