Free Mister Fixit (Love in New York #3) by Elle Casey

I’d have to offer him a slice of pepperoni pizza.
    I keep chewing my slice, hoping if I’m quiet enough, he’ll give up and go away.
    I should have known better, though. He comes around the corner and looks startled when he sees me. Then he smiles. “Hey there. I wasn’t sure if you were home or not.”
    “So you just decided to walk in.” I keep chewing, even though my food tastes like cardboard now.
    “Thought you could use some help. I came dressed to work.” He looks down at his flannel and jeans. Even his work boots look like they’ve seen some action. I hate that he’s better at this than I am.
    “No thanks. I’m all set.”
    His gaze drops to the counter where I have all the estimates lined up. All told, I have two roofing estimates, two plumbing ones, three willing electricians, and one landscape guy.
    “Wow, you’ve been busy. Day two, and you already have all these estimates? Good for you.”
    I want to throw my soda in his face, but I steady my hand in my pocket instead where it can’t do any harm. Rationally I know he’s just trying to be nice; but I don’t want him to pretend to be something he’s really, really not.
    He walks over to get a better look at my paperwork. “Oh, ouch. That one hurts.” He points to my first roofing estimate, fifty percent higher than the second one I received just an hour ago from a guy who actually went up into the attic.
    I don’t say anything in response. Maybe he’ll get the hint and leave if I don’t engage in any conversation at all.
    “I know this company,” he says, pointing to the hot plumber. “They have a great reputation.”
    I think about the email I got from that guy on my phone just an hour ago. He offered to go over the estimate at dinner. I considered it an offer for a date, not a plumbing job, and I wasn’t really interested until I just found out that Robinson knows of him.
    “The owner asked me out,” I say, hoping it’ll make Robinson mad. Maybe Leah’s right. Maybe he was harboring a secret crush on me. I almost wish it were true, just so this admission of mine will make him regret something for once.
    Robinson shrugs. “I don’t know him personally.” He looks up. “He a nice guy?”
    I shrug too. If he can play it cool, so can I. “Don’t know. Just met him. Seems nice enough. Very good-looking.”
    Robinson’s gaze flickers and then he’s looking at the estimates again. “So your plan is to open this space up, I take it.” He points to something on the plumbing papers. “He’s going to re-route all those pipes.” His thumb jabs over his shoulder at the wall I ruined. In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea to do that without first having a plan. The plumber, Jake, was kind enough to point this out without making me seem like a complete idiot.
    “Yep.” I close the pizza box and wipe my hands off on a paper towel. “Listen, I was about to get back to work, so if you don’t mind…”
    Robinson is back to looking at me and smiling. “Sure. No problem. Where do you want to start?”
    “I don’t need your help.” I grit my teeth together in an effort to hold onto my temper.
    “Sure you do. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”
    “I’m not stubborn, Robinson. I’m actually very flexible and willing to do whatever needs to be done, especially when the shit is hitting the fan and everyone else is falling apart. But you know that about me already, don’t you? You don’t need me to tell you that.”
    “How about if I install your new front door lock and handle?”
    I left the hardware on the floor in the foyer, intending to watch some videos online to teach myself how to do it.
    “That’s on my list for tomorrow,” I inform him, glancing down at the list from hell that’s now onto its third page.
    “Great,” he says, moving into the other room. “We’ll be ahead of schedule, then.”
    I sigh long and loud, but ultimately decide to leave him to his Good Samaritan work. If he thinks this will earn