Page 32 of Broken Vows

“How close?”

He hesitates. “Thirty-eight.”

The age gap between Levi and Theo nags at me again. Thirty-eight and ten. Not impossible for brothers who only share a mother, but still quite a stretch.

“Was it a nice wedding?” he asks, clearly trying to change the subject. “Local?”

“I actually don’t know. It’s…complicated.” I adjust the strap of my bag, suddenly eager to escape. “Anyway, I really have to get to school.”

“School?”

“Yes.”

“You work there?”

“No. I study there. And I need to get to class.”

“You need anything taken care of around here?” he asks.

I pause with my keys in my hand.

This man is irritating me beyond belief. I open my mouth to tell him no, I do not need anything from him, and I certainly don’t need him appearing in my driveway every time I leave the house with some new excuse to talk to me.

Then my gaze catches on the hedge behind him. It’s been swallowing the front yard for months.

A thought occurs to me and it’s not a kind one.

If I say no, he’ll come back tomorrow with another offer. Another excuse. Another badly disguised attempt to get close. But if I say yes properly, if I give him the sort of list that would make a man with two good arms think twice, maybe he’ll finally realize I’m not the sort of woman who swoons because a man owns a toolbox.

Maybe he’ll take one look at the hedge and decide I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

The idea is petty. Unfortunately, it’s also satisfying.

“Actually,” I say, smiling at him, “you could trim that hedge. It’s taking over the entire yard.”

His expression sharpens. “I can do that.”

Of course he thinks he can.

“And the lawn is looking a little long,” I add. “The porch could use a proper clean, too. And my gutters are full.” I let my gaze drop briefly to his injured arm. “But I don’t know. I’m not sure you’re up to all that.”

“I can do it,” he says quickly. “Easy.”

His expression shifts into completely undeserved satisfaction, like I’ve awarded him something instead of handing him several hours of unpleasant yard work.

I glance at my watch. I am really going to be late.

“Alright,” I say, stepping around him toward the car. “Bye, then.”

I drive away a little faster than necessary. In the rearview mirror, Levi is still standing in my driveway, studying the hedge.

Trouble.

That man is nothing but trouble.

10

CARMEN