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Renovations aren't just for houses. Sometimes you must renovate your life, including the kitchen sink.
It wasn't a big hit of a hammer on his thumb, but his shanking hand told Lisa it hurt the poor man doing her renovations.
She quickly grabbed some ice from her drink wrapped it in the hem of her tank top and laid it on the throbbing digit.
"This will keep the swelling down," she said looking into Lucky's eyes. His real name was Luke, but the crew called him lucky. Accident prone and in the field of construction created a hard living for Luke.
"Thanks, Lisa. May I call you Lisa?"
"I prefer it and you are welcome. Let me get an ice pack for that."
"No need. Almost quitting time. I'll be fine, till I get home."
The crew gathered their tools and sweeping up for the day. Most had walked by and said good-bye for the weekend. Dave stopped and asked if he should stick around, looking at Lucky then Lisa. They both said no at the same time. He exited out the garage service door near where Lisa stood her shirt hem holding the dripping ice on Lucky's thumb.
"How's the Knee from Wednesday's incident?" she asked.
"Small bruise. Nothing. Sorry, I'm so clumsy," he said. Lisa just nodded and looked at his roughed face and bed tossed hair his muscles that company shirt could not hide and then quickly back to his green eyes. They had been staring each other down for weeks now and each day she had healed something he had damaged. The heat between them was noticeable. "If you don't mind me asking, you are renovating a pretty big house for someone alone. I don't see many single women in my line of work doing this sort of thing."
Lisa knew what he was implying. She got 'that look' a lot from bankers to architects to contractors, what's a pretty thing like you doing in the construction business? Where's your husband? Those were the implications.
"I know. My dad was a contractor. Taught me a lot about the trade. I flip homes for a living. I'll be here a year or two and then onto another house in need of TLC. She reached into the back pocket of her tight yoga pants and pulled out a business card. TLC Homes. Tender Lisa Construction for homes that need a little love.
"Cute," he smiled.
"Corny, but it gets the point across," she replied. "I hire some brawn for the big stuff and I do a lot of things myself. Mainly it is a matter of picking the right house and getting the right price and timing. Been at it since high school graduation. So as far as the where's hubby, this kept me busy and I just never found that guy. Then suddenly I turned Twenty-eight. But I'm fine."
"Yes, you are. I mean seems to me you have a good life. Me, I started this trade after high school and like I said you don't meet many single women. Plus, I'm kinda accident prone so most nights I'm healing something or other, so the bar scene is out. But I get that look around and you're suddenly fa acing-thirty thing. Have my thirtieth tomorrow."
"Well, Happy Birthday. I hope this doesn't stop you from celebrating," she said looking at the shirt hem and ice-covered thumb, and him checking out her bare abs and waistline.
"Looks like this ice is done," she said removing the wet hem of the shirt from his thumb.
"Aching cold, now," he complained.
"Here," she grinned and put the cold appendage into her mouth warming it.
"Thank you," he said. "That is warmer, but I wonder."