Kindred Spirit - Noah Harris Page 0,11

thing stayed off after seeing it shoot sparks. Levi’s fingers were long and nimble, working fast as he fiddled with the light fixture.

“So,” Jacob began, hoping he wasn’t going to get the man electrocuted. “Handyman, huh?”

“Small talk isn’t really your thing, is it?” Levi asked around the flashlight held between his lips.

Jacob leaned back. “And tact isn’t yours.”

Levi chuckled. “No, can’t say I was ever very good at it. I think that’s why they have me fixing things around here instead of talking to people.”

“And here I thought it was because you were good at fixing things.”

“Don’t have to be good, just have to have picked up a few skills along the way and be willing to let people call you all over town to do odd jobs for a few bucks.”

“Well, there goes my hopes of one day becoming a handyman. I don’t think I’m up for it.”

Levi tilted his head, winking at him. “Takes a special sort of person.”

Jacob watched him as he placed the fixture back into place and stepped down from the chair. Jacob flipped the light back on, pleased to see it flicker to life without so much as a stutter or spark.

“Let there be light,” Levi intoned, tossing his tools back in the box.

“Awesome, thank you. What do I owe you?” Jacob asked.

Levi snorted, snapping the box shut. “The owners can pay me since this is their place and not yours.”

“But I’m the one who called you,” Jacob belligerently insisted, knowing damn well that Levi was right.

Levi looked up, glancing between Jacob and the blank canvas shoved in the corner. “Well, if you want to insist, you can treat me to a burger after this.”

Jacob cocked his head, not sure how to read Levi’s almost dry delivery. The idea of a good looking guy taking the first step by asking him out was something Jacob had always wanted to experience once in his life. The problem was, he was supposed to be keeping a low profile and not trying to be with the guy he was supposed to be watching.

“Or, just forget it,” Levi said slowly, picking the box up.

Jacob shook his head. “No, no, that’s...that’s fine, I can do that. No problem. When?”

Levi watched him carefully. “Meet me at the diner at eight? Gives me time to cover some of today’s backlog and get back home.”

“No problem. Eight it is,” Jacob told him, watching him step outside into the sunlight.

Levi’s gaze swept over him, expression unreadable. “See you then.”

Jacob closed the door, unable to help but shift over so he could see through the curtained window. Levi strode across the parking lot with a slow, easy stride. Jacob wasn’t quite sure how they’d gone from brief introductions to brief banter, to an abrupt...what? Date request? Christ, was it supposed to be a date? What was he going to even wear?

And why was he acting like he hadn’t had a date in years?

Because he hadn’t.

And then Levi looked back over his shoulder, eyes lingering on Jacob’s motel door, and Jacob realized he definitely was going on a date.

“Shit,” he muttered, hoping this fell within the assignment’s parameters.

Levi

Reaching out, Levi adjusted the angle of the post the barest inch, holding it so the cement at its base could settle. Counting down in his head, he eventually let go, watching for the slightest movement. He’d never been out to the James’ two-story farmhouse before, but on his first visit, he’d determined that they needed a lot more than just the steps of the porch fixed. It had taken him almost an hour to rip the old, dangerous porch up and then begin laying down the groundwork for a new one.

So, are you going to stand there and watch cement dry?

“What else am I supposed to be doing?” Levi asked.

I don’t know. Maybe tell me what asking some stranger out for dinner was about.

Levi rolled his eyes. “The guy’s new. We both know what that’s like. If he’s going to be sticking around for a little, he could use a friendly face.”

Laura stopped by. She’s friendly.

“A little too friendly,” Levi snorted, glancing toward the windows of the farmhouse. The last thing he needed was for either of the James’ to look out and see him talking to himself. He already had a strange reputation in Gilcreek due to his loner nature, but it was offset by his willingness to take up fixing the occasional problem with what handful of skills he’d picked up over the years.

You were