Sunlight on Cedar Creek, page 2
“You too.” She exhaled then hoped her relief hadn’t been too obvious to him. When enough moments had passed to be subtle about it, she surreptitiously slipped her hand behind her and wiped her moist palm on her jeans.
“So, you’re home for a visit?”
“Not exactly. I’ve moved back, actually.” Aunt Minnie must not have told him.
He appeared genuinely interested. “From New York? That’s quite a change.”
“Yes, it is. But this is home. I feel safe and comfortable here.” Safe and comfortable? That sounds weirdly revealing.
Tyler barely moved, but Zoey saw in his eyes that her poor choice of words hadn’t escaped his notice.
As though picking up on her discomfort, he attempted to make her words sound normal. “This town has that effect, don’t you think? I mean, I’m not even from here, but I feel the same way. It’s like the hometown you wish you’d come from.”
That was exactly how she felt about Cedar Creek. Aside from a couple of unpleasant high school incidents, she loved it there and had from the start. For a moment, curiosity overcame her social anxiety, and she peered into his steady gaze. The warmth in his eyes was the sort one might get from a friend.
Her anxiety eased somewhat. She couldn’t explain why, but he made her feel like he saw her worry yet didn’t mind it at all. It was almost as if she could be herself with him. She chided herself again. That was wishful thinking on her part. She was attracted to him. That was all this nonsense was about.
Zoey exhaled. “Yeah, Cedar Creek’s great.” Yeah, great. Well, Zoey, aren’t you fascinating? There it was again—that anxious feeling.
He nodded. A long pause followed. “Well, you must have work to do. Don’t let me keep you.” He flashed a warm smile and turned to lay out a drop cloth.
Zoey’s eyebrows drew together. Hey, wait a minute. Did he just give me the bum’s rush? In my aunt’s theater?
Aunt Minnie’s voice rang out and filled Zoey with relief. “Tyler! How are you?”
He looked up, walked over to her aunt, then gave her a warm hug.
Those two seem awfully chummy.
Zoey went to the concession counter and crouched down to tidy the shelves. They were chatting like old friends. The weather. Hiking trails? Apparently, Aunt Minnie knew some spots from back in the day. Zoey wasn’t even sure how they got onto books.
Tyler said, “Yeah, I’m about tenth on the library wait list for that one.”
“Oh, I just finished it,” her aunt said. “I’ll bring you my copy tomorrow.”
“Thanks!”
They had a chatty tête-à-tête over the to-do list Tyler pulled from his pocket. He glanced up the curved stairway at the stained walls and chipped plaster. “Well, I’d better get to work on this.”
Zoey arched an eyebrow. Despite his apparent affinity for tools, she hadn’t gotten a repairman vibe from him at all. His hands were too smooth and his nails too even. She’d noticed when he set down his coffee a few minutes before. Those were the hands of a guy with a desk job. Or maybe he just had some incredible work gloves.
The more pressing question was how Aunt Minnie was going to pay for his work. Zoey hadn’t looked at the books lately, but there had never been money for extras. There was barely enough for needed repairs like overflowing toilets or shorted electrical circuits. Zoey had already decided to pick up some repair skills of her own. The nearby community college taught continuing education classes, and the hardware store sometimes offered how-to workshops. But once Tyler started setting up, it was clear that Zoey’s future skills were no match for him and his toolbox. He seemed to know what he was doing.
That sort of knowledge cost money. Zoey adored her aunt, but the woman was a dreamer. Her rich imagination had served her well for envisioning multiple income generators for the theater, but it might not prove as effective for her checkbook. Zoey felt she had to intervene.
As her aunt headed back to her office, Zoey pulled her aside. She whispered, “Let me save you some money. I’ve looked up some DIY classes. There’s a lot I could do around here so you won’t have to use people like him.” She cast a sideways glance at Tyler, who was drilling holes in the plaster across the lobby.
Her aunt’s face lit up. “Good! With the three of us working, we’ll have the place spruced up in no time.”
“I meant—”
Aunt Minnie called out. “Tyler! Meet your new apprentice.”
