Single mother, and work-at-home beautician, Lauren Frazier can barely keep a roof over her head, let alone stop it from falling down around her. When handyman Caleb Hunter shows up at her door for a haircut, he's the answer to her prayers--and the attraction is instantaneous. Too bad her troublesome ten-year-old son isn't quite as thrilled to have Caleb hanging around.
Old wounds have kept Caleb from returning to Redemption permanently. When he receives word of his mother's unexpected death, guilt and regret bring him home again, but will the love of a good woman keep him there? Beautiful, witty, and strong, Lauren excites Caleb like no woman ever has, but she's a package deal, and he's not sure he's prepared to take on a ready-made family.
* * * *
After brushing the hair clippings from his neck and shoulders, Lauren swept the cape away and tried to hand him a mirror.
He waved it away and pulled out his wallet. "I'm sure it's fine. So what do I owe you?"
"Ten bucks." She accepted the twenty he handed her and opened her cash box to pull out a ten.
"Keep it. Put it toward a new doorknob."
With a grateful nod, she stuck the ten back in the box. "Thanks."
Caleb winked at her and turned to leave. He stepped on a loose floorboard on his way to the door. "Your husband's not much of a handyman, is he?"
"I'm divorced. And no, he never was much of a handyman. Philandering? Now, there's a sport he excelled at."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"
She waved him off. "Consider us even in the foot-in-mouth department."
He held her gaze for a moment, then casually glanced around. Lauren inwardly cringed. By the time her ex had left her for greener pastures of the big-boobed variety, the house had pretty much been falling down around her ears. And with only one income to pay bills, mortgage, and take care of her two kids, there wasn't much leftover for home repairs.
"I'm not very handy either, as you can see." She shrugged, making no apologies for her lack of carpentry skills.
He surprised her with a soft chuckle. "Yep. Got that. Listen, I have some free time later this afternoon. It wouldn't take me long to do some general repairs."
Lauren stared at him for several heartbeats, at a loss as to what to say. No one had ever offered to help before. "I appreciate it, but...well, truth is I wouldn't be able to pay you much. And by much, I mean nothing." She gave him a cheeky grin.
"I wouldn't accept your money anyway. I was thinking more along the lines of old-fashioned bartering."
She crossed her arms and cocked a brow. "You're entering dangerous territory, Mr. Hunter." Okay, so the guy was a hottie. Didn't mean she'd jump into bed with him to get a few doorknobs reattached, or a few loose board nailed down. Or the closet door in Emma's room put back on track, or the screen in Max's bedroom window patched, or the vanity door in the upstairs bathroom re-hinged, or--
"I meant supper, Ms. Frazier. As in a home cooked meal? Haven't had one in years and thought a couple hours of home repairs might be worth some meatloaf and mashed potatoes, maybe some buttered rolls."
Lauren's cheeks grew hot, surprising her. Blushing? Her? Wow, now there's a novelty. "I can do supper. Although my son, Max, might run away from home if I make meatloaf. How about chicken and rice bake and some of those pop-open crescent rolls?"
"Throw in dessert, and it's a deal."
Lauren leaned a hip against the wall. "Well, now, dessert is a whole other ballgame. Especially 'home cooked' dessert."
He grinned. "Name your price."
"Max's bottom dresser drawer. It's been stuck shut for months."
"Chocolate?"
"What else?"
He stuck out his hand. "Deal."Single mother, and work-at-home beautician, Lauren Frazier can barely keep a roof over her head, let alone stop it from falling down around her. When handyman Caleb Hunter shows up at her door for a haircut, he's the answer to her prayers--and the attraction is instantaneous. Too bad her troublesome ten-year-old son isn't quite as thrilled to have Caleb hanging around.
Old wounds have kept Caleb from returning to Redemption permanently. When he receives word of his mother's unexpected death, guilt and regret bring him home again, but will the love of a good woman keep him there? Beautiful, witty, and strong, Lauren excites Caleb like no woman ever has, but she's a package deal, and he's not sure he's prepared to take on a ready-made family.
* * * *
After brushing the hair clippings from his neck and shoulders, Lauren swept the cape away and tried to hand him a mirror.
He waved it away and pulled out his wallet. "I'm sure it's fine. So what do I owe you?"
"Ten bucks." She accepted the twenty he handed her and opened her cash box to pull out a ten.
"Keep it. Put it toward a new doorknob."
With a grateful nod, she stuck the ten back in the box. "Thanks."
Caleb winked at her and turned to leave. He stepped on a loose floorboard on his way to the door. "Your husband's not much of a handyman, is he?"
"I'm divorced. And no, he never was much of a handyman. Philandering? Now, there's a sport he excelled at."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"
She waved him off. "Consider us even in the foot-in-mouth department."
He held her gaze for a moment, then casually glanced around. Lauren inwardly cringed. By the time her ex had left her for greener pastures of the big-boobed variety, the house had pretty much been falling down around her ears. And with only one income to pay bills, mortgage, and take care of her two kids, there wasn't much leftover for home repairs.
"I'm not very handy either, as you can see." She shrugged, making no apologies for her lack of carpentry skills.
He surprised her with a soft chuckle. "Yep. Got that. Listen, I have some free time later this afternoon. It wouldn't take me long to do some general repairs."
Lauren stared at him for several heartbeats, at a loss as to what to say. No one had ever offered to help before. "I appreciate it, but...well, truth is I wouldn't be able to pay you much. And by much, I mean nothing." She gave him a cheeky grin.
"I wouldn't accept your money anyway. I was thinking more along the lines of old-fashioned bartering."
She crossed her arms and cocked a brow. "You're entering dangerous territory, Mr. Hunter." Okay, so the guy was a hottie. Didn't mean she'd jump into bed with him to get a few doorknobs reattached, or a few loose board nailed down. Or the closet door in Emma's room put back on track, or the screen in Max's bedroom window patched, or the vanity door in the upstairs bathroom re-hinged, or--
"I meant supper, Ms. Frazier. As in a home cooked meal? Haven't had one in years and thought a couple hours of home repairs might be worth some meatloaf and mashed potatoes, maybe some buttered rolls."
Lauren's cheeks grew hot, surprising her. Blushing? Her? Wow, now there's a novelty. "I can do supper. Although my son, Max, might run away from home if I make meatloaf. How about chicken and rice bake and some of those pop-open crescent rolls?"
"Throw in dessert, and it's a deal."
Lauren leaned a hip against the wall. "Well, now, dessert is a whole other ballgame. Especially 'home cooked' dessert."
He grinned. "Name your price."
"Max's bottom dresser drawer. It's been stuck shut for months."
"Chocolate?"
"What else?"
He stuck out his hand. "Deal."
