Page 51 of The Mountain Man's Mail-Order Mafia Princess

The woman laughed. “All right. I’ll call Cade.”

We returned to the truck after I marked the damaged tree and took the measurements I needed.

Talia waited until we had crossed the driveway before she spoke.

“You told her no.”

“I told her who could fix the generator.”

“You usually would’ve looked at it.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you heard the noise when we arrived, and you looked at that shed twice.”

“I looked once.”

“You almost turned toward it when she mentioned the generator.”

I opened the passenger door for her.

“You also found a way to help with the tree without promising to solve everything.”

“The job needs doing.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“I understood what you meant.”

Talia put one foot on the truck step but didn’t climb in.

“You protected something she cared about,” she said. “You didn’t only remove a hazard.”

“You’re the one who suggested the bench.”

“You agreed.”

“It was a good idea.”

She held my gaze for a second.

“You’re very good at taking care of people while insisting you don’t.”

“I gave her a work plan.”

“And a piece of her husband’s tree.”

“She asked for the work.”

Talia accepted my hand and climbed into the truck.

“You said no and still helped her,” she said once she reached the seat.

“I gave her Cade’s number.”

“You’re avoiding the compliment.”

“I’m closing this door so we can drive.”