“Oh, well, yeah,” he grinned mischievously. “There’s that, of course.”
Faith looked up but saw the teasing in his eyes and bit back a smile. It was impossible not to like Kieran. He had this force about him that just drew her in, made her want to lose herself in it and absorb it all in. No wonder so many hopeful females had set their sights on him. Whoever captured Kieran’s heart would be a lucky woman, indeed. The thought shouldn’t have been as depressing as it was.
“But it benefits us, too,” he added. “Matt’s a responsible, hard-working kid with a good head on his shoulders. They’re not that easy to find these days.”
“I can understand why you want him to do yard work and stuff,” she said, subconsciously biting her lip. “But what about the classes?”
Kieran shrugged. “The kid’s a natural, lots of potential. With a little direction and self-discipline, he can be amazing.” Faith’s eyes glowed with pride. “Plus he’s going to make me look good. Other kids see him, what he can do, and I’ll have them lining up to join. Gets them away from their computers and keeps them off the streets, plus it’s good for business.”
Faith saw the masses of people at the open house and didn’t think he was having any kind of trouble getting business, but she understood what he was saying. Still, she hesitated.
“How about we give it a trial period?” he prompted. “One month. If anyone’s not completely satisfied with the situation – for any reason – we chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.”
One month. That would put them halfway through the summer. Four weeks where she wouldn’t constantly be worrying about where Matt was or what he was doing while she was at work.
Not that Matt was a bad kid, but he was a teenage boy. It wasn’t in his nature to sit around idly all day and twiddle his thumbs. He would definitely benefit from an outlet for all his youthful energy. And if he earned a little pocket money in the process? It might be a good motivator, a real-world way to enforce the lessons of responsibility she was forever bombarding him with in voice and deeds.
“Okay,” she agreed, making her decision. “One month.”
From inside the house, she heard Matt’s excited whoop and laughed.
*
Kieran wasn’t quite sure what came over him in that moment. Maybe it was the sound of her heartfelt, genuine laugh. Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled when they lit up. Whatever the reason, Kieran impulsively stepped forward and brushed a kiss across Faith’s cheek.
It only lasted a moment; a split-second at most. A friendly, purely chaste kiss as kisses went. But it was enough to nearly bring him to his knees. That excruciatingly brief contact was more than enough for each of his highly acute senses to process it. From the unbelievable softness of her skin to the light, clean, natural fragrance that simmered beneath the lingering aromas of paint and wood soap. Nor was it possible for him to ignore the soft feminine murmur of surprise.
“Thanks, Faith,” he said softly, forcing himself to walk away before he did something else. But nothing could stop him from glancing back and seeing her silhouetted against the inside lights, her hand poised at her cheek where his lips had touched her.
Chapter Eight
The few doubts Faith had about the situation faded a little more with each passing day. It didn’t take long for them to settle into a comfortable routine. She left for work early in the morning. Kieran, or sometimes Shane, would drive out to the cottage to pick up Matt and take him to whatever properties required attention that day. Matt learned a lot about the area that way. Both brothers seemed pleased with the quality of Matt’s work as well, increasing his responsibilities as he proved himself.
After the day’s jobs were complete, Matt would go to BodyWorks, where he and Kieran would grab some lunch and Matt could shower and change. Kieran would spend some time teaching Matt the basics and then would leave him to practice or spar with some of the other instructors while he attended to business.
Faith would pick him up from there on her way home. Each night, over dinner or while working on the house, Matt would recount the highlights of his day to her: where he’d gone, what he’d done. She’d never seen her son happier; he was adjusting well, and the smile on his face at the end of each day went a long way in reassuring her that she’d made the right decision.