of course, had bought the largest ladder known to mankind. It clanged loudly as she dropped it several times; each time she did she noticed her guest watching from his window. He was taking a sip from a cup. Coffee? Tea? Who cared? Her cheeks flushed red from humiliation and the cold.
After managing to get up on the roof without breaking her neck, she began the arduous task of getting the large planks of wood covered. The roof wasn’t steep, but coated in water it felt like she was about to slip at any moment. The wind howled, making it virtually impossible to keep the tarp down long enough for Dana to nail the edges down, let alone keep her balance. For every nail she got in, the tarp blew up in her face, almost sending her careening off the roof.
She felt like a surfer fighting against a turbulent wave.
“You know, it would go a lot faster if both of us did it.” A voice called out from down below. She peered over, knowing full well who it was. He stood there with his arms wrapped around himself, no coat on. She smirked and gave a short nod. She felt even more embarrassment, but realized he was right.
“Come on down for a moment.”
* * *
D ana stood outside his doorway while he threw a jacket on. With the door ajar she could see his dog, Apollo, staring back at her, as if sizing her up. She wasn’t scared of dogs, but this one seemed unpredictable. A few minutes later Jack appeared. She bit down on the side of her lip as they walked in silence. She couldn’t believe that it had come to this—getting her only guest to assist her in repairing her motel. Yep, she had officially reached an all-time low.
“I’m Dana, by the way. Dana Grant.”
She extended her hand, and he shook it.
“Jack Winchester. But…” He smiled. “You already knew that.”
As the gravel crunched beneath their feet, he continued, “Shouldn’t the roofer be doing this?”
She threw a hand up. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“So are you trying to upgrade?”
“Looking to sell.”
“So you don’t want to keep the business?”
“Can’t afford to.”
Returning to the spot where she’d positioned the ladder, Jack offered to steady it while she went up, but the idea of a stranger gawking at her ass—even if he was handsome—wasn’t something she felt comfortable doing. She insisted that he go up first, and with a smirk in reply she sensed he knew why. Like grappling with a bed sheet, they laid out the tarps and Jack attempted to get a few nails in. She snuck a glance at him as water streamed down his features. He couldn’t have been more than thirty-eight, she thought. She’d only turned thirty-six three months ago. His face appeared to show the signs of a life lived beyond his years. She spotted a small scar on his neck, and several on the backs of his hands.
“It must be difficult.” He cast a glance at her, continuing to hammer a nail in. “You know, not having your husband around to help out with these kind of things?”
She was hesitant in her reply. “I guess. He wasn’t exactly the sort of man who offered to help.”
“Do you mind me asking how he died?”
She scrutinized him. “If you don’t mind. It’s kind of personal.”
“Sure. So what about your son? How’s he coping with it all?”
Had he not heard what she just said? “You ask a lot of questions.”
“Sorry, I’ll keep hammering.”
As he took the next swing, he let out a yell and winced in pain while gripping his finger and sliding back on the roof