“Sure thing.” I grabbed the second wood block and moved it to the back.
We lifted together; he did most of the lifting again.
Jim turned around and dug in the toolbox next to the kitchen sink. He set down a hammer on the worktable he had set up next to the bike—his message coming in loud and clear.
“You’ve known Riley long?” I asked him.
“For a few years now, ever since she moved in here.”
“You seem a little protective.” I nodded toward the hammer that had no use in his tire changing.
He grinned. “You’re not as dumb as you look.”
I chuckled, not sure what to say about the backhanded compliment. “My mom always said I was surprisingly smart.”
“My mom never said that about me,” Jim grunted.
I decided not to grace that comment with a reply. “So, you seem to like looking out for Riley.”
He shrugged and pulled out the tools he would actually be using. “She’s a good girl. So is that Wren. They’re good people. We look out for them.”
I nodded. “Has anything happened to them since they’ve been here?”
He tapped a wrench against his palm as he tried to remember. “She got in a bad car wreck a couple years back. She was driving to pick up Wren from school. Someone T-boned her in her small car. Ended up in the hospital for a few days. We all took turns visiting. Sam and Elise took care of Wren. When she came home, a lot of us kept chipping in to help her. We’ve felt like she’s been ours ever since. So, when a stranger comes in here sniffing around, you can believe we’re going to look out for her. Doesn’t matter if he’s a young guy like you, or like that annoying guy who’s always stopping by.”
I straightened up. “What guy are you talking about? Has someone been bothering her?”
“It’s the kid’s dad. Always stopping by, taking things. He stole all the blueberries off my bush last time he was here. Took a cold beer out of Sam’s cellar, too.”
Riley hadn’t mentioned anything about a man bothering her. But now I wondered if there was more to her hiding out here than I realized. Something didn’t add up. Even if she were scared of losing my family, she wouldn’t have left the way she did. Something had to have scared her into running. Besides, why would she stay in Burnside? Why would she stay in a place so close to Riverly, where my family had lived during our high school years?
“You don’t let him bother her, do you?”
“He’s harmless enough, I guess. Just a nuisance. And worthless.”
“But he keeps coming around.” I studied him as he scowled.
“Yeah, I think he likes to say hi to the kid every once in a while. Not that he’s ever helped them out. Sometimes I think he takes more from them than he helps.” He turned the screwdriver over in his hand. “I wanted to mention him to you so you could keep your eyes open. I’ve decided I like you. And I think you might do a good job of looking out for Riley and Wren. That guy...well, he’s the kind to take a dying man’s last dollar.”
He had to be part of the reason she didn’t want me here.
Jim set down the screwdriver. “If you see him coming, make sure to tie down anything you don’t want taken.”
I headed to the door. “Thanks for that. I’ll keep my eyes out for him.”
I said goodbye and hurried out of the trailer.
So, Wren’s dad was hanging around, making a nuisance of himself. I wondered if that played a part in Riley running away at all.
Had there been anything more sinister going on? I was going to have to find out.
I pulled out my phone and texted Riley.
Nate: Date tonight?
I stuck my phone in my pocket and walked down the street, past Gunrunner Gabe’s. Past Johnny’s.
My phone buzzed.
Riley: Busy tonight.
I texted her back.
Nate: Are you avoiding me?
Riley: Yes.
I was almost back to my trailer.
Nate: It’s way more fun to kiss me than avoid me.
Riley: I don’t have time for kisses.
I glanced at Riley’s trailer as I drew near. There was a lounge chair along the far end of the trailer. Riley lay face-down on it, wearing shorts and a crop top. Her eyes were glued to her phone.
I texted her back.
Nate: Baby kiss me one more time.
Riley: I’m in the middle of something right now.
I tiptoed across the pavement and leaned close to her, planting my hands on both sides of the chair.
“What are you in the middle of?” I asked quietly.
With a shriek, she rolled onto her back, staring up at me. Her sunhat rolled off the chair. I bent closer to her but didn’t touch her lips with mine.
“So, you’re too busy to kiss me?” I whispered, breathing in the smell of her perfume.
She visibly swallowed. “So...busy.”
Her eyes dropped from mine and focused on my lips that were close to hers.
“You don’t want to date me,” I stated. I dragged my index finger along the inside of her wrist, slowly tracing upward on the inside of her arm.
“No.” Her arm flexed when I reached her bicep. “I think—“
She cut off when I brought my fingers up to lightly caress her neck.
“Too much.”
“This is too much?” I whispered as I gently caught her earlobe in my hand and gently tugged.
She took a quick breath. “I have too much to do. I can’t. We don’t fit. I have to think of Wren.”
Her staccato words were out of place with the look on her face.
“So, no more kisses?” I asked as I leaned down to kiss her neck.
“Ung.”
“I couldn’t understand that,” I whispered against her skin.
A fist latched onto the back of my hair and pulled my head back up.
“You don’t fight fair,” she said right before she pressed her lips against mine.
I slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her tight against me.
“What about keeping your distance