“What? No—”
Aunt Minnie hooked her arm and led her to Tyler. “She’s a hard worker.”
That’s not what I meant. Zoey tried to think of a graceful way to get out of it.
Tyler grinned, no doubt amused by Zoey’s panicked expression. “Good. Grab that vacuum, and let’s get to work.”
Still confused, Zoey glanced at her aunt then bent down to pick up the vacuum hose.
Aunt Minnie waved. “You two have fun. I’ve got some paperwork to do.”
Before she could ask why, Tyler started to drill. Zoey heaved a sigh and followed him, vacuuming the holes as instructed. Then he instructed her to spray two squirts from a spray bottle into the holes.
This time, she was quick to ask, “Why?”
He looked up from his toolbox. “Because.”
That’s sound logic.
Next was caulking and screwing plastic disks into the wall. Tyler seemed to know what he was doing. Zoey wanted to ask what it was and why, but since Tyler was on the clock, each question would only cost Aunt Minnie more. Zoey resolved to spend some time watching online videos later. She would figure it out. After all, the theater had an endless supply of cracked plaster to fix. She would be ready to work solo in no time.
In the meantime, there was the matter of the handyman. The theater was a gold mine for him. He could put six children through college with the work the place needed. Does he have children? A wife? Girlfriend? Possessive stalker?
She refocused. “Look, Tyler, I know I must look like… whatever I look like.” Timid? Socially awkward? “But Aunt Minnie means everything to me. I know how you tradesmen are. I get it. You’re just making a living. But it comes at a cost.” She glanced toward the office. The next part was hard to get out. “Whatever it is, it’s too much.”
She couldn’t get a good read on his expression, so she made it clearer. “We can’t afford you.”
No matter how attractive you are with your tousled, arrow-straight dark hair and strong shoulders. She started daydreaming about the feeling of those arms of his on a cold winter’s night. Or summer’s. All the seasons, really. And this is what being alone for years does to you. But it’s okay. It’s only in your mind.
“What?” He looked stunned.
She expected that reaction. Guilt, maybe. That would have made sense. Or, giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming he had no idea her aunt couldn’t afford it, he might feel indignant. Her heart sank. Her moment of courage had passed. It wasn’t guilt. He was clearly offended.
He set his caulk gun down and turned with a look that bored through her. “I’m just helping out. I’ve got some time, and your aunt could use a hand.”
She pressed on. “Doesn’t matter. Union, nonunion—she still can’t afford you.”
“Oh, I think she can afford free.”
Free?
Ignoring Zoey’s disbelief, he returned to drilling holes. “Now, back to work. Daylight’s burning, and I charge time-and-a-half for overtime.”
“But… right.” She studied him. “Why?”
“I was kidding about the overtime. That would be zero.”
She shook her head. “I mean, why are you doing this?”
“Do you really need to ask? Look around. There’s enough work here for a large crew.”
“But why you?”
He seemed taken aback. “Why not me? She needs help. I can help her.” He shrugged as if it were perfectly logical.
He had to have some sort of angle. She couldn’t think of one at the moment, so she said, “Thank you.” That sounded weaker than she’d intended, but she was still deciding whether to take his kindness at face value.
She added, “I’m sorry if I misjudged you.” If. Which is not to say that I did—only that it’s possible.
With a sideways glance and a shrug, Tyler got back to work.
Two hours later, Aunt Minnie appeared. “There are sandwiches in my office if anyone’s hungry.”
Tyler called out, “I’ll be there in a minute.” Turning to Zoey, he said, “Go ahead. I just want to get the rest of the plaster on this section of wall.”
“Okay.” Zoey wiped her hands on a shop towel and left.
Aunt Minnie was setting the conference table in her office for lunch when Zoey arrived.
“Tyler’s on his way. He had to put some finishing touches on the plaster.”
“Oh, good.”
While they unwrapped Aunt Minnie’s homemade sandwiches and poured drinks, Minnie said, “Tyler’s nice, isn’t he?” She raised an eyebrow. “And single.”
