#HotAndHandy (Keeney Builds #1)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

T he slamming of a car door startled her, and she bobbled the box of clothing destined for Goodwill.

“Oops, sorry about that.”

The voice came from a man who appeared to be in his early thirties and didn’t look sorry at all. Clean-shaven and well-groomed, he leaned against a late-model BMW, hands thrust into the pockets of pressed khaki slacks. It looked like an often-practiced pose.

Getting a firmer grip on the box, she nodded, conscious of the man’s appraisal; he made no attempt to assist her. She put the box into the back of her car and turned to face him, not bothering to straighten her clothing or wipe the dirt off her hands.

“Can I help you?” she asked, meeting his gaze with raised eyebrows.

He pushed off the car and strolled toward her, scanning her from head to toe, lingering on her chest. She crossed her arms and tightened her lips, unconsciously stepping back to come up against the side of the car. She wasn’t exactly alone, both Iris and Vincent were home, but she felt…vulnerable.

“It’s Hilary, right? I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said with a mocking smile. “My mother is quite smitten.” He stopped an arm’s-length away, chest thrust out, scanning Hilary’s features as if cataloging them.

Bringing her feet together, she straightened her shoulders, pleased that she was slightly taller than the man, even without the benefit of heels. “Oh! You’re Iris’s son.” She was well aware the statement sounded like a question. “It’s Eddie, right?”

His smile faltered. “Yes, it is.” He waited for her to respond like she should be thrilled to make his acquaintance. When she remained silent, he stiffened, nodded curtly, and headed toward his mother’s door.

Hilary let out a breath and slumped against the car. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her thighs and, for good measure, ran them through her hair, making the curls spring up even more. The day wasn’t hot, but she could feel sweat trickling down her back. God, she hated men sometimes. The freshly cut grass and neatly piled wood next to the garage gave evidence that for every Eddie in this world, there was a Vincent. Someone who wasn’t a jerk. As if aware she had been thinking about him, Vincent materialized from his house, the sweat-stained T-shirt and unruly hair testifying to the work he had been doing. He caught her glance and came toward her, maintaining eye contact while removing his work gloves.

“I see you met Eddie,” he called as he got closer. “What do you think?”

Pausing, she was about to say something dismissive but changed her mind. “Honestly? He seems like a prick.” In fact, he reminded her a lot of her ex-husband, glossy and polished and as shallow as a saucer. It had taken years for her to realize how little depth there was to David. She’d been flattered by his attention and was caught up in building the business. Once the practice was established, he spent money on any shiny thing that caught his eye, tossing it aside when it lost its sparkle. She hadn’t expected him to do the same to her.

Vincent snorted in surprised laughter. “He is that.” He leaned against the car beside her, idly slapping his thigh with his gloves. Sweat and fresh sawdust blended with his usual scent of pine and leather. His jeans and T-shirt were stained, and he didn’t seem to care. It was rather refreshing, and she inhaled deeply.

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Did you just…smell me?”

“That I did. I needed to wipe out the memory of Eddie’s aftershave.” Wrinkling her nose, she grinned up at him, pleased to see his smile.

He chuckled, turning completely toward her. “How’s the thumb?”

She held it up for his inspection. “Much better. There’s barely a scar. And thank you for looking after me that night. I was a bit out of it.”

“Not a problem. That’s what neighbors are for.”

“You seem more relaxed. Is work going well?” She didn’t mention that #HotAndHandy was her favorite hashtag on Instagram.

“It is,” he replied, seeming surprised. “I like what I’m doing, and the clients have been great.”

“Is your assistant working out?”

“It was a bit rough at first because he doesn’t have a lot of experience, but Carl makes me think about what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. So, yeah, it’s good.”

Hilary widened her eyes in mock surprise. “Look at you being all teacherly.”

He laughed and rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, yeah yeah.”

“I put aside some books for you to borrow.”

“You did?” His eyes lit up, and he looked like a kid in a candy store. “What are they?”

“Come and see,” she said, waggling her eyebrows.

He looked down at his clothes and made a face. “I’ll track dirt all over the place. Can you leave them outside your door, and I’ll pick them up later?”

It was an impulsive thing to say, and he was in the middle of something, but she deflated nonetheless. “Sure.”

“Thanks. I’m really looking forward to seeing what you picked out.”

And with that, her world looked a little brighter.

A movement caused them both to turn. Eddie was carrying a bag of garbage to the bins. He nodded and smiled at her but did not acknowledge Vincent. After depositing the garbage into the bin, he dusted his hands off and sauntered over to the driveway, stopping a good six feet away from Hilary and Vincent.

“How’s the garden shed, Ortiz? It must be bigger than your jail cell, especially without your roommate. Or do you miss kissing him goodnight?” He turned his smirk on Hilary. “Did you know your neighbor was a convicted felon? You might want to get your locks changed, and not by him.”

Feeling Vincent stiffen beside her, Hilary surreptitiously nudged him before facing Eddie with big eyes. “Would you install it for me?”

Eddie puffed up like a peacock.

Vincent snorted. “Not if you want the lock installed this century. He doesn’t know the difference between a screwdriver and a socket wrench.”

Face red with fury, Eddie scowled up at the taller man. “Watch it Ortiz, I sign your paychecks.”

Pushing himself off the car, Vincent slowly shook his head. “No, you don’t. Your mother does. I’m still trying to figure out what you do at KBS besides twirl around in a fancy chair behind a big desk. The custodial staff knows more about building materials than you do. As far as I can tell, you’re just a glorified pencil pusher.”

Hilary expected Eddie’s head to explode as he stepped closer to Vincent .

“Piss off, Ortiz. There’s more to running KBS than hauling wood around like a Neanderthal. KBS is going to be mine. And so help me, God, I will get rid of you before then.” He glared at Hilary, then stomped off.

Face screwed up in apology, Hilary looked up at Vincent. Steam was practically coming out of his ears. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have teased him like that.”

Hands on his hips, Vincent gusted out a huge exhale. “Not your fault. That’s been building for years.” When Eddie was back in the house, Vincent stepped closer to Hilary, eyebrows drawn together. “Iris doesn’t see what a jerk he is. He uses her and treats her like a doormat. He’s a total douche, but you can’t dismiss him. And don’t trust him.”

Momentarily tongue-tied, Hilary gazed at his serious expression and clasped her hands before her. She really had stepped in something with her flippant remark and regretted it even more. If Eddie was able to manipulate his mother, living here could become difficult. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Thinking that the light had gone out of her day, she made for the stairs, only to be stopped by Vincent’s hand on her arm.

“Hilary,” he said, his low voice rumbling along her nerves. “Be careful, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

For a moment, their eyes locked, then she nodded and headed up the stairs. She was pretty sure it wasn’t Eddie who could hurt her. Regardless, she made sure to lock the door behind her.