Page 73 of Summer Nights

"You decided to work on this before the master?"

Shep placed his hands on his hips. "Yeah."

I raised a brow, but he didn't offer any more information. If I stepped into the other bathrooms, I'd find that he'd already started work on those too. He tended to go from one thing to another, unable to focus on finishing the initial project.

It used to drive me crazy, but now I was used to it. And this wasn't a work project, so there was no completion date. If he wanted to live in a house with multiple ripped-up bathrooms, that was his prerogative.

Shep stood next to the toilet. "Can you help me carry this out front?"

I moved into position. "That's what I'm here for."

We lifted it together and carried it awkwardly down the stairs and then outside.

"I swear the old ones weigh more."

"Probably true," I said as we heaved it into the dumpster.

"My neighbors aren't going to like the dumpster sitting here for a long time."

"You have an HOA here?" I asked him.

"No. But the neighbors are very judgy. Anytime I go out for a jog, someone stops me to ask when the construction will be completed, as if I have an entire crew out here helping me."

"And what do you say to that?" I asked, amused, as we stood in the shade of the front palm tree. A brick wall surrounded the front yard, giving it a private feel.

"I say I'm a one-man crew and I have a day job, so it might be a while. They don't like that answer. But I mention how one person is quieter than a crew, and that smooths them over."

"You have a way with people." It used to drive me crazy in high school when the girls flocked to him.

Shep grinned. "What can I say?"

A SUV pulled up to the front gate. "That's Ivy."

Shep pulled out his phone and probably hit the Okay for the gate to open. "She wants to see the place?"

I nodded. "She's been trying to get into one of these mansions for a while now."

Shep glanced over at me. "She could have asked me anytime."

Maybe I didn't want her to. I wanted to show her my family's legacy.

She pulled up with a wave and parked her white SUV next to my truck. As always, her vehicle was pristine, whereas mine was covered in a thin layer of dust. There was no point in attempting to keep a work truck clean.

I opened her door for her, and she got out. "Morning, Shep."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "What's this I hear about you wanting to see my house, but you're going through Cooper?"

"Oh, I didn't want to bother you." Ivy ran a hand over her small bump.

"It's not done yet. Everything's pretty torn up."

She waved a hand at him. "I don't mind."

"Be careful where you're walking," Shep said, and I nodded, intending to keep her safe.

She'd thankfully chosen to wear sneakers for the walk-through.

I held my hand out to her, and I was pleased when she placed her palm in mine. "I'll give you the tour."

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