Page 11 of Something Like Shelter

Maybe that’s what got me.

I was used to men who claimed they wanted to help. Or ones who asked what I needed. But there was something different about a man seeing something that needs to be done and simply… doing it. Without direction or expectation.

And that, yeah, that was a good man in my estimation.

“But?”

“But I’m so not interested in dating right now. Or maybe ever again.”

Gracie winced at that.

We both knew why. She’d been right there in the aftermath of the last time I’d trusted a man… and had him blow my whole life up. She wouldn’t blame me for never wanting to go through that again.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be pushy. You don’t need a man. You just created a whole human being. Who I plan to hold at some point. Maybe while you take a shower,” she added, glancing up at my greasy hair.

“I will take you up on that,” I agreed.

Suddenly, I knew it was all going to be all right.

No matter how sleepless I got, how disconnected from the world I felt, no matter how many things in my house broke, it was going to be okay.

I had more people looking out for me than I even realized.

Including, it seemed, my handyman.

CHAPTER FOUR

Owen

“Just gonna stop here for fifteen minutes, bud,” I told the Golden Retriever lounging in my passenger seat, still smelling strongly of the coconut/pineapple finishing cologne from the groomer.

He looked beat.

Probably from all the tail-wagging and tongue kisses he’d given everyone he’d come in contact with since I dropped him off and picked him up again.

If you were looking for a lovable oaf with hardly two brain cells to rub together, Tuna was the dog for the job.

“I just gotta check on the bathroom,” I told him as I parked in Willa’s driveway.

I didn’t need to check on the bathroom.

It had only been two days.

There was almost no way the space was dried out enough to do more work.

But, yeah, there I was.

“Don’t honk the horn, okay?” I asked, making sure the heat was on and the window cracked. “There’s a baby in there.”

With that, I climbed out of the van and made my way to the front door.

On my way, I spotted Willa in the living room window with a cup of tea in her hands.

She looked a little better.

More rested.

Less wide-eyed and frantic.