Chapter Text
I cast a glance at the clock as I hurried to collect the toys that were strewn across the living room. As usual I was running late and Laura’s brother was going to be here any minute. Right on cue the doorbell rang.
A quick glimpse in the mirror on my way to the door told me that my hair was in disarray and my concealer had faded revealing the dark circles under my eyes. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, this guy wouldn’t care that I and my home looked like a mess.
I was taken aback when I opened the door and was greeted by the sight of a bear of a man. He was tall, granted most people were tall compared to me, but this guy made me feel tiny. His height was amplified by the fact that he was broad and muscular, taking up almost the entire door frame. Combined with his short hair and bushy beard he looked like he belonged on the cover of a fitness magazine.
His intimidating presence was softened by his kind blue eyes and a warm smile, his deep voice gentle as he inquired, “Ms. Hill?”
Swallowing past the sudden dryness in my throat I nodded affirmatively, “Yes. Mr Syverson?”
“Call me Sy,” he said. “Laura told me you had a damaged wall that needs to be repaired?”
“Yeah, please come in.” I moved aside to let him inside. “It’s the second door on the right.”
I followed him into the room, nervously wringing my hands as he inspected the water damage on the wall. I fervently hoped that he would be able to fix it and that I would be able to afford the cost. If not I didn’t know what I would do. Must likely I would end up having to sell this place for considerably less than what I had bought it for.
“This seems to have happened quite a while ago, when did you first notice it?” he asked, his attention still on the wall as he ran his hand over that bumps and cracks in the wallpaper.
“Two weeks ago. I was going to put up new wallpaper, but when I took down the old wallpaper I noticed the discoloration and the weird texture.”
He nodded in acknowledgment as he turned to face me. “How long have you lived here?”
“Just a little over a month. The people who own the apartment next door said they had a burst pipe in the wall of their bathroom a while back which probably caused the damage,” I explained, my nervousness increasing at his grim expression.
“But since the previous owners of this place were fixin to sell they simply put up a new wallpaper over it and hoped no one would notice,” he concluded, shaking his head in agitation.
I lowered my gaze as I felt my face heat with embarrassment. I knew I had been gullible, the price for the place had been low considering the neighborhood, but since the previous owners were friends of my parents I had taken their word for it when they said the apartment had passed the home inspection.
“Have you had asbestos testing done?” he asked, his voice again taking on that gentle tone.
“Yeah, it was negative.”
“Well, the good news is that since it’s already dry, I can start as soon as you want. The bad news is that since it’s been this way for a while there might be mold. I won’t know for sure how long it will take to complete until the walls are removed, but hopefully not more than a week.”
It took me a second to comprehend that he was willing to take the job, and I could feel the anxiety begin to lose its grip on me. “Um, my schedule is pretty varied from week to week. Would you be able to come in two to three days a week?”
“Sure, no problem. I don’t mind coming in on the weekends if that works better for you.”
I bit my bottom lip nervously, knowing there was still one hurdle in the way. I felt a little embarrassed to ask, but I had to know, “How- How much will it cost?”
He tilted his head to the side and looked at me in silence for a moment, making me shift uncomfortably under his intense gaze. “Tell you what, I can give you a fixed price. 1000 for the whole job, no extra expense if the job takes longer than expected.”
The relief that swept over me was so intense I almost felt like I would either faint or throw up. All the other companies I had consulted with previously had wanted at least triple that. I knew Laura had said her brother would give me a good deal, but this was better than I could have dared to hope for. “That’s… that’s very generous of you, thank you.”
“When do you want me to start?”
I quickly attempted to mentally order my schedule for the week, trying to calculate the days I would be able to work from home. “Would Wednesday and Thursday this week work for you?”
He smiled widely, making his already handsome face look even more gorgeous. “Absolutely. Is 8 o’clock alright with you?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Alright then,” he said, gesturing for me to go first. I walked him back to the hall and opened the door for him. He nodded at me politely. “I’ll see you on Wednesday. Have a nice day ma’am.”
“You too.” I closed the door after him, letting out a relived sigh. Hopefully he would soon have the wall repaired and I’d have one less thing to worry about.
