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Lina changes the e it to so ridiculous, but instead she stops when she hears a song, and to et that we had sis over the years after what happened That one bad thing had consuood, I suppose

“What’s the plan for the bar today?” I ask

“I’ll be doing orders today; see what I need in the inventory”

I nod There’s awell”

“He is He took over our dad’s garage a few years back sothey need”

“Is that where you work?” she asks

I nod “Abe likes to take the brunt of the work He’s like my dad in that way So I find myself with more time on my hands than I knohat to do with—at least I did Now you’re here and I can use that time to focus on you”

Lina goes quiet and doesn’t say anything else until we get to the bar Once we’re inside, she instantly gets to work She keeps her head down, her focus sharp on what needs to get done I adainst the bar, intentionally not helping, occasionally teasing her, telling her that I will gladly junores

She climbs up onto the counter behind the bar and tries to reach for the old bottles on the top shelf They’re just beyond her reach I start to get frustrated because she’s about to fall if she tries to stand any taller on her tiptoes, and yet she’s so stubborn that she continues to refuse my help

I move behind the bar because I don’t trust her balance at this point “Let rab the bottle, she jumps The motion throws her off balance My heart leaps into my throat when I see her start to fall I reach out and catch her before she can hit the ground,so her head doesn’t hit the corner of the bar

Her breathing coe, frightened eyes froh she’s safe inhurt That’s when I realize that I still have feelings for her no matter how much I tell myself that I don’t

Damn

Lina continues to stare up at me as she’s cradled in my arms

“You’re insane, you know that?” I say harshly, wanting her to get it through her thick skull that she can’t do this on her own “You need to ask for help when you need it or you’ll end up killing yourself I have no doubt you’re capable of a lot of things, but at some point everyone needs to ask for help”

She’s still breathing hard, and o around ainst one another That fear quickly becorows hard I stare at her perfect lips, drawn to thea barrier between us She squiro and set her on her oo feet She dusts herself off, her botto not to show the same desire I feel too, but I know it’s there I saw it on her face, felt it in the way her arms wrapped around me She wants uess soe

“Thank you for catchinga door for her She then sits at a table and starts to write in her little notebook

“One week,” she says

I blink at her She looks at me with sheer determination and taps the piece of paper “I calculate that all the things I need to do to get this place up and running will take me one week It’s impossible for me to do it alone, like you said” I stare at her ashe rong She y I’ll take it

She continues, “With your help I et it all done quicker”