Fixed Up Page 5

  ‘Right,’ she said, her neck stiff from her determination to not turn her head in Luke’s direction. ‘To start with we are going to have a quick discussion about colour. Who’s seen a colour wheel before?’

  ***

  Luke gave the newspaper another shake. He’d stared at the page for ages, but still didn’t know what the prime minister had said about the coming election, hadn’t managed to grasp why the teacher’s union had rejected the latest education policy initiatives, nor understood why farmers were concerned about another mid-summer drought.

  He considered himself a well-informed citizen most days, but today he didn’t much care who’d done what or what they’d said about it. Not while Harper’s voice had him utterly transfixed. He couldn’t see her, tucked away behind the newspaper as he was. Not that it mattered. In his mind’s eye he saw her petite form in tight, faded jeans and flat, tan boots. A clean shirt, tucked in and belted with a leather belt. He could imagine her moving around the classroom, her hips swaying with every step. Her face would be animated, her facial expressions revealing as she spoke to the women in her low, throaty voice.

  He gave up on the newspaper, closed his eyes and just listened. It didn’t matter what she said. She could be reciting the world’s most boring instruction manual. Her voice had a rhythm, a cadence about it that made him tune out to everything but the sound of her. He imagined her leaning towards him, her lips pursed close, the caress of her breath on his ear as she whispered her words only to him.

  He ached to touch her and he gripped the newspaper so hard his thumb ripped through the newsprint, the tearing noise dragging him back to reality. He peeked round the edge of the paper.

  Up the front of the class Harper paused for a second at the sound before continuing on in a firm, authoritative manner. She inspired confidence, thought Luke.

  Every eye in the room was on Harper. The women listened intently, concentrating hard on her words. He watched her too, sneakily, until a strong awareness of his beating heart drove him back behind the daily news.

  In a plastic world, Harper was so real, so unique; a breath of the freshest summer breeze. She had Luke hooked. And the realisation of how much he liked her didn’t frighten him at all. It was a new sensation for him but one he was ready to embrace. He wanted to romance her. Shower her with gifts, flowers and compliments. She needed someone to take care of her. Fix her house, her car, her life. Keep her safe.

  He could be that man. He just had to get her to see him.

  Harper continued to talk. Papers rustled, as if the class were taking notes and every now and again a burble of laughter swept through the group. Then came the scraping of chairs and movement as people got up and moved en masse. More hilarity. Harper’s voice. This time with a trace of laughter. Luke wanted to be part of it.

  He folded the paper and stood up. All heads turned and Harper came to an abrupt halt, mid-sentence.

  ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for Mum to take her pills.’

  ‘Oh. Right. There’s a tap in the storeroom if you need water,’ said Harper, indicating a door off to the side of the room.

  Shelia, a questioning look in her eye, followed Luke into the storeroom and closed the door quietly after her.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she whispered. ‘You’re making me look like a fool. Surely I can remember to take my own pills.’

  ‘If you had pills to take, I’m sure you’d remember to take them. But have you remembered the reason we’re here?’

  ‘Because I want to redecorate my house?’

  ‘No, because I want to spend time with Harper. That’s why we’re here. You haven’t forgotten our prime objective already have you?’

  ‘Course not. Course not.’ Shelia spoke hurriedly, not quite meeting Luke’s eye. ‘It’s just that she’s so interesting and she makes it seem so—so doable. As if even a sixty-year-old woman who’s never lifted a tool in her life could learn to decorate her own home. And it sounds such fun.’

  ‘You’re going to be no help to me at all.’

  Shelia laughed and patted him on the arm. ‘Well, I got your foot in the door. The rest’s up to you.’

  Luke tiptoed back to his window seat, resigned to another frustrating hour of fantasising to the sound of Harper’s voice.

  At some point he must have dozed off. He awoke with a start, opening his eyes to see Harper kicking the sole of his boot. The room behind her was eerily silent.

  ‘Class over then?’ he asked.