Sy arrived at 8 o’clock sharp on Wednesday morning. I was running late after dropping Amelia off at preschool and didn’t arrive home until fifteen minutes past eight. I apologized profusely for keeping him waiting, but he merely smiled at me and assured me that he didn’t mind. I still felt terrible about it and wanted to do something to make it up to him. I put on the coffee maker and searched through the cupboards for something to offer him. Unfortunately, the only snacks I had were animal crackers and a bag of mini-Oreos. I considered making him a sandwich but decided he probably wouldn’t want that if he’d already eaten breakfast.
When the coffee was done I poured a cup and put it on a tray with a small pitcher of milk and a bowl with sugar. I carried it to the closed door but hesitated as I raised my hand to knock. I could hear him working in there and didn’t want to disturb him when he was busy. The man probably only wanted to be left alone to do his job in peace. I took the tray back into the kitchen and put it on the counter, busying myself with tidying up the kitchen before pulling out some documents I needed to go over for work.
Sy came out of the room about an hour later and I felt myself flush had the sight of him, sweaty and disheveled from his work yet still looking absolutely gorgeous.
“I’m just gonna get some more tools from my truck, I’ll be right back,” he informed me.
Too mesmerized to answer I merely nodded in response, forcing myself not to stare at him as he walked away. When he came back inside I had finally worked up the nerve to ask, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“I’d love some, thank you,” he accepted cheerfully. “Let me just put these tools away right quick.”
Since the cup I had already prepared had long since gone cold I poured him a new one and made one for myself as well, mostly so it wouldn’t be awkward for him to drink his on his own than any real desire for it. I had already had a cup this morning and that was usually all I could handle in a day without becoming jittery.
He joined me in the kitchen and I handed him one of the cups, inviting him to take a seat at the table. After a few minutes of slightly awkward silence as we both sipped on our coffees he asked, “So, what are you going to use the room for?”
“It’s going to be my daughter’s room.”
He nodded in acknowledgment. “How old is she?”
“She’s three.”
He smiled softly, making my heart flutter. He really had a nice smile. “She must be hankerin’ to get her room back then?”
“No, she’s fine staying in my room,” I said, then felt the need to explain. “Our old place only had one bedroom, so she’s never had a room of her own.”
He nodded again and finished the last of his coffee in one large gulp. “I better get back to work then. Thank you for the coffee.”
Sy spent the rest of the day taking the wall down, only leaving for an hour to go get lunch. I was just getting ready to go pick up Amelia when he came out, a grim look on his face.
Instantly my anxiety was on high alert. “Is there a problem?”
“I’ve gotten most of the wall down and there are no signs of mildew. Unfortunately, the damage seems to extend further than what was visible, I’m going to have to take down the south wall and at least half the floor.”
“Oh,” I said, my heart sinking at the realization. I should have known it wouldn’t be that simple, things never seemed to go my way. “H-How much more is that going to cost?”
He was shaking his head before I had even finished asking. “I gave you a set price that’s not changing. It’s just going to take me a little longer to get it done is all.”
As much as I appreciated his kindness, I knew I couldn’t take advantage of his generosity. “You’ll have more than twice as much work to do. You deserve to be compensated for your trouble.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, making him look even more imposing than usual. “Don’t worry about it. The price will be enough to cover the cost of all the materials and I have plenty of time to get the work done.”
I felt my stomach tie in knots, the guilt overwhelming. This man was a virtual stranger and yet here he was offering to help me for free. “No, I couldn’t take advantage of-,”
“Hey,” he interrupted, his voice firm. “You’re not taking advantage. Laura told me what a big help you were to her when Harry got sick. I’m more than happy to help. Alright?”
While my conscience still screamed at me that I was exploiting his generosity, his firm assurance and steady gaze quelled the worst of my anxiety and I found myself nodding in concession. “Okay.”
He rewarded me with another soft smile. “Good. I’m done for the day. Is it alright if I leave my stuff here for tomorrow?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I can come by a little later tomorrow if you have a lot to do in the morning?”
I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment remembering my faux pas from this morning and hurried to assure him, “No. No, eight o’clock is fine. I promise I’ll be here to let you in this time.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I followed him to the door and bade him goodnight, thanking him once again for all his help. After he left I leaned against the door and gave myself a moment to get my emotions under control. Despite Sy’s reassurances I felt awful about him doing all this work without proper compensation. The problem was that I didn’t have the money to pay him any more even if I could convince him to accept it. I was going to have to find some other way to repay him for his kindness.