Ignoring the last bit, Zoey proceeded with caution. “Well, considering the fact that I’ve only just met him, he seems nice enough.”
“Nice enough to help around here for free.”
Zoey finished putting napkins next to the plates and sat down. “Yeah, I was wondering about that. People don’t just do things for free. There’s always an angle.”
Aunt Minnie raised her eyebrows. “You’re awfully young to be so cynical.”
Not wanting to stir up a debate, Zoey said, “I guess life in the city has gotten to me.”
Tyler walked in. “Life in the city gets to some people.”
Zoey bristled. After spending a morning with Tyler, she was feeling slightly more comfortable with him—enough so to say, “Don’t make assumptions. You’ve only just met me.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What made you think I was talking about you?”
That caught Zoey off guard. “Well, because I’m the one who said it.”
Aunt Minnie watched them like a tennis spectator at Wimbledon.
Tyler scratched the back of his neck. “Actually, I was thinking about my time in the city.”
“Oh.” Zoey felt like she ought to say more, but she drew a blank.
An awkward moment passed before Minnie cheerily said, “Why don’t we sit down?”
Tyler appeared to shed any tension he felt from the exchange and took a seat. “Minnie, if you keep feeding me like this, I might keep coming back ’til you run out of repairs.”
Aunt Minnie laughed. “We’re a few lunches away from that point.”
Zoey was halfway through her sandwich before she mustered the courage to speak. “So, Tyler…”
He turned a steady gaze on her.
She didn’t think he meant anything by it. He just had such piercing blue eyes. But the damage was done. She was flustered. “So, well, I just wondered…”
Her aunt gave her that familiar look of concerned encouragement.
“What brings you to Cedar Creek?” Zoey exhaled, thankful she’d gotten something coherent out.
“I came up from the city, like you. But my first visit was just for the weekend. There’s a bike shop here that does mountain bike tours.”
Aunt Minnie said, “Oh, I didn’t know you were a cyclist.”
Tylor chuckled. “I’m not. A friend of mine is, and he dragged me along. I had a good time, but it wasn’t really my thing. But Cedar Creek was. I kept dreaming about living here, then I just made it happen. What about you, Minnie?”
“Me? I’ve always loved Cedar Creek.”
“No, I meant biking. Mountain or road bike?”
That drew a laugh from Aunt Minnie. “Even in my young and fit days, I was more of a ballet kind of girl.”
He lifted his eyebrows and nodded, impressed. “I can see it—you all covered in feathers, dancing gracefully across a large wooden stage.”
Aunt Minnie’s eyes twinkled. “I would have made a better lake than a swan. But I loved taking classes. I’ll have you know, my teacher said I had an excellent turnout.”
Tyler winked. “I’ll bet you did.”
Zoey leaned back in her chair and observed. What the heck? He is shamelessly charming my aunt!
“What about you, Zoey?” He peered at her.
“What?” He had a way of always catching her off guard.
“Do you like to ride bikes?”
She thought she detected a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Yeah, my trike’s parked out back.”
His mouth spread to a broad grin before stuffing the rest of the sandwich into it. Between bites, he said, “No, really.”
“I’m a highly experienced walker. I’ve been doing it since I was one.”
The corners of his mouth twitched, but he didn’t crack a smile. “Really? Me too.”
He was up to something, but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of falling into his trap—until he turned to her, looking entirely sincere, and said, “We should go walking sometime.”
What is this, some nineteenth-century ritual like courting or something? Because that would be crazy. She was too stunned to speak.
Tyler’s eyes darted about then he cast a questioning look at Aunt Minnie. She nodded slightly, urging him to continue.
They’re working together? Zoey’s anxiety spiked again when, with no warning, her aunt stood, made an excuse about having to go make a phone call, and left.
“Don’t tell me—you just gave up walking.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I walked here from the coffee shop, didn’t I?”
His eyebrows drew together. “Yes… but I just thought you might know of some good hiking trails around here.”
