Page 20 of Summer Heat
Before I could ask what kind of guy she thought I was, Elena appeared at her side. "We're doing s'mores, and Maya needs your help."
We broke apart then. I helped Mom gather the fixings for s'mores, and Kinsley assisted Maya with roasting her marshmallows.
I wanted to be the one who showed Maya how to roast a marshmallow. But she wasn't mine, and neither was Kinsley. This was a temporary arrangement to help me get the renovation project completed. It wasn't a love affair. I wasn't the kind of guy that had those anyway.
Chapter Six
Kinsley
Family night was interesting. The girls wanted to know why I'd moved in with Shepard, as if he wasn't someone you could rely on. Ivy asked if he planned on having women over. We hadn't discussed that possibility, and he was within his rights to bring home whoever he wanted to, but I didn't think he'd do that.
I needed to find out what kind of guy he was because his family didn't seem to have a clue. I saw a man with a lot more depth and emotion than they described.
But I could be wrong. I'd made bad decisions with men before. It was possible my judgment was off.
I thought Derek would be more interested in Maya when she was born, and I was wrong about that.
I thought I'd be further along in a career by now. Instead, I was still working at Kingston Construction because it was a reliable job, and as a single mother, I needed that more than anything.
Every morning, Shep got up early for his run and had breakfast cooking for us by the time we came down to eat. We headed to work separately because I went into the office, and he went to whatever house he was working on.
I hadn't switched the bus pickup yet, so I was driving Maya to school every day on my way to work.
We'd fallen into a good routine, but we hadn't accomplished much once we got home. Maya wanted a lot of attention, and by the time I got her into bed, I was exhausted.
On Friday, I planned a dinner meeting with Shep. We needed to work on the renovation if Elena had any hope of getting married here in June.
I'd worked on a schedule, printed the outline, and set it on the counter.
"Honey, I'm home!" he called whenever he came in, making me smile.
It would be easy to fall into the fantasy of this being our life.
Shep flipped through the mail, which was a mix of bills and advertisements, before he saw the outline. "What's this?"
"The plan I drew up for the house."
He looked it over carefully. "You think this is the most efficient way to tackle everything?"
"We start with the bathrooms, then do cosmetic changes to the first floor. Then we renovate the kitchen using your brothers' help. I think we can accomplish that before the wedding."
Shep nodded. "It's doable. Especially if my brothers assist in the kitchen."
"And we're sharing your bathroom. I'm sure you want your space back."
His expression was unreadable.
Every night, Maya took a bath in his tub, leaving more toys in it. She'd taken to lining the rim with rubber duckies, and she liked to hide one in the shower for Shep. Her pink towel hung on the hook behind his door, and I'd filled his counters and shower with my toiletries. It was not as masculine as it had once been, and I was positive he'd comment on it soon.
"I don't mind sharing." Then he grinned at Maya, who was coloring on the counter. "Besides, the ducks are a nice touch. They add to the ambiance."
I tipped my head to the side. "Now I know you're kidding."
Shep cleared his throat. "It's nice to have evidence that someone else lives in the space. Especially someone as fun as Maya."
She grinned up at him. "I am fun."
He ruffled her hair. He adored Maya. Sometimes it seemed more than her own father did. Derek saw her as more of an extension of him than a separate human being with her own feelings.
