#HotAndHandy (Keeney Builds #1)

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

T he ding of an incoming text message was a nice distraction for Hilary. Reading another report had her just this side of a headache. Her heartbeat quickened as she saw the text was from Vincent. The content, however, caused her to sigh.

Vincent: Are you familiar with the new state requirements for family leave?

Hilary: Yes. Why?

Vincent: Iris is having trouble with it. Any chance you can help her?

She heaved another sigh, contemplating her response. Yes, of course, she could help Iris. Whether she wanted to help was a different matter. It would mean more contact with Vincent. He was so sweet, thoughtful, kind, and gentle. The kind of man who could easily steal her heart. She really needed to stay away from him. Before she could reply, another text came through.

Vincent: I’m better with building forms than government forms.

The text was accompanied by a GIF of a desk covered with paper .

She snorted; the GIF looked oddly similar to her own desk. She groaned and relented.

Hilary: Sure. Tell her I will come by KBS after work.

He responded with a thumbs-up emoji as well as a kissy face emoji. Hilary was trying to decipher the significance of the kissy face when another text came in.

Vincent: I meant happy face.

Hilary: I know.

Tossing her phone on the desk, she rubbed her temples. He was just being friendly. Trying to draw her out. And she appreciated it. She did need to do more besides work and hole up in her house with a book. Her profile for a dating site was complete, but she was too chicken to pull the trigger. What if only creeps responded? What if no one responded at all? She wouldn’t know until she tried. But not today. In the back of her mind, she heard the squawking sounds of a chicken.

I t was too difficult to work together at the imposing desk, so Hilary and Iris sat on the equally imposing leather couch with a laptop on the coffee table in front of them. Hilary suspected Eddie had shopped at a store that specifically sold pretentious furniture. He probably had his own parking space.

Blowing out a gust of air, Iris shoved her glasses up on her head and leaned back against the cushions. “What a pain this is,” she said, rubbing the inner corner of her eyes. She held up a hand before Hilary could launch into a lecture on the importance of paid leave for new parents. “Oh no. I am in full support of this. Paid leave is good for everyone. It’s the logistics of the implementation that frustrates me. Eddie told me to leave it for him to take care of, but when he comes back, I don’t want him to have a huge pile of work. He needs to concentrate on healing. ”

Hilary shifted in her seat to face Iris. “If you are going to take over the accounting, working on this will help you in the long run. Eddie must be thrilled to relinquish some responsibilities.” She’d only met Eddie the one time. He may be a class-A jackass, but he was still Iris’s son and had been badly injured. “How much longer will he be in the hospital?”

“They initially said six weeks, but he’s developed an infection they are having a hard time treating. Not sure how much longer it will be.” Iris sniffed and rubbed at a stray tear.

She wasn’t a hugger, but Hilary knew the benefits of human touch. She put her arm around the older woman and gently squeezed her. “Don’t fret. They’ll get a handle on it.”

Iris fished a tissue out of a pocket and wiped her nose. “I just don’t know why Fiona doesn’t want me to visit. I would feel so much better if I could see him.”

Remaining silent and feeling woefully inadequate, Hilary was ill-equipped to cheer people up. Dealing with family drama made her think of her own mother-in-law, a lovely woman she missed greatly. Her eyes filling with tears, she glanced around the room, seeking a distraction. “Can you see the whole store from the windows?”

Iris got up stiffly from the couch. “Except for the area directly beneath us, so Darryl installed a couple of mirrors.” She chuckled while sharing the memory. “The day he hung them, he was up on one ladder over to the right, and Ali was on another ladder on the left. We had Marcia and Vincent down on the floor, and I was up here calling out instructions on positioning the mirrors to the best angle.”

Hilary joined Iris at the window and looked out to find the two mirrors. “That sounds efficient.”

“Yes, it was, except Marcia and Vincent were dancing around and making faces. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t speak. Darryl was so annoyed he banished me to the cash register and had one of the other employees take my place. ”

Looking down, Hilary watched Iris’s face relax with the memory. “What about Marcia and Vincent?”

“Ali told them that if they behaved, he’d buy them ice cream cones.”

Hilary smiled. “I would think Marcia couldn’t be bribed with ice cream.”

With a wink and a nudge, Iris said, “She kind of liked Ali, and Ali was good to Vincent.”

They watched the activity beneath them. Two women were comparing one power tool against another, a pregnant woman pondered flooring samples, and an employee was stocking shelves. Ali was strolling through the aisles, stopping now and then to adjust a product. As if sensing their presence, he glanced up and saluted. Iris smiled and waved.

“He’s such a good man, Darryl thought the world of him.”

Ali’s attention switched to something directly below her. Through one of the conveniently placed mirrors, she saw Vincent come through a doorway and approach the older man. Beside her, Iris sighed with pleasure. “I am so glad this has worked out.”

Hilary looked down at her quizzically.

“What do you know about Vincent’s past?” Iris asked.

“I know he was convicted for possession of stolen goods and learned construction while he was at a minimum-security prison. People seem to think it was a wrongful conviction.”

Head bobbing in agreement, Iris watched the two men beneath them. “Marcia hired a lawyer who was able to reduce his sentence but couldn’t get the conviction overturned.”

“Vincent is fortunate to have you and Marcia behind him.” Hilary placed a hand on Iris’s shoulder and squeezed.

“They have been very good to my family. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for them.”

Below, Vincent and Ali were focused on a tablet. Whatever Vincent was saying seemed to please Ali. “Vincent seems close to Ali as well,” Hilary murmured.

“There was a time I hoped Ali and Marcia might get together.” Iris was silent for a few minutes but then responded. “She left Vincent’s dad when he was seven. It was a long time coming. Ray was not a good parent, he had a wandering eye and would rather chase after women than chase after his son. It took Marcia a while before she was finally convinced she would be better off without him. She worked here at the store for a while, and I know Ali was interested, but…” Iris shook her head. “Darryl told me not to meddle.”

Continuing to watch the conversation below them, Hilary asked, “Did Ali ever ask her out?”

“I don’t think so. He would do things for her, though: fix things around her house and take Vincent to ball games. I don’t know why it didn’t go further. She’s my best friend, but I didn’t want to pry,” Iris trailed off.

Another man joined the pair below, looking stiff until Vincent said something that caused all three to laugh. Ali pointed to the window, and the men looked up and waved. Vincent’s smile widened when his eyes connected with Hilary’s, and he mouthed a thank you . Her heart did a stutter step, but she ignored it and simply nodded and waved back.

Iris shifted beside Hilary. “That’s Tomas. He and Vincent met in prison.”

“Oh. Did he do the same contracting program?”

Iris nodded.

Hilary crossed her arms and cocked her head, watching the three men below. “They’re fortunate to have learned a trade while they were inside.”

“Um-hum.”

Glancing between the men and Iris, Hilary commented, “The hard part is finding a job when you have a criminal record. Now…a joint program between an educational institute and a local business would be a great idea.”

“Carl, Vincent’s assistant, is from the college.” Iris gestured at the store below. “We’ve been taking interns from them for years.”

“Really? Hmm.”

It was Iris’s turn to cross her arms and cock her head. “What are you thinking? I can practically see the gears turning.”

Ideas were indeed swirling around inside her brain that popped and sizzled enticingly. Hilary tapped a finger against her chin. “Not quite sure yet. Let me get back to you.”