“I’m not much of a hiker.” Zoey was making things worse. She knew that. She was so well practiced, it was almost reflexive. He was asking her out, sort of. It wasn’t dinner, but it was going somewhere together, which felt very datelike. He was smooth—asking her out as friends with no expectations. Then, if she passed, he might ask her out again. If not, no harm, no foul.
Zoey got it. She had dated enough. That was what held her back now. She had nothing against Tyler—quite the opposite. But her anxiety was always worse in social settings, and there was no more heightened social setting than a date. She wasn’t about to put herself through the angst of all the developmental stages of a relationship when there was no point.
Zoey had ruined every relationship she’d ever had—not that there were that many. In the past, it’d felt more accidental. For the few that lasted, they eventually wanted some sort of commitment, and she couldn’t bring herself to give it to them. It wasn’t a conscious decision. There was just something inside her that couldn’t go that extra step. Couldn’t let go. After a while, it was easier not to bother. It would only end in discomfort, disappointment, or sometimes even tears—and maybe not just hers.
Dating in general pained her. Memories flashed through her mind. There had been the first dates that had also been the last. The worst one had been with a guy she was crazy about. He was so handsome, and he really seemed to like her. She got into his car and folded her arms. He asked if she was cold. She wasn’t. She was just nervous. Things relaxed over dinner. Once she got used to people, she sometimes could talk. There were stretches where she felt like herself. He was so smart, successful, and interesting—the kind of guy she could’ve fallen in love with. At the end of the evening, he walked her to her door and asked if he could kiss her. The anxiety hit her like a big-wave surfer’s wipeout. There was too much emotion. She couldn’t handle it. She didn’t want to lose it in front of him. So she’d simply said no.
He’d never asked her out again. Maybe if she’d explained that she just needed time, he might have understood. But she never gave him the chance.
There was one guy she had actually said yes to. Correct answer. His kiss did not disappoint. They were together for a couple of weeks. Then one morning, she woke up. He was gone. No note. No parting text. Just gone—with her last bagel.
When she’d stopped crying, she wondered if there might be some explanation. Maybe he’d come to the city for work and the job had ended. He’d gone home to his wife. Zoey preferred to imagine he’d been hit by a car on the way to the Empire State Building. Or anywhere. Then she felt guilty and imagined him making a complete recovery in the hospital with his dutiful wife by his side. She’d just flown in from Peoria. She was missing a tooth.
Tyler studied her as she ruminated. “Not a hiker. Okay.” He smiled, but it was forced. “Well, I guess we’d better get back to work.”
Zoey pushed back her chair and rose from the table. “I got this.”
While she cleared the plates, Tyler walked out. “See you back at the wall.”
3
Not even the shrill buzz of the drill could drown out Tyler’s thoughts. Zoey Beckett had just shot him down worse than any woman he’d ever asked out. He considered himself to be fairly perceptive. If he’d have picked up any nonverbal cues that said, Leave me alone, he wouldn’t have asked her out in the first place. And he still thought hiking and walking were pretty innocent activities. It wasn’t as if he’d asked her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant where the pressure was on to dress up and be on her party manners.
Tyler glanced down at Zoey, who was engrossed in inserting adhesive into the holes he’d just drilled. He wished he could figure her out, but he couldn’t infer much from his view of the top of her head. She was task oriented, diligent, and she didn’t like him. Simple as that. But he liked her.
For the rest of the afternoon, the two plastered in relative silence. They even fell into a sort of rhythm. They worked well together, which seemed odd under the circumstances. By the end of the day, Tyler packed up and convinced himself that the minor bump in the road at lunch would be forgotten—by Zoey, at least.
Tyler brushed the debris off his hands and grinned at Aunt Minnie. “See you tomorrow.” He cast a quick glance at Zoey and lifted his chin. It was almost a nod but with no eye contact. He left.
Tyler drove down the private dirt road that led to his cabin. He owned enough of the land from the main road back that he wouldn’t have to see another human from his cabin or the creek that cut through his property. He liked it that way. As he stepped down from his truck, the tension left his shoulders.
