Page 45 of Built to Fall
A smile quirks my lips. “What the fuck would you need five gallons of bleach for?”
“Don’t worry about it,” she deadpans, making the other two girls laugh.
“Was that a threat?” Kara asks.
Eden can barely control herself. “Lina.You cannot kill him now that he’s fixed our shelf.”
“That’swhyshe can’t kill me?”
She shrugs. “You’ve officially been declared useful.”
“High praise,” I say, turning to Lina last. “What do you think? Satisfied?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Her expression remains the same.
“Anytime.”
Braxton reappears from Meredith’s room, hair slightly mussed, looking far too pleased with himself for someone who did absolutely zero manual labor. “Shelf fixed?”
“Crisis averted,” I confirm, closing the toolbox with a snap.
He claps me on the shoulder. “Proud of you, Bob the Builder.”
“I’m ignoring that,” I say as I follow him toward the door.
“Do we owe you anything?” Eden calls behind us. “Payment? Tip? Homemade cookies?”
“Cookies,” Braxton answers without hesitation.
“Just don’t break it again.” I pause before adding, “I also wouldn’t mind some cookies.”
When I step into the hallway, Lina’s still standing there.
“Hey.”
I turn back. She’s still standing in the doorway, arms crossed but no longer guarded.
“I wasn’tactuallyhoping for the insurance payout.” She pauses. “But now that I know how much money you’re making to throw a ball around, I might.”
I chuckle. “You’d lose the case.”
“You think so?” She asks, almost mischievously.
“We’ll never find out. That shelf isn’t coming out of the wall, and if it does, it’s becauseyouput too much weight on it.”
“Right. No five-gallon buckets of bleach.” She pretends she’s making a mental note and then steps a little closer, leaning against the doorframe. “You sure it’s safe now? Maybe I should test it, hang off it a little.”
I tilt my head, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. “If you’re looking for an excuse to fall into my arms, just say that.”
She scoffs, but I catch the slight tug of a smile before she hides it. “You wish.”
“I’m not the one suggesting a stress test.”
“Lina! We’re watching Dancing with the Stars!” Eden calls from the living room.
“Sounds like you’re needed,” I muse.
“Guess that stress test will have to wait.”
