Wrapped Up In Christmas

She didn’t meet his eyes. “The last one quit.”

“Because?”

Pink stained her cheeks. “Because of me.”

Her expression was so flustered, Bodie could only imagine what had happened. “He fell for you and you had to let him go?”

Eyes wide, Sarah laughed. “The only falling he did was off the ladder in his hurry to get away from me. He couldn’t get out of here fast enough after I yelled at him for dribbling paint all over the newly-refinished hardwood floors.”

“There’s plastic taped down to protect the floors,” Bodie pointed out, not mentioning that she should’ve had the painting completed prior to getting the floors refinished. Why hadn’t someone told her that?

“There is now. But on that day, there wasn’t anything protecting the floor. It took me several hours to clean up the paint splatter.” She closed

her eyes as if to erase the memory. “I put the plastic down because I wasn’t risking that happening again.”

Maybe it was her Christmas sweater and hair ribbon, but the woman personified good cheer and he had a difficult time imaging her being upset with anyone, the painter included.

Thanking whatever fate had put him in the right place at the right time that he could do this for her, he asked, “You have furniture to go in here?”

“I had what’s left of my aunt’s things moved into my father’s garage before the hardwood floors were redone.” She gestured to a far wall that had a new, unframed doorway cut into it. “That is going to be a bathroom, as there’s only one bathroom in the whole house. Even that was high tech for the time the house was built. However, it won’t be enough for a bed and breakfast.”

He walked over to the cut-out doorway, then entered the dark room. The room was framed. Plumbing and electric wiring had been started. But that was it. No walls covering the framing two-by-fours, and there was no tub, vanity or sink, and no toilet. Nothing but the ceiling, the exposed walls, and the rough plywood floors.

It was decent-sized for a bathroom. He suspected the bathroom for the other bedroom was on the other side of one of the walls. No doubt a small room had been cut up to make the extra bathrooms.

Bodie tallied how long it would take him, adding in extra time for unexpected things that would likely arise. He should be able to finish what Sarah needed in her time frame.

“I can do the work.”

Her eyes brightened. “Really? You can finish everything? The electrical and plumbing, too?”

“Nah,” he couldn’t resist saying.

Her lips parted. “Oh?”

One side of his mouth hiked up. “I’m kidding, Sarah. Check my references. I haven’t done this kind of work in a while, but everything you need is within my capabilities. If you want me, I’m your man.”

“I heard your fella had dinner over at Lou’s place and then checked into the Pine Hill Motel.”

“He’s not my fella,” Sarah insisted as she, Maybelle, Rosie, Ruby, and Claudia sorted through the ornaments they’d made the day before, checking for any that needed a touch-up, prior to working on that day’s batch.

Memories of the afternoon before hit. She hadn’t expected Bodie’s half-smile or how her heart had thundered at the expression, and at the fact he’d teased her.

At his promise that if she wanted him, he was her man.

“Well, technically, he is,” she added, correcting herself. “He started at Hamilton House this morning.”

“You left him there alone?” Claudia asked, sounding surprised Sarah wasn’t standing over him with an eagle eye.

“I didn’t babysit the other handymen. Why would I with him?” she asked. “Besides, there aren’t any family jewels for him to take off with. If there ever had been, they’d be long gone by now.”

“His references checked out?”

He’d given two and they had both answered her questions about him with enthusiasm and without hesitation. One had been a handyman who’d employed him years ago, and another was the owner of a security company who had hired him to start work in the new year.

“They couldn’t sing his praises loudly enough. The owner of Steve’s Home Repairs says there’s not much he can’t do and do well. Actually, he said Bodie was the best help he’s ever had, and he’d take him back in a heartbeat.” Good. She needed Bodie Lewis to be the world’s greatest handyman. “Apparently, he’s been military and is just back to civilian life.”

At least, that’s what the owner of the security company had told her. They’d served in the Army together. Recalling how Brody had looked when he’d entered the community room the day before, she had to admit the military background fit.