Page 24 of An Unexpected Turn
“You couldn’t have seen this coming. It happens, P.”
I shook my head. “You have your own family to worry about. I priced out the work I’d probably need online, and I can’t take that money from you.”
“First of all, I know a contractor who would give you a good price, so don’t worry about whatever Google told you. And second, you’re not my family?” He bent his head to meet my gaze. At over six feet, he towered over me.
“I still remember when your mother first brought you home.” He crossed his arms and joined me as I leaned against the edge of the sink. “I had no clue what to do with a baby, but your grandmother made me hold you even when I refused.”
I looked away from his sad smile. I had enough emotion scratching at the back of my throat today.
“I said I was afraid I’d break you. But as usual, no one ever listened to me, and they handed you—this little, pink-dressed football with hair—to me anyway. You gave me a big yawn and cuddled into my chest, and then I wouldn’t give you back until they made me.” He cocked his head to the side. “I consider you my own just as much as the boys.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “That’s why I was thrilled when you said you were moving back here. This—” he motioned to the drenched floor beneath us “—is a setback. That’s all. I’ll help you fix it.”
Uncle Keith always knew the right things to say to make me feel like whatever was bothering me wasn’t so bad after all. I’d trusted him before anyone else, but I couldn’t shake the sour pang in my stomach.
“It would be a loan. I’d pay you back.”
He waved me off as he left the kitchen.
“We’ll clean up what we can tonight and finish tomorrow if we have to.”
The paper towels I’d put down only a few minutes ago were already soaked through. I’d been trying to clean up since I arrived early this morning, but it was no use. The water had stopped coming in, but I couldn’t get a handle on what was left.
“Cheer up, buttercup,” Uncle Keith said, chuckling as he tapped my chin with his knuckle. “It’s not as bad as you think and not a disaster. Got it?”
“Got it,” I sighed, my chest deflating with a tiny bit of relief. Even if I’d wanted to do everything myself, refusing my uncle’s help would just prolong my misery and lead to rotting floors.
I followed my uncle to the door until we heard a tap on the other side.
“Right on time,” Uncle Keith said, flashing me a smile over his shoulder.
I squinted at him as he reached for the doorknob. Maybe Aunt Maya was coming by to help? When he opened the door, my heart fell into my stomach as I locked eyes with Jake.
Of course.Jakewas the contractor he knew who would give him a great price.
I hated him seeing me at what felt like my lowest. Bone-deep disappointment loomed over me like another rain cloud. All I wanted to do was go back to my uncle’s house and cry under his Giants blanket until I had to go to work on Monday morning.
“Here he is.” Uncle Keith slapped Jake’s shoulder and pulled him inside. “Please take a look around and tell my niece it’s not as bad as it looks. Maybe she’ll believe your professional opinion more than mine.”
Jake shot me a crooked smile.
“I’m sure it’s not. And at the risk of sounding arrogant, I can fix pretty much anything. I’ll take a look around, but you can calm down. You’re in good hands.” He tapped my arm and made his way past me into the kitchen.
“I have some mops in the car. You said you were bringing the wet vac?”
“Yes,” Jake told Uncle Keith. “It’s in the back of my truck. We can start with that and mop up the rest.”
“See that?” Uncle Keith squeezed my shoulder. “We already have a plan. Tell her.”
I nodded, not lifting my head when a loud ringtone went off.
“This is your aunt.” He held up his phone after he dug it out of his pocket. “She wanted me to call to let her know how everything was. Let me take this and get the vac.”
I sucked in a long breath and rubbed my eyes, as if that would somehow stop the tears from burning my nose. I didn’t want to cry in front of Jake or anyone. Maybe I’d jetted up here so fast so I wouldn’t have the chance to think of all that had gone wrong over the past year, and now that I had no choice but to be still, the reminders and the shame washed over me. It was an overdramatic reaction, but one I couldn’t fight, as it all snaked down my cheeks.
“Oh no, please don’t do that.”
Before I realized it, Jake wrapped his arms around me and brought me into his chest. His very hard chest and thick, strong arms. Instead of pushing him away like I should have, I let my head drop and softly cried into his shoulder. His spicy cologne and woodsy soap filled my senses as I relaxed, sliding my arms around his waist as I sank deeper into him.
“I can already tell this won’t be an issue to clean up and fix.” He grabbed my arms and pushed me back, tilting his head until I lifted my watery gaze to his. “Yes, I’ll have to fix the floors and replace the carpet, but the water hasn’t been sitting here long enough to cause much damage. This is not the big deal you think it is. Please don’t cry, sweetheart,” he crooned as his thumb swiped at a tear. “I’ll fix it all for you.”