I got up half an hour earlier the next day to make sure I would be home by the time Sy got here. Amelia was uncharacteristically cranky having to get up earlier so it took longer than usual to get her ready. Then there had been an accident on the highway so the car ride took almost twice as long as usual. By the time I made it back home it was already five minutes to eight. I got the coffee maker started and began making some sandwiches. I had planned to pick up some pastries from a local bakery to offer Sy but this would have to do.
Eight o’clock on the dot there was a knock on the door. I was once again surprised by the sheer size of the man. His demeanor was as warm and friendly as previously but I couldn’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable, still feeling troubled from yesterday.
He graciously accepted my offer of coffee and a sandwich. As we sat at the kitchen table making polite small talk I could feel most of my unease fade at his easy-going manner and friendly conversation. Eventually he went to work on tearing down the rest of the wall and floor and I set out to get some more work done. He left again at noon to go get lunch and I made myself a salad. When there was a knock on the door I assumed it was Sy coming back, instead I was greeted by my father.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
“I need the Hansen file,” he said as he pushed past me, not bothering to wait for me to invite him in.
“I’m working on it right now,” I said, gesturing towards the documents spread out on the kitchen table. “I thought the meeting wasn’t until tomorrow?”
“It’s not, I need to go over a few things before then.” He hurriedly gathered up the papers while casting a curious glance around the apartment. “Where’s Amy?”
“She’s at preschool.”
He gave me a stern glare that always made me feel like I was a little kid getting in trouble. “Isn’t the reason I allow you to work from home so that you can have more time with your daughter?”
“I’m having her bedroom repaired, I thought it would be easier if she wasn’t home,” I explained, trying not to fidget under his critical stare. I was a grown woman and I knew I shouldn’t feel that I had to defend my choices, but my father’s judgment always managed to make me feel inadequate.
“About time, the girl deserves to have her own room.”
I was saved from responding when there was another knock on the door. This time it was Sy and I was torn between relief at the interruption and apprehension over having to introduce him to my dad. I knew my father could be curt at the best of times and he had a tendency to be condescending to people he considered to be working class.
“This is my Dad, Charles Hill. Dad, this is Calvin Syverson, he’s restoring the wall in Amy’s room.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Sy greeted, reaching out to shake my father’s hand.
My father gave him a critical look over, not even trying to hide his scrutiny. “What company are you with?”
“I’m self-employed.”
My father merely huffed in reply and went back to the kitchen. Sy excused himself and went back to work. I followed my father, not willing to let his disrespectful behavior go unremarked. “You didn’t need to be so rude. Mr. Syverson is being very kind to me.”
“What was wrong with the company I recommended you?” he challenged, ignoring my reprimand.
“I couldn’t afford what they charged.”
“Yes, well quality costs. Don’t you think your daughter deserves a room that’s competently done?”
I held back a sigh, sometimes it seemed like there was nothing I could do that would please him. “Dad, between the payments to my car and the loan I had to take to pay for this place to begin with I can barely afford this. And Mr. Syverson comes highly recommended, he built the Wilson’s new porch.”
“If you had finished college as intended affording this place wouldn’t have been a problem.” I could feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment but he didn’t pay me any heed, putting the documents in his briefcase he left the kitchen but instead of going to the front door he headed towards Amelia’s bedroom.
“Where are you going?”
“I want to have a look at what that man is doing to my granddaughter’s room.”
Before I could intervene he had marched into the bedroom. I listened as he began bombarding Sy with questions but luckily Sy seemed to take it all in stride, politely answering all my dad’s questions and explaining the damage and the process of restoring it.
After my father finally left I found myself with nothing to do. I had planned on working for most of the day and suddenly I had all this time to kill. Wanting to do something nice for Sy as an apology for my dad’s behavior and to show my appreciation for his help I decided to use the time to bake some cinnamon buns. The first batch ended up a little too dry but on my second try they came out perfect. I put most of them in the freezer and the reminder on a plate on the table. Sy came out shortly after, he was covered in a layer of dust and his shirt clung to his sweat soaked chest. I could feel myself blushing but found myself unable to look away.
