Till There Was You (9 page)

“Sure thing,” she said as she thanked the waitress and went back to her fruit.

“So, that dog you took to Tim yesterday is getting released today. I was going to send Doug up to see if Linc wanted a ride, but something tells me you’ll just get there first anyway.”

“Why would you send Doug instead of asking me?”

Finishing his last bite, Matt downed the rest of his water and sat back in his seat. “Because I like watching him squirm. He’s petrified of Linc for some reason. It borders on ridiculous.”

“Did Linc do something to him?”

Matt shook his head. “Nothing major. He was just messing with him when Doug tried to puff his chest out. But we all do it to him. You know how Doug can be.”

“I sure do,” Lily commented, having known Doug almost all her life. “So, what time is this dog getting released?”

“Some time this afternoon. I’d head up there now if I were you.” He checked his watch and kept his features plain.

“What’s caused this sudden change? Yesterday you were telling me to stay away and today you’re practically setting up a play date.”

Shrugging, Matt brushed at his shirt, checking for any loose crumbs. “I still think you should be careful, but I also agree that the guy needs a friend. He could do a lot worse than you.”

Releasing a short laugh, Lily shook her head in amusement. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Then she stood and placed some money on the table.

“Wait, you’re going already?” Matt asked.

“Sure am. I have to have a friendly conversation with a certain man about learning to ask for help.”

“Good luck with that,” Matt said, his tone sarcastic. Lily pushed out the door.

A short while later, Lily was halfway to Linc’s, singing at the top of her lungs to Rihanna on the radio when she heard a loud bang before the truck pulled sharply to the right.

“Oh crap,” she yelped, gripping the wheel hard. She tried to maintain control and bring the vehicle to a sliding halt. She knew she’d blown a tire. She hated changing tires.

“Shit, shit, shit,” she moaned, swearing each time she smacked the steering wheel in frustration. This was exactly what she didn’t need.

Her mood darkened further as she stepped out of the truck and straight into an icy puddle, cold water seeping into her boot. “Goddammit!” she yelled, pulling her sopping wet boot from the dirty puddle as the water sloshed around inside. She bit back a few extra expletives then got to work, hefting the spare out of the tray and rolling it in place before she jacked up the truck.

One thing her father had insisted when she learned to drive was she also learned to change a tire. He’d always said no daughter of his was going to get stranded on the side of the road waiting for someone to come help her. Lily thought about her father fondly as she worked, knowing he was the reason she felt so strong and independent. He’d always told her she could do anything she put her mind to. Her heart ached from missing him.

As she pushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen in her eye, she thought this was one instance when she wouldn’t mind a man in her life to do the heavy lifting. Changing dirty tires sucked.

Her mood didn’t improve once she’d finished with the tire and returned to the truck. Her cold wet foot saw to that. Pulling off the boot, she poured out the excess water and wrung out her sock as best she could, wishing she kept spares in the glove compartment for moments such as these.

She reached the front gate to Linc’s place a little later and blasted the horn to get his attention. Expecting him to come out the front door, she was surprised to see him walk down the side of the house carrying some rope.

Watching as he moved, Lily couldn’t help but admire his build as he slowly made his way over. The anticipation of talking to him sent her heart beating a rapid
tap, tap
in her chest. She felt ridiculous. She barely knew the guy, but at the same time, she felt she knew him better than anyone. It was a strange feeling, and she was just about to smile at him when he stopped short, standing at the gate without making any sign of opening it for her.

He raised his hands in query as she continued to sit there, now glaring at him through the windshield.

“What are you doing?” Lily asked after she rolled the window down. 

“I could ask you the same thing,” he shot straight back at her.

“I asked you first.” It was a standoff Lily was not prepared to lose. How did this happen? She came here with the intention of being kind, and the moment he opened his mouth, they were caught in a standoff.

“I’m busy, so if you’re just here to ask pointless questions, I’d rather not hang around.” The last part was delivered over his shoulder as he walked away.

