Page 31 of Fighting For You

"I thought you were looking for a place for you and your brother?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I was. But my brother's staying at his friend's for the summer while he works at their shop. When Lori told me about this vacancy, I took it."

I could tell she didn't want to explain any further. So I left it there.

"It's a good place. Barb's great."

She relaxed a little. "How long have you known her?"

"A while. She lives with one of the guys on my crew and his family. Helps take care of his seven-year-old daughter. She's been part of their family for as long as I can remember."

We talked while I worked the paint out of the seam. I told her about the neighborhood, the blocks to walk and the ones to skip, where to get groceries, where to get gas. She finished unpacking the duffel and started on a second bag, folding things into the dresser while she listened.

"Do you live around here?"

"Not far. About ten minutes."

She paused with a shirt in her hands. Looked at me, then looked away.

"You should come out for drinks with us sometime." It came out before I thought about it. "The crew goes to a bar not far from here most Fridays. Wyatt brings his fiancée, so you wouldn't be the only woman there."

Nora's cheeks turned pink. "That would be nice."

I went back to the window. The paint cracked along the score line and I worked a putty knife into the gap, tapping it with my palm to break the seal. The frame gave. I shifted my grip and pushed. It slid open.

"Should be fine now." I closed it, opened it again to make sure it moved cleanly. "Just open it once a week so the humidity doesn't seal it back up."

"Thank you, Knox."

I tried not to let my eyes wander, but she was standing there in a T-shirt and those shorts, her hair loose.

"Let me walk you out," she said.

We came downstairs together. Andy was in the living room with Barb and Lori, and the second she saw us, she broke into a smile so wide it practically split her face.

"Hi! I'm Andy." She crossed the room with her hand out before Nora made it off the last step.

"Andy, this is Nora," I said. "Nora, this is Detective Andy Walsh. Maybe you've come across her at the ER?"

Something flickered across Nora's face. Quick, like a name landing somewhere it already had a place.

"No, not yet actually. It's nice to meet you, Detective Walsh."

"Please, call me Andy."

Birdie came running in from the kitchen. "It's finished!"

Everyone cheered. She was beaming, her hands still damp, standing there like she'd rebuilt the whole house.

Wyatt came in behind her, drying his hands on a rag. "She handed me every tool I asked for. Didn't drop a single one."

Birdie looked up at Barb. "I fixed the sink."

Barb kissed the top of her head. "You sure did."

Andy looked at Nora. "We're heading to The Lantern tonight. You and Lori should come! We have to celebrate the new place."

Nora glanced up at me.