  ‘We finished a little early. No one could concentrate over the sound of the snores coming from the back of the room.’ She gave him another little kick.

  ‘My mother’s so embarrassing. I hope you sent her out for that.’

  ‘I sent them all out so I could talk to you alone.’

  Luke sat up. ‘I’m all yours.’

  Harper pursed her lips. ‘I don’t know why you came today. I’m happy your mother and aunt are joining the class but I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to be here. It’s too distracting.’

  ‘You can’t concentrate with me around, huh? I’ll take that as a good thing.’

  ‘You won’t take it as anything at all. This is a women-only class, so unless you suddenly grow breasts and a vagina you have no place here. I’m sorry your mother is unable to drive at the moment, but maybe next time drop her off at the gate and come back at the end of the session.’

  ‘I worry about her. She’s had a few health scares and I don’t like her doing too much. She probably shouldn’t be taking this class at all, but she insisted. She’s better off letting me take care of her.’

  Okay, maybe the health stuff was a big fat lie, but the rest of it was one hundred per cent true. Shelia did not need to be learning DIY at her age. Frankly, Luke thought it was ridiculous.

  ‘Again—’ Harper said ‘—not your decision. Your mother showed a lot of enthusiasm today and clearly wants to learn. You should respect that and encourage her to go for it. God knows I wish my mother was open-minded enough to learn to look after herself.’ Harper’s lips clamped shut and she walked away.

  Luke waited a moment before stepping towards her. Harper was up the front of the room cleaning the whiteboard. She turned and shot him an angry look over her shoulder as he approached.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said. And actually meant it. ‘I know I’m pretty heavy on my feet and I have been told in the past I snore. I shouldn’t have disrupted your class.’

  She kept wiping, even though the board was clean.

  ‘And I realise I’m not a woman and have no place here, but maybe I could help out. I have great carpentry skills and I can lend you any tools you need for your classes, save you any hire costs you might have for equipment.’

  Harper’s hand slowed, then stopped. He saw her inhale before she turned.

  She stared up at him. Her cheeks were flushed and her chest rose and fell in a most distracting way. His gaze dropped to a thin silver chain around her neck. A tiny hammer pendant was just visible as she leaned forward. It hung in the V above her breasts, drawing his eye and stealing his breath away.

  ‘I don’t need help.’ She didn’t raise her voice, but he felt its strength. ‘From you or anyone else. This is my business, my class. Mine alone. You toe the line, sit quietly at the back of the classroom or I will kick you out so hard your head will spin.’

  But his head already spun.

  Chapter 6

  Harper gripped the whiteboard eraser. She wished she knew how to handle Luke. She’d just given him a huge telling off and he was still smiling at her. Like she could do no wrong. And instead of really, really pissing her off, it gave her warm fuzzies she hadn’t felt for a long time.

  A long time.

  He stood there before her saying, being, doing everything wrong—yet she liked him. All the women in the class had liked him too.

  And she liked him a lot. Which brought her back to the warm fuzzy feeling that snaked through her whenever Luke was around. She had to clenc
h everything, fists, teeth, those womanly bits she’d forgotten she had, just to stop herself melting in a tragic puddle at his feet. So wrong, because she wasn’t the pathetic, puddling sort. She couldn’t be. Two of them in one family was more than enough and Harper had made the conscious decision years ago to be the strong, independent one who never, ever, friggin’ ever needed a man.

  Could have a man if she wanted, yes.

  But needed? Big fat negative no.

  And it had become her catch cry. Her philosophy. Her mission statement as well as her mission. Men not required.

  Do it yourself.

  And if she didn’t live the rule? All. Would. Be. Lost.

  Luke didn’t understand how important it was that the class was female only. Yet she felt she’d laboured the point enough already. What more could she possibly say?

  ‘The whole point of the girls-only thing—’ she said it again ‘—is so they can ask daft questions. Often they know nothing. Nothing. “What’s a wrench?” or “How do you make the ladder stand up?”’.

  Luke tried to cover a snort of laughter but failed miserably.