Frustrated and annoyed, Lily got out of the truck, making sure no more puddles were lying in wait before making her way through the gate to follow him up the side of the house.

Lily stopped dead in her tracks as she rounded the corner. Disbelief warred with exasperation at what she saw. He was building a goddamn sled.

Linc looked up at her with a blank expression that set Lily’s mind and heart racing, not with warm feelings, but heat.

“Are you serious? This is getting ridiculous. Get in the truck, Linc,” Lily ordered, her tone making it clear she was not asking, nor cared about any response he could make that wasn’t what she wanted.

It was the look of incomprehension on his face that softened her stance a little—his brow furrowed as his dark eyes stormed with confusion.

“What are
you
doing?” he demanded.

“I’m trying to
help
you.”

Shaking his head, he pressed his lips together as he looked from her to the sled, twisting a ratchet around in his hands. The clicking sound filled the air as if it were the thinking tick of a game show and stopped when he looked at her again.

“I don’t
want
your help.”

Linc leaned down and used the ratchet to tighten a bolt in the sled’s design, his head bowed dismissively.

“Why do you hate me?” Lily asked, her voice quiet as she struggled to understand why this man was so intent on spurning any sort of kindness shown to him.

“I don’t hate you.” He glanced up at her, that stormy confusion still swirling in his eyes.

“Then what’s your problem?”

Moving around the sled, Linc tightened another bolt. “I’ve seen you around town,” he started, continuing to work on his creation. “I’ve seen you—maybe even watched you—just like you do me.” He looked up at her then, his features warring as his brow knit tighter and jaw hardened.

When his gaze touched hers, Lily’s heart flipped in her chest and the butterflies took flight in her stomach. He’d caught her watching. He’d also been watching her. There was a chemistry between them, she could feel it in the air around them. If he could see it all too, why did he behave as though she was an annoyance that needed to go away?

“So, you feel whatever this is?” she clarified, gesturing between them, needing to be clear her observations were right.

Linc ran his hand over his face then gripped the back of his neck tight as he chewed at his lip and began twisting a piece of rope around his hand. The silence and his lack of objection told Lily all she needed to know.

“How is that even a problem? Are you married?”

“No.”

“Gay?”

“No.”

“A priest?” She was reaching, but there needed to be an explanation.

“No.”

“Then what? Why do you watch me from afar and act like you hate me up close?” 

“Because...because I don’t
want
to like you.” He had finished winding the rope around his hand and released it, allowing it to spiral to the ground in a rapid coil.

“But
why?
” she insisted.

Pain. When he met her eyes, it was all she could see. Suddenly, it dawned on her. Linc was scared. Something had happened—something big enough to make him want to hide out in small town Canada. And whatever had happened meant he was scared of getting hurt. This place and his attitude was his way of protecting himself. Closing himself off prevented anyone or anything from getting close, but he was cracking. Lily could see that. Each time he looked at her, it was as if his hard edges were slowly blurring. Her attention scared him—she scared him.

At the realization, her remaining anger drained away. Her heart constricted a little as she saw him in a new vulnerable light. Lily wanted nothing more than to hold him, comfort him, and help with whatever past haunted him.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, and I’m sorry for being so pushy. But, I’m here now and I have to drive back into town anyway, so why don’t you let me give you a lift?” This time, her tone was even, a direct contrast to her demanding tone from before. When you spoke to a frightened animal, you didn’t yell and make a lot of noise, you trod carefully and used a cajoling voice. While Linc wasn’t exactly an animal, the same principal could be applied to humans. Lily was reminded of the whole honey and vinegar saying again and tried to appeal to the logical side of Linc’s brain.

“It’ll be faster, safer, and more comfortable for your dog than being out in the cold on that,” Lily said, pointing to the well-constructed frame of the sled he had almost finished.

Gripping the handle of his sled, Linc bowed his head in thought before his shoulders relaxed in defeat. Even he couldn’t deny what she said made sense. He might be stubborn, but he wasn’t quite as stubborn as Lily. She had won this round. 

