Page 21 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

"Oh, Spencer"

"That black car really scared you I thought these were the few things that could make life simpler andMercy was peeking out of the bedroorinned at her

"Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?" Devon asked her And Mercy scampered back to the bedroom "Where’s Austin?" she asked

"Home I have my phone and I’a his brain cells He’ll call if he needshi us there to take hi to visit with his grandparents, cousins and friends frohborhood before school starts Oh, I also have this," he said, pulling a bottle of wine out of a big bag "Youaid Trusta lot of noise"

"I don’t think anyone will try to break in, but this is all soperfect But that phone--it must’ve cost a fortune"

"Listen, you have to have this, even if no scary black car is looking for you You have a child, a job, friendsyou live alone"

"I’ve been taking care of business from the clinic on the office phones I check in with Rawley I , but now"

He put the box in her hand "Now you should have this It’s a safety precaution I already programmed my number into the phone I’m just down the street I can be here in less than a minute"

Her eyes drifted over him and she hoped he didn’t see the attraction there

He smiled "I saw that You like me"

"Don’t think just because you buy ? It’s very practical I’ve always been a practical guy" He put down all his stuff and got out his drill and tools "I’es the oil when it’s supposed to be changed I put the toilet paper on the roll I pay the bills on the due date I think it’s the teacher in me"

Why was that so sexy, she asked herself

He knelt before her front door, getting started,"Do you have a pair of scissors? You can cut those paper shades to fit--there’s a tape measure in my toolbox Put ’em up where you need ’em most And e’re done here, you should call Rawley, let him know you have a phone now and the doors and s are reinforced Is it a little stuffy in here?"

"I was nervous about having s open, even though I haven’t been threatened or approached or anything"

"Ah I got somelocks you can adjust--you can have your s open a few inches Safely"

With her arms full of paper shades, she sat down on the couch "I talked to Mac He was very nice He’ll be looking into thatsituation But I’m not supposed to talk a lot about the detailsso to ask you anyon the door "I just wanted to do so that would help you feel safer"

She didn’t say anything to that He had voiced the thing ot the tapethe blinds to fit the biggestin the duplex She measured and cut, then Spencer said, "Before you put that up, let et the locks on that " After about forty minutes Spencer was al locks on the on the sleeping Mercy she found Spencer sitting on the couch, packing up his toolbox that sat on the floor in front of him

"You look like you just came from a workout," she said

"In a way Football practice starts in the h schoolready for the year ahead--inventory equip You’re probably going to be seeing a boatload of high school boys come in for physicals this week"

She sat down at the end of the couch "We already have a lot of appoint to Dallas tomorrow?"

"I don’t have to be at practice the first day--they’re just going to get equipment issued and paperwork passed out My assistant, the forer will handle it But first thing Tuesday rinned evilly He looked around the small rooure it out tonight"

"I hope it makes you feel led with safetyit Sometimes this need to feel safe is the bane of my life I can’t make peace with it"

"You can’t," he said "We can do everything right and shit still happens"