Time After Time (Sweetbriar Cove #14) - Melody Grace Page 0,9
gave a wry smile, starting to override the main control panel. “These high-tech systems are more trouble than they’re worth. Someone spent all their time designing how it can tell you the temperature in ten different languages, rather than, you know, actually keep the house cool.”
Aidan stood there in the doorway, watching her. “How did you wind up in this line of work?” he asked, sounding curious. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been voted ‘most likely to marry a celebrity’, not ‘future technician’.
“You mean, was I secretly rewiring control panels after cheerleading practice?” she shot back, teasing. “No, I fell into it a few years back. I got my certificate in plumbing, and the construction crews were always complaining about finding good heat and cooling guys. So, it seemed smart to get qualified in this, as well.”
“That’s… great.”
She heard the edge in his voice and gave him a sideways look. “It is, actually. Steady work, decent pay. Appreciative clients… most of the time.”
“Sorry.” Aidan at least had the decency to look chastened. “I didn’t mean to sound like a snob. It’s just not what I was expecting, that’s all. If you’d asked me fifteen years ago where I thought you’d be now—”
“It would be hosting tea parties, and getting manicures?” Stella finished for him.
“No,” Aidan shook his head. “You weren’t some airhead, you had a way of making people feel like friends. That’s a rare skill. I always figured you’d do something big, one day.”
His eyes caught hers, looking at her thoughtfully, and Stella was horrified to feel a lump forming in the back of her throat.
He was right, she had been planning to take on the world.
“Well, plans change.” Stella quickly swallowed back her emotions. “Although, clearly not for you. You were always going to be a big shot,” she said, turning back to the control panel.
“I guess so.” Aidan’s voice was quiet, and for a moment, they didn’t speak, as Stella ran a couple of programs and figured out the mess someone had made with the system.
“So, can you fix it?” Aidan asked eventually.
“I can get it working for now, but honestly? It’s going to crash on you again in a couple of days.” Stella told him. “I’ve replaced a bunch of these systems already this year. Some people just have more money than sense.”
“Myself included?” Aidan asked, but he didn’t seem annoyed, so Stella smiled.
“Maybe. I mean, you have to admit, this place isn’t the most practical home.” She looked around. “There’s more tech here than the control room at NASA.”
“What are you saying?” Aidan replied, cracking a smile. “That I don’t need a voice-activated shower, or a refrigerator that orders more groceries when they’re running low?”
“Wait, your fridge actually does that?” Stella asked in disbelief. “Now I’m jealous. I’m always out of milk.”
“Please, help yourself,” Aidan smiled back. “I grazed my hand on the shelf the other day, and I swear it already analyzed my blood for a calcium deficiency.”
Stella laughed, finally relaxing. See? This didn’t have to be awkward. She was a professional, and he was a client. Nothing weird about that. Even if there was still a massive elephant in the room that they hadn’t mentioned yet.
A huge, hot, kiss-sized elephant.
“That should do it for now,” she said, dragging her steamy thoughts back to the job at hand. “But you really need the whole thing replaced, especially since it’s running your heating system, too. If you think this sauna is bad, wait until the first snow hits, and you’re shivering in your boots,” she added. “That is, if you’re planning on staying through winter…?”
“I don’t know just yet,” Aidan replied quietly. “Maybe.”
Stella studied him, curious. Just a couple of months ago, Aidan had seemed determined to leave Cape Cod far behind. So, what had brought him back here?
Aidan didn’t elaborate, so Stella programmed in the final commands. “Well, this should keep you cool for a while, at least.” On cue, the unit began to whir, and when they stepped back into the kitchen, they were greeted by a chilled breeze.
“Thank you.” Aidan let out a sigh of clear relief. “What do I owe you?”
“Your eternal gratitude,” Stella replied lightly. “But failing that, I’ll send you the invoice.”
“How about both? You’ve definitely earned them.” Aidan smiled at her, and suddenly, Stella found herself missing the curt, defensive man he’d been earlier. Because this smile of his…
It was dangerous. Tempting. And liable to make a woman forget all her careful rules.