Break the Sky (Spiral of Bliss Spin Off) by Nina Lane Page B

a hotel. He didn’t.
    We walked to the front of the house. They’d replaced all the siding and trim with solid redwood.
    “So you don’t have a crew?” I asked.
    “Not really,” Dean said. “I contracted out most of the exterior work, but that’s done. A few guys from a local construction company have been helping me out, but they got busy with another job last week. I’m doing most of the work myself.”
    “Still a lot to do.”
    “Yeah. I need to get the electrical work done and floors laid before we can move in. The kitchen, too. I don’t want Liv dealing with a bunch of construction work with the baby to take care of and her work at the café. I have a call in to a contractor since I don’t have the time to do it myself before our apartment lease expires.”
    I looked at the house. No aluminum siding here. No linoleum or Formica or laminate floors.
    “I can help out,” I said. The offer came out before I could even think, as if someone else had just spoken.
    Dean looked at me. “Help out?”
    “Yeah.”
    I had nowhere I needed to be, not unless Mick wanted more help at the garage. I sure as hell didn’t want to go back to the desert anytime soon. There wasn’t anything to go back
to
.
    And, unexpectedly, I was starting to like frilly Mirror Lake with its window boxes and painted white shutters. I liked Liv with her home-baked cookies, and Nicholas with his dragon shirt. I liked sitting on the terrace by the lake, drinking coffee. And though I didn’t like my brother much, I could deal with him.
    Especially if staying here meant I could see Kelsey March again.
    “I’ve done a lot of construction,” I said. “Had jobs laying hardwood and tile. I’ve done electrical work. Drywall. Painting. There was a house I was supposed to restore near Vegas, but it didn’t get finished. I’ve worked on a lot of other houses, though. ”
    Dean scratched his head. “I thought you were leaving soon.”
    “I can stay for a couple of weeks.” I shifted and shoved my hands into my pockets. “You, uh, you wouldn’t have to pay me.”
    “I wouldn’t feel right about not paying you.”
    “I’m not asking for paid work.” I wasn’t asking for anything. Except that I didn’t want to go back yet. Back to the dry heat and nothing else. “Look, if you let me stay in the trailer, we’ll call it even.”
    “The trailer?”
    “Yeah. It’s got everything I need, and it’d be much better than the hostel. Hell, it’s a palace compared to some of the shitholes I’ve lived in.”
    Dean’s expression darkened. My fists clenched. I went on the offense.
    “I’m not using anymore,” I said. “Been clean for almost three years.”
    Some of his tension seemed to ease.
    “That’s great, Archer. Good for you.”
    “I can work,” I said.
    “I know.”
    “So?”
    I’d never been able to read my brother’s thoughts. He had a good poker face when he used it. But he also had a tell. He always shrugged right before he agreed.
    He did that now. “Okay. Thanks for offering. I could use the help, especially with summer coming up.”
    “When do you want me to start?”
    “As soon as you can. Let me know when you want to stop by the apartment, and I’ll give you the spare key to the trailer.”
    “Dean, we should get going.” Liv approached from the garden, carrying Nicholas over the rocky path. “Nicholas is getting hungry, and I’m working the dinner shift at the café.”
    Dean tilted his head toward me. “Archer’s going to stay in town for a couple of weeks and help with the house.”
    “Oh, that’s wonderful.” Liv looked as if she really meant it. “We could use your help with the time crunch and all. Thanks so much.”
    “Uh, sure.”
    Liv gave Dean’s arm a quick squeeze. “I’m leaving Nicholas with Marianne for a couple of hours, so you can pick him up at her house. Call me if you need me.”
    Dean leaned closer to her and murmured a response too low for me to hear. I figured I wasn’t