“Don’t,” the man in question says.
“It needs to be done before I have to go get the kids,” I mutter, taking a step back from the heavy cabinet.
“And I said I’ll get someone else to help with it.”
“I’m strong,” I mutter, although I know my limitations.
Ezra opted to hire a moving team to get all my stuff in here because he wasn’t willing to exert the physical energy for it to get done. He paid, and I just added it to the growing list of moneys I’d have to repay him. After the shit my brother just pulled, I plan to burn that list and act ignorant if he asks about it. He’s left me in a total bind, one that is forcing me to move my kids in with a complete stranger in an effort to keep us from ending up homeless.
“I know you’re strong,” he says in a way that makes me think he’s speaking of more than just physical strength. “But I can get one of the guys to help.”
My face flushes at the idea of one of his friends from the office coming here to help him move my things. What do they think of me? It can’t be good after the way I acted yesterday. What in the world was I thinking, showing up with a fake bomb and threatening to kill everyone in the room? I’m lucky I didn’t get arrested. Surely it has to be a crime to do something like that even if the bomb is fake.
My mouth waters thinking about the Lifesavers still in my purse. I could eat my weight in those damn things.
“What are you thinking about right now?”
“What?” I ask, snapping my eyes back to his.
“You’re grinning. What are you thinking about?”
“Lifesavers,” I answer honestly. The man works out more than I do, and you don’t get the kinds of muscles he has by giving in to temptation very often. He has to know exactly what it’s like to lust after unhealthy stuff he knows he shouldn’t have.
“I’m not a lifesaver, Kendall. I’m correcting a mistake.”
I scrunch my nose. “I’m not calling you a lifesaver. You created this mistake. As far as I’m concerned, moving in with you is your penance for the trouble you caused. I was thinking about Lifesavers, the candy.”
His grin only widens instead of him looking a little pissed like I expected.
“Like a little sweet in your mouth, huh?”
“Are you really flirting with me right now?”
His smile drops.
“You lost your right to flirt with me when you got me evicted.”
“I didn’t know it was you. I don’t know how many times I have to say it.”
“So that makes it okay that you would call and complain about any other single mother?”
He shakes his head, but the man is smart because he doesn’t argue further.
“You’re like a tattle-telling child, Finnegan Jenkins, running to the teacher when he doesn’t get his way.”
He steps around the dresser I was planning to help him move, getting close enough that I can smell the scent of his soap mixed with clean sweat. It’s not a terrible smell at all. Honestly, it’s a little addictive, but I have better control over myself than to step closer and breathe in deeply.
“I didn’t know what was going on over here. I just wanted my serenity back.”
“Well, you won’t be getting that anytime soon, but I will suggest leaving early and staying out late to avoid my kids. You couldn’t get away from Knox fast enough last night.”
He shakes his head, taking a step back. “I wasn’t avoiding your son. I was trying to keep him from asking questions. You know what? Never mind. I’m going to grab some water and call one of the guys.”
He walks out of the room without a backward glance. I won’t feel guilty. I won’t back out. I have just over twenty-four hours left to clear this condo. I can’t pack my kids up and go to a hotel. That would be a temporary solution and using my money that way will only put me further behind in buying our forever home. Nightly hotel rates would drain my account faster than I could fill it.
Believe me, I stayed awake nearly all night last night working through scenarios on how I could avoid moving in with Finnegan. I was strategic, leaving emotion out of the entire thing, and I came up empty. I have no other family, and after what Ezra just recently pulled, I don’t know that I’d even call him family at this point. I lost friends along the way, parenting getting in the way of having fun. The friends I did have before aren’t the type to open their homes to a family of four.
That left Finnegan. It was only temporary, and I’d do anything for my kids. So, here I am, halfway moved out of my brother’s condo.