“You know, tomorrow’s my day off,” the little rat bastard was saying. “I’d be glad to stop by and give you a hand. Looks like you could definitely use some help.” His attempted sexy grin only managed to look smarmy. Faith opened her mouth, presumably to decline his offer, but before she could say a word, Kieran spoke up.
“That won’t be necessary.” Kieran crossed his massive arms over his equally massive chest, allowing his form to fill the archway, his deep voice booming throughout the small space as he set his laser-like stare upon the would-be do-gooder.
Matt, who had also been following the exchange, squeezed thru and stood beside him with a smirk. “Yeah, we got it covered, man.”
David looked like he was about to say something else, but upon seeing Kieran, changed his mind. Apparently the guy had some brains after all. “Maybe another time,” the delivery guy muttered before the two of them glanced once again at Kieran and made their exit. Faith’s expression was a little harder to read. She looked relieved, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Thanks,” she said somewhat shyly.
Without another word, Kieran nodded, then turned on his heel and stalked back outside, fighting his own powerful urge to get close up in Faith’s personal space. Matt followed closely behind.
“That happen a lot?” Kieran asked, once he was sure they were out of earshot.
“Yeah,” Matt frowned. “Guys are hitting on my mom all the time. Most of them are pretty cool when she shuts them down, but some get kind of pushy.”
“Turns down a lot, does she?” he asked casually.
“No,” Matt said with a grin. “She turns down them all,” he clarified.
Kieran’s dark mood took a definite upswing.
*
“I think we’re in the way,” Lacie observed as Shane, Kieran, and Matt progressed through the house, patching and fixing as they went. She pulled off her cleaning gloves. “I’m ready for a break anyway. How about we head into town for a bit? You said you needed some supplies, right?”
Faith pulled off her gloves, too, and wiped the back of her hand over her sweaty forehead. Everything about her felt grimy. “I do, but I can’t go looking like this.”
Lacie regarded her. “This is Pine Ridge, not Paris,” she chuckled. “Although I think I could make good use of a wet washcloth and a hairbrush.”
With some gentle prodding, Lacie persuaded Faith to accompany her into town, if for no other reason than to have something to offer her hard-working guests. She was from the South, after all, and Southern hospitality was more than just a catch-phrase; it was a part of her heritage.
“What about Matt? Maybe he should come too.”
Lacie looked doubtfully over to where the three men were working. “Guys, Faith and I are going to head into town for supplies.” She received a few grunts in return and laughed.
“Matt, you want to come with?” Faith called out.
Matt shot her a suitably horrified glance. Kieran paused what he was doing long enough to turn around. “Matt’s a great help here if you can spare him.”
Faith was pretty sure Kieran Callaghan officially became her son’s hero in that moment. While he dutifully helped her when necessary, one of Matt’s least favorite things to do was shopping. So much so, in fact, that she occasionally threatened it as a punishment when he was being particularly surly. The only thing that was more effective was taking his phone away for a few days, but she hated doing that in case he needed to get in touch with her.
“They’ll be fine,” Lacie assured her as they made their way out to the car. “Matt couldn’t be safer with those two.”
For whatever reason, Faith believed her. She liked Lacie, a lot. And every instinct she had said the brothers were good, decent men. She took a deep breath to settle her maternal nerves and changed the subject. “So you and Shane are engaged?”
“Yeah,” Lacie said, positively glowing with happiness. “We’re getting married in August.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. I can’t wait!” Lacie got a particularly bright look on her face. “Hey! You could come! I’ll send an invitation to you and Matt.”
Inwardly, Faith grimaced. She liked Lacie. The two had hit it off immediately, and that was something very rare; Faith didn’t usually feel as naturally drawn to someone as she was to Lacie. In some ways, she felt a kindred spirit in the mild-mannered Kindergarten teacher. But weddings meant dressing up and buying gifts, and she couldn’t afford either of those things right now. She mentally searched her limited wardrobe in vain for something even remotely suitable to wear and came up empty.
“It’s going to be very small and informal,” Lacie went on, then caught herself and laughed. “Though I guess when the Callaghans are involved, nothing can ever truly be considered small.”