Page 15 of Flirting With Forever
Gage released a grunt at her words. The spare room was floor-to-almost-ceiling chaos and would require a lot of labor to organize. Which could only happen in evenings and occasional days off when she wasn’t working at the rentals building. She’d be lucky to get through a corner of it in the time frame, given the weather bearing down on them.
The next two weeks would prove interesting. Because his gut told him there was a lot more to Sloane’s story, and he wondered what else she was hiding…
Chapter Five
Sloane had never had a one-night stand, but she imagined this was what an awkward morning after felt like.
She followed Gage into a three-story townhouse, and the moment the door by the garage closed behind her, she knew something was shifting in her life.
Instead of going up the stairs, Gage led the way down a hallway to a closed door.
“It’s a mess, but it’s livable,” he said as he opened it. “Well, it can be.”
Gage flicked on a light, and her accommodations were revealed. The space consisted of a bed piled with boxes, more boxes and crates and bins stacked high along the walls and everything from a surfboard to a bicycle to cornhole boards filled the space between, along with some framed beach art and other odds and ends. And that was just the beginning. There were tools, ropes, life vests, nail guns, boxes of nails and—so much more. It was everywhere, scattered about and taking up nearly the entirety of the space.
“Bathroom’s over there,” he continued, pointing at a door across the room. “And there’s a minifridge and a microwave over there in that corner somewhere.”
She looked in that direction but saw no signs of either one. There was a table or countertop buried under more containers, but she couldn’t tell which because the floor in front was piled with more stuff. Still, the fact there was a fridge and microwave was good.
“I’ll get some sheets and such from upstairs and bring them down after we clear the bed.”
She followed him through the path to the bed and watched as he grabbed two of the many boxes. He hefted them to an already high stack against the wall.
“How long have you lived here?”
“About a year.”
She took a box and headed to the opposite side so they’d stay out of each other’s way. “Seems like a nice place.”
From what she could see of the walls, they were a beachy hue with white trimmed windows and door frames. There was even a door leading out to the backyard, not that it was accessible at the moment.
“It is. Even though I’m rarely home long enough to enjoy it.”
Four boxes down. They had lots more to go. “Your schedule is a little insane. How many businesses do you have?”
Gage paused long enough to scratch his head. Sloane paused as well because— Did he really not even know?
“Last count was nine? I think?”
“Overachiever much?”
He huffed out what probably was a laugh while he got another box from the bed. She found herself taking it in. He’d mostly scowled since she’d met him, but the smile transformed his features and—wasn’t a bad sight.
Don’t even go there.
Gage hesitated on where to put the box in his hands because the stacks were so high, staring as though analyzing which was least likely to tumble.
“Drives my brothers crazy,” he mused before settling on a spot. “The gigs aren’t all active. Some are seasonal. I do general maintenance and handyman work, changing out filters, cleaning gutters, hurricane prep. That type of thing. Started that when I was sixteen, pitching in for neighbors until word spread, and I became known as the go-to guy for it. I also have an online resale business and a boat charter.”
She watched the latest box teeter like a Jenga tower and held her breath, waiting for the crash. “Let me guess. So you can write off the boat?”
“Hard work never hurt anyone,” he said, the smile accompanying a wink.
Yeah, she knew all about the write-offs businesses could take. All of which were legal and on the up-and-up. It’s what drew her to accounting. She loved numbers and math and rules, figuring out how best to make them work for a business. Too bad she’d never be able to make a living doing something she loved. At least not anytime soon.
Sloane took another box from atop the bed and started a row in front of the one bracing the wall. At least this way, she’d have a clear path to the door and bathroom. “That many businesses is a little more than just hard work.” It was almost manic.
She’d known some driven people in her life, but Gage didn’t seem the type to be obsessed with money. He wore plain-looking jeans and a henley that molded to his lean form and highlighted the color of his eyes. His sneakers looked to be broken in and not close to new.
