Page 20 of Between the Lines

“I have my crew out front, the ones I told you would cut you a deal.”

Her eyes snap to mine, bewilderment on her face.

“They can start today.” I cross my arms, my green cotton shirt stretching across my shoulders. “They’ll work when you and Daisy aren’t here.”

Fia’s mouth hangs open, and I stare at her plump pink lips a second too long. She makes a noise somewhere between a gasp and a laugh, but there’s no accompanying smile.

“Okay, hold on.” She taps her temple. “Let me get this straight. You scheduled work . . . for my house . . . without asking me?”

I can’t tell if she is elated or homicidal so I respond calmly.

“Correct.”

Daisy starts crying in the other room. Fia inhales sharply and turns on her heel, marching down the hall, leaving me there alone.

I follow her slowly as she picks up her daughter out of the playpen in the living room and hands her a sippy cup. I try not to look at the way Fia’s shirt rides up, exposing way more of her skin than I was prepared to see this morning. She’s oblivious to it.

“Why the hell . . .” she begins muttering. “What gave you the right? You can’t just do that, Caden.”

“Listen, it’s already done.”

Fia starts to fuss with an insulated lunch pail on the counter, adding packaged snacks to it. She snaps her head up as I stand there leaning against the kitchen wall.

“I’m sorry, but I tried to make it very clear that I don’t have the money. Thank you, but please tell them to leave.” She opens the refrigerator and grabs something out, balancing Daisy on her hip. The toddler twists in her mother’s arms and smiles at me. She really is a cute kid.

“Like I said, it’s taken care of.” I push myself up—ready to leave, ready to be done conversing.

“What’s that even mean?” She stops moving about the kitchen and stares at me. “Like, you paid for it in advance?” She asks like it’s the most absurd thing to ever come out of her mouth.

“Yes.” I stand very still now, shoulders clenched, brows raised.

I actually paid a bit more just to get Eddie out here early this morning, but that’s not her concern.

“So, we good then?” I ask, about to turn and leave.

“No!” she spits out, dropping her head. “You shouldn’t have done that. I can’t . . . I can’t pay you back. I was planning on texting your guy”—she rolls her eyes as she says it—“but because of my age and student loan debt, I couldn’t secure a loan.”

My heart squeezes uncomfortably as she continues to avoid my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was make her feel incompetent or incapable—two things I think she’s quite the opposite of.

“Okay, listen.” I exhale, and she reluctantly looks at me. “If the money part bothers you, just think of it as a bonus for how much growth you’ve brought to Good Grinds.”

Her lips twist, and she fusses with Daisy’s curls. “But to be clear, it’s not a bonus, it’s a twelve thousand dollar loan?”

Something like that.

I shrug. “Yeah, sure, however you want to look at it.” But I can see she still needs convincing. I make a show of looking at my watch. “Do you want a fixed roof or not?”

“How did you get this company to come so quickly?” Fia narrows her green eyes. “You’re not connected to the mob or something, right? Because I really don’t want to be involved in that.”

I restrain myself from laughing.

“If I was in the mob, do you really think I would tell you?” I smirk.

Fia turns bright red.

“You read too many books. No, Fia, I’m not in the mob. It’s my family’s company.”

She nods slowly. “So, what, your dad owns a roofing company?”