  ‘You laugh. You say your mother doesn’t need to know this stuff. But if on some level she didn’t want to know this stuff she wouldn’t be here.’ Was it Harper’s imagination, or did Luke look a trifle uncomfortable? She pressed on. ‘I’d like to ask you to leave my class because you’re cramping my style. But instead I’m going to show you how wrong you are. Not only about your mother and your aunt but about every woman in this class. Sit there for the next four days and watch as they ask questions and learn by doing things themselves.’

  Harper’s breath hitched, suddenly desperate to know if Luke would accept her challenge. Afraid he wouldn’t. Afraid he would. Luke at the back of the class, day in, day out could drive her mad. He was too delicious. Too tempting. Too wrong.

  ‘You’ll see first-hand that it’s all about having a go.’ Harper cleared her throat, found the steady, reasonable tone of voice she usually reserved for Annie. ‘Anyone can watch TV shows or google things online but until my students try something for themselves, they don’t know—really know—if they’re capable of doing it.’

  Harper threw the whiteboard eraser down on the desk like the proverbial gauntlet. Relief she could justify Luke’s presence and not lose two lovely clients swept through her. And if Luke discovered the error of his ways and Shelia got to try something new and exciting she’d never done before, all the better.

  ‘Okay.’ Luke looked relaxed as he stared her directly in the eye, pinning her in his stormy blue gaze. ‘Let’s see if you can convert my mother round to your way of thinking.’

  ‘Not just your mother. You too.’

  Luke’s easy laugh filled the room. ‘Let’s not get too ambitious. Not saying you aren’t a good teacher or anything. It’s just that proper renovation requires trained professionals.’

  ‘When I say “convert” I’m not suggesting your mother will never need you again, just that she might learn some useful skills and hopefully experience a sense of pride in her accomplishments. If I can help Shelia, then it’s worth it.’

  And maybe Luke would see Shelia didn’t need to be swaddled and suffocated in cotton wool.

  Her unspoken words hung in the air, but Luke just shook his head, the confident smile not dipping for an instant. He held out his hand.

  ‘You’re on, Harper Cassidy.’

  Her hand met his with a faint slap of warm palms. A firm handshake.

  Professional. Business-like.

  Yet her hand lingered in his as he showed no indication of letting go. His palm was rough, calloused, his grip strong. Did she imagine the softest caress of his thumb? A tingle where skin met skin? She pulled her hand sharply away, flustered in contrast to his apparent calm. What did it take for this man to lose his cool? She wanted to know the answer. To be at less of a disadvantage around him.

  The realisation that she totally fancied Luke came as a huge shock. She’d never been so attracted to a man before and here she was wildly and stupidly attracted to Luke who stood for everything she’d taught herself to dislike.

  He didn’t take what she did seriously. And what she did was who she was. The two were inseparable.

  Which meant he couldn’t take her seriously.

  This situation was becoming more than a mild inconvenience. Making flicking movements with her hands, she motioned Luke out, pulling the door firmly closed behind him. With a sigh of relief she rubbed her hands across her face but barely had time to regroup before the door opened again and Annie sauntered in.

  ‘Phwoar! Who was that total spunk I saw leaving?’ Annie asked, eyes popping out of her head.

  ‘He’s the latest thorn in my side,’ said Harper. ‘Yet another male who doesn’t see the value in DIY Divas. But I’ll show him he’s messing with the wrong girl. He’s not going to know what’s hit him once I get started.’

  ‘Can you hear yourself? It’s scary. And you didn’t answer my question. Who is he?’

  ‘Luke Bloody Colton. Construction guy and non-believer.’

  ‘Construction guy, huh? You should get him to help with your house. It’s a nightmare. You’ll be dead before it’s finished.’

  Harper frowned. ‘I hate when you talk like that. You sound like Mum.’ Annie looked like their mother too. Where Harper was small with dark colouring, Annie and their mother were both tall and fair. Harper watched Annie toss her head, the signature move shared by mother and daughter. Her honey-gold tresses resettled without so much as a strand of hair out of place—the trick just one of many passed from the older beauty to the younger. Huge eyes that would put Bambi to shame rested resentfully on Harper.

