away.
Gorgeous. Smart. And…glaring at him?
Hayley didn’t understand why he wasn’t what those kids needed, and he didn’t expect her to. He didn’t want to get into it, though, and since they both knew his knee was just fine, there was nothing slowing him down when he walked toward her.
“I want to show you something.” He grabbed Hayley’s hand and led her down the hall.
“Jackson,” she began.
“It took me most of the day and maybe it’s too much, but…” He deliberately trailed off, wanting her to make her own decision. “I think it really adds to the room. The corners were tricky.”
Hayley gazed around. “You finished the room.” She crossed to touch the detailed crown molding he’d added in place of the older, outdated trim around the doors and walls. “It looks great.”
He tried to ignore that she sounded more upset than impressed, and held up his hands. “Gave myself quite a few splinters and screwed up a couple times getting the angles right.” More than a couple times, actually. “I’m thinking the kitchen would look great with the same molding. Hallway too.”
She held up a hand. “Stop.”
“Hayley?”
“What are you doing?”
Confused, he shook his head. “I thought I was helping you out.” And helping himself out at the same time. He’d forgotten how much he loved working with his hands, whether he was holding a hockey stick or a hammer.
Sadness blinked across her face so fast he might have imagined it. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“You don’t like the molding?” he guessed, but wasn’t sure why it would bother her that much. He’d been convinced while buying the supplies that she’d love what it added to the house.
“I am not a rookie puck bunny.”
Where the hell did that come from? “Right,” he answered carefully. The conversation had just taken a complete hundred and eighty degree turn, and somehow he knew it was damn important that he get back on the same page as Hayley. “Who called you that?”
“Doesn’t matter.” She rubbed at her eye. “I’m just tired and my head hurts.” She started out of the room and then spun back around. “You can’t just waltz into town, cause trouble and then smooth things over with a few repairs.”
“I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing.”
“You wouldn’t. You’re not worried about what happens when you get your coaching job and go back to your normal life.”
Normal had gone flying out the window when he’d struck the barricade and flipped his car.
“Those kids just want a few minutes of your time. Gramps just wants someone to help him remember what it’s like not to be sick. Matt just wants his friend back so he doesn’t have only his sister to vent to about his dating life being in the crapper while he tries to figure out how to run two businesses.”
He processed that all in stride, filing every word of it away for later, and took a step toward her. “And what do you want, Hayley?”
The question seemed to take her by surprise, but her answer came easily. “I don’t want to get in over my head.”
Chapter Eleven
“In over your head,” Jackson repeated slowly.
It was a stupid thing to say, and Hayley regretted it the moment the words left her lips. It would only lead to more questions, questions she didn’t even have answers to.
Jackson waited, his expression calm, but his eyes determined to figure something out. They’d both be better off if he turned around and went back to work and she…
She let out a breath, unsure of what the hell she was supposed to be doing. She’d put the robberies completely out of her head after this morning, focusing on cases she could make headway with.
The renovations had become a way for her to wind down, and since Jackson had those under control, she didn’t know what to do with herself. She’d already stopped by to see Gramps on the way home from work, not really anticipating Jackson being here when she got home.
She should have known better. What she couldn’t wrap her mind around, though, was why he continued to come back. He wasn’t gaining anything from the renovations, and she’d done enough damage, accidentally or not, that he shouldn’t even want to be anywhere near her. He could be with Josh or hanging out at Stone’s with Matt.
“Are you hiding out here?”
Jackson cocked his head. “Not following you.”
“I cuffed you, tased you. Hell, I pulled you out of a freaking tree.” All of that couldn’t