“I’ve gotten everything dismantled, next time I’ll start rebuilding the floor. What days next week did you want me to come by?” he asked, seemingly unaware of my ogling.
“Oh, I… I made a list of days that I’m going to be home for the upcoming weeks, maybe you can look it over and let me know which days work best for you?”
I handed him the list and he looked over it quickly. “I should be able to do most of these. I guess I’ll see you on Monday.”
“I... I made coffee and there’s some cinnamon buns, if you want some before you leave?”
The smile he gave me in response seemed to light up his whole face and made my heart pound rapidly. “Don’t mind if I do.”
I poured him a cup of coffee as he took a seat. Getting myself a glass of water, I joined him at the table, offering him the plate of buns. He took one and inspected it curiously before taking a big bite. “Did you just make these?”
“I did… they’re my daughter’s favorites,” I explained, feeling strangely self-conscious.
“I can understand why, they’re delicious.”
“Thank you.” His praise made me feel all flustered again. Trying to get myself under control, I hurried to change the subject. “I’m sorry if my dad bothered you earlier. He can be a little intense, always wants to call the shots.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he just wants to make sure his daughter gets the best.”
I doubted my father’s intentions were quite that noble but figured it would be rude to say anything. Sy was just being polite and didn’t need to be burdened with details about my strained relationship with my father. Seeing that he was almost finished I offered him another bun and was delighted when he eagerly accepted. “Laura told me you were in the army?”
“Yes ma’am, twelve years of service. Got my discharge four months ago.”
“What made you decide to start your own business?”
“It was mostly out of necessity rather than anything else to be honest with you. I enlisted when I was nineteen, so I never went to college. I worked at my uncle’s carpentry business a couple of summers so I decided doing some free-lance work would be my best option for now. At least until I decide what I want to do with my life. The old man is still hoping I’m gonna take over the family ranch.”
“You don’t want to?”
“I don’t know. Had always planned on it, I enjoy the work, have been helping out since I was a lad when my grandpa and grandma still ran it.” The gentle smile on his face slowly transformed into a troubled frown. “It just feels like so much of my family is tied up to that place. Even if I take over, I’d probably still be running it like my pa wants.”
I suddenly felt an unexpected kinship with the man sitting opposite me. Being constrained by your parent’s expectations was something I was painfully familiar with. “You want something that’s yours. Building your own vision rather than your father’s.”
He looked at me in silence for a moment, and just as I’m about to start squirming in my seat he nods his head, “Exactly.”
“You could buy your own ranch?” I suggested.
He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “Don’t think I haven’t thought about it. But places like that are hard to come by, not to mention expensive. Besides, my pa might forgive me if I choose not to go into the family business, don’t reckon he would be quite so forgiving if I became his competition.”
“What about your siblings? They don’t have any interest in taking over your parent’s ranch?”
“Well, you know Laura, she’s really more of a city girl. And Matt is still enlisted, don’t reckon he has any plans on leaving the military any time soon.”
He took another sip of his coffee. “What about you? What do you do?”
“I work as a legal secretary at my dad’s law firm.” For some reason I felt compelled to tell him more. “I dropped out of college when I got pregnant with Amy.”
“You must have been very young?”
“Nineteen.”
Sy reached out and put his hand on my forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. It was just a brief touch, but it made my heart beat rapidly in my chest. “Well, you could always go back to college in a few years, yeah? If that’s something you really want.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I said absently, my brain still trying to recover from the feeling of his hand on my arm.
“Or you could open up your own bakery. With cinnamon buns like these you’d have people lining up around the block,” he joked as he took the last bite.
“Thank you.” I blushed again, not used to being on the receiving end of this many compliments, especially not from handsome men who made my heart race. “You’re welcome to take some home with you if you want.”
“No, I couldn’t do that. I’m sure your daughter will appreciate having her favorite snack to come home too.”
I wanted to keep talking to him, but it was almost time for me to go pick up Amelia and I didn’t want to impose on his time. I reminded myself that he was here for work and was probably impatient to go home for the day.
After he left I hurried to clean up and put the remaining buns out of sight, knowing I would never get Amelia to eat her dinner if she knew what was for dessert. My heart felt lighter than it had for a long time and if my mind was occupied with thoughts of Sy’s kind blue eyes and warm smile I didn’t have time to dwell on it.