Samantha Hunter - Hers for the Holidays

“I want to help,” he said easily. “I know you need someone who can work on this place so you can sell it.”

She turned to look at him sharply. “And how do you know—ah, right, you were following me today.” He would have seen all of her failed attempts to find contractors to hire.

“If you want to unload this place, it needs some fixing up. I can help with that.”

She frowned, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Are you serious?”

“I am. If you want to pay for materials, the labor is free. No strings. And in case anything else happens, I’m close by.”

“That’s all?”

He stepped in closer. “I don’t know. Maybe we could stay open to anything else? No pressure and no expectations. But we’re good together.”

“No strings?”

“Nope.” He shook his head resolutely. “No rules, no commitments—except for being friends,” he said, reaching to push some hair back behind her ear. “That would be nice for when we both have to go back to Philly.”

Lydia chewed her lip, considering. She needed to unload this place, and the house needed work. He was the solution to her problem. It surprised her, really, how much she wanted to agree. And if he meant it, if it was just to help out, to be a friend, then maybe it could work.

“What happens when we go back to Philly?”

He shrugged. “We’ll be friends. We’ll go back to our lives, I guess. See each other when our paths cross.”

“What are you going to tell Tessa?”

“I’ll tell her I found you, you’re fine, and I’m stuck out here in the weather for a few days. The rest is yours to tell. Or not.”

Lydia felt enormous relief that he wasn’t going to tell Tessa about what he knew. If letting him stay here and help would prevent him from revealing her secrets to her friend, and help her get the house in shape, she’d be an idiot not to agree—and Lydia wasn’t an idiot.

It was an enormous temptation, as well, to give in to his other offer, but that could be risky—maybe even more so if he meant it, the no-strings bit. She wasn’t sure anymore if she could do that. Not when it came to Ely, and with her life so upside down.

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