Free Till There Was You by Lilliana Anderson, Wade Anderson Page B

place before she jacked up the truck.
    One thing her father had insisted when she learned to drive was she also learned to change a tire. He’d always said no daughter of his was going to get stranded on the side of the road waiting for someone to come help her. Lily thought about her father fondly as she worked, knowing he was the reason she felt so strong and independent. He’d always told her she could do anything she put her mind to. Her heart ached from missing him.
    As she pushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen in her eye, she thought this was one instance when she wouldn’t mind a man in her life to do the heavy lifting. Changing dirty tires sucked.
    Her mood didn’t improve once she’d finished with the tire and returned to the truck. Her cold wet foot saw to that. Pulling off the boot, she poured out the excess water and wrung out her sock as best she could, wishing she kept spares in the glove compartment for moments such as these.
    She reached the front gate to Linc’s place a little later and blasted the horn to get his attention. Expecting him to come out the front door, she was surprised to see him walk down the side of the house carrying some rope.
    Watching as he moved, Lily couldn’t help but admire his build as he slowly made his way over. The anticipation of talking to him sent her heart beating a rapid tap, tap in her chest. She felt ridiculous. She barely knew the guy, but at the same time, she felt she knew him better than anyone. It was a strange feeling, and she was just about to smile at him when he stopped short, standing at the gate without making any sign of opening it for her.
    He raised his hands in query as she continued to sit there, now glaring at him through the windshield.
    “What are you doing?” Lily asked after she rolled the window down. 
    “I could ask you the same thing,” he shot straight back at her.
    “I asked you first.” It was a standoff Lily was not prepared to lose. How did this happen? She came here with the intention of being kind, and the moment he opened his mouth, they were caught in a standoff.
    “I’m busy, so if you’re just here to ask pointless questions, I’d rather not hang around.” The last part was delivered over his shoulder as he walked away.
    Frustrated and annoyed, Lily got out of the truck, making sure no more puddles were lying in wait before making her way through the gate to follow him up the side of the house.
    Lily stopped dead in her tracks as she rounded the corner. Disbelief warred with exasperation at what she saw. He was building a goddamn sled.
    Linc looked up at her with a blank expression that set Lily’s mind and heart racing, not with warm feelings, but heat.
    “Are you serious? This is getting ridiculous. Get in the truck, Linc,” Lily ordered, her tone making it clear she was not asking, nor cared about any response he could make that wasn’t what she wanted.
    It was the look of incomprehension on his face that softened her stance a little—his brow furrowed as his dark eyes stormed with confusion.
    “What are you doing?” he demanded.
    “I’m trying to help you.”
    Shaking his head, he pressed his lips together as he looked from her to the sled, twisting a ratchet around in his hands. The clicking sound filled the air as if it were the thinking tick of a game show and stopped when he looked at her again.
    “I don’t want your help.”
    Linc leaned down and used the ratchet to tighten a bolt in the sled’s design, his head bowed dismissively.
    “Why do you hate me?” Lily asked, her voice quiet as she struggled to understand why this man was so intent on spurning any sort of kindness shown to him.
    “I don’t hate you.” He glanced up at her, that stormy confusion still swirling in his eyes.
    “Then what’s your problem?”
    Moving around the sled, Linc tightened another bolt. “I’ve seen you around town,” he started, continuing to work on his creation. “I’ve seen you—maybe even