“Fine,” he said with a sigh. “Just let me grab a few things and I’ll meet you back here.”

She was happy with the small step in a positive direction as she climbed back inside her truck and started the engine. While she waited, she let the heating breathe some feeling back into her cold toes as she cycled through the radio stations.

The sound of the front door closing drew her attention. He walked toward her, long, confident strides over the slippery ice bringing him closer and closer, her heart beating faster as she watched him. He’d basically admitted he was interested in her, and while he also made it clear he didn’t want that interest, she couldn’t help but feel hope that she might be able to break down the handsome stranger’s walls.

He surprised her when, instead of opening the gate, he vaulted over the top of it then slid into the passenger seat beside her.

“Belts on?” he checked, before stopping to stare at her face with great intensity.

“What?” Lily asked, feeling blood rush to her cheeks under his scrutiny. “It’s on. Look.” She pulled the black sash across her chest to prove her point.

“It’s, um...you’ve got a little...” Linc tapped his cheek as he looked at her, then pointed to the mirror for Lily to see what he could.

“A little what?” Lily reached up and angled the mirror to reveal a streak of grease under one eye that she must have gotten from changing the tire on the way over. She made the mistake of trying to wipe it away with the same hand that probably smeared it there in the first place, only managing to add more grease and spread it further.

“You’re making it worse.”

“I know. Oh god. My hands are filthy.” She tried to clean them a little by grabbing a scrap of junk mail from the center console and wiping at her hands.

“I had to change a flat on the way over here,” she explained, tossing the paper aside when it proved little help, deciding she had no other option but to clean them against the legs of her jeans.

“Lily.”

She glanced at Linc, his dark eyes watching her as she became flustered. She didn’t know why, but she hated that he was seeing her looking anything less than put together. It was what she always was—together. She could handle anything on her own.

“I’m fine.” She forced a smile as she used the back of her hand to try to clear the smudge.

“Lily.” A strong but gentle hand wrapped around hers, stopping her from her frantic cleaning. “Let me help you.”

From his backpack, he pulled out a bottle of water and what appeared to be a neatly folded handkerchief.
Who even owned handkerchiefs these days?
she thought as he poured some water on the light blue fabric. He took a hold of her chin in one hand while using the other to wield the cloth and wipe the grease away. Her eyes fluttered closed as her skin ignited under his touch. She’d never felt this turned on and nervous at the same time around a man. She was normally so much more confident, but every piece of kindness this man showed turned her into a puddle of goo. She never knew what to expect from him.

When he was done, he wiped his thumb across her now clean skin. “There,” he whispered, placing the items back in his bag.

Her eyes snapped open at the withdrawal of his hand, making her feel a little self-conscious at how easily she melted into his touch, and under such innocent circumstances. She didn’t know whether it was him or the simple fact she hadn’t gotten laid in quite a long time. Either way, Lily couldn’t help but think what it would be like to have him touch her under more intimate conditions. The idea made her cheeks flame.

Composing herself while she straightened the mirror, Lily put the truck in gear then headed back to town. While her mind raced a hundred miles a minute, she struggled to come up with something to say. Most of her thoughts were centered around the way it felt when his skin touched hers, coupled with the insinuation that he did indeed like her and it was in a way that pained him. There was so much confusion and tension swirling inside her. She wanted to ask him what was holding him back. She wanted to ask why he shut everyone out. She wanted to know how long he’d been noticing her—was it straight away, like it was for her?

Her constant thought turned into an awkward, lip-biting silence until she finally calmed down enough to ask a question unlikely to cause him to shut like a steel trap.

“Have you picked a name for your dog yet?”

He slid a big, callused hand against the fabric of his jeans before he answered. “I was thinking of maybe going with Shade or Cerberus.”

“Not Cerberus. You don’t want to be thinking about Hell every time you call him, do you?”