  ‘Mum’s not always the bad guy, Harper.’

  ‘I know, but she’s not always the good guy either. Especially when it comes to men.’

  ‘Not this old chestnut. I came to tell you my exciting news, but I can see you’re going to get mad now. You’re in that mood again.’ Annie’s face was downcast and she tilted her head to the side as if weighing up whether to share her news or not. Her exquisite face was wrinkled in a petulant frown.

  Harper played with her charm necklace, rolling it around in her fingers. ‘Go on then. Out with it.’

  ‘I just wanted to tell you I’m getting a new car. I met this guy and we’ve been out a few times. He’s a car salesman and he’s doing me a really great deal. The timing’s perfect, the vee dub’s not going to last forever.’

  ‘No! No!’ Harper couldn’t help how the words burst from her lips. ‘You can’t keep doing this. Last month it was the guy at the temp agency who got you a job and before that it was the phone company guy who gave you a new phone.’

  ‘You’re just jealous no one does you any favours. Maybe if you didn’t walk around repelling people all the time, they’d be nice to you, too.’

  ‘I don’t want anything from anyone. I’m not Mum and neither are you. You’re an intelligent young woman. You can live on your own terms.’

  ‘Spare me the “teachable moment” crap. I can look after myself.’

  ‘Then look after yourself. Stop expecting a man to do it for you.’ Harper ground the words out through gritted teeth. Her body quivered with anger and disappointment. She’d tried to instil better morals in Annie; to lead by example because their mother never had. But Annie had found an easier way to get what she wanted.

  Men found her irresistible. Harper had years of experience sweeping up the pieces of broken-hearted ex-boyfriends after Annie had moved cheerfully onto the next guy. Her little sister had learned early in life to turn situations to her advantage with a few eyelash flutters or a pout of her bottom lip.

  Said lip was in full-on pout mode now, but Harper was immune.

  Annie took a step back, about to leave.

  ‘Don’t go. I don’t want to fight,’ said Harper. She sighed. Would she ever win this argument? All it seemed to do was drive Annie further away—usually into the arms of someone less s
uitable than before.

  ‘You’re way too staunch, you’ll never get anywhere. You had that gorgeous man, Luke, here in the classroom. I don’t know why. But if he’s a builder you should ask him to lend you a hand with your house. Men like helping.’

  ‘But then you owe them something.’

  Innocent Bambi eyes looked at her. Harper didn’t want to ask how her sister repaid the men who drifted in and out of her life. She was afraid it was the same currency her mother had used throughout Harper’s childhood. The very thing Harper had sought to shield Annie from and failed.

  ‘See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya,’ Annie said as she bounced back out the door.

  ‘Take care,’ said Harper. Be good. She was sick of the roles Annie pushed her into playing. Either she was a nag for criticising her or she was a coward for burying her head in the sand rather than confront Annie and have the shit really hit the fan. All Harper had ever tried to be was a strong role model and counterbalance their mother’s influence.

  Energy levels now zapped, Harper slumped down at the back of the classroom on the window seat where Luke had spent half the day. The soft old cushions still retained the vague imprint of his butt and she took some weird comfort in the thought that it was like sitting in his lap. It made her feel less alone.

  Stupid, stupid thought. She was alone and she had much more important things to worry about. Big picture stuff, like how she still had to get Cliff King to see her. She hadn’t forgotten about that, but she’d got caught up in the minutiae of her holiday classes … of the right here, right now of life. And she still had to start tomorrow’s lesson plan, get more students for the next two weeks’ classes and deal with Luke Colton.

  Luke. His name made her tongue curl. She said it again, enjoying the sound. He’d be back tomorrow, driving her crazy with his dazzling panty-shedding smile and his big clomping feet.

  He didn’t get what she was trying to do here anymore than Annie did.

  Harper closed her eyes. When had life got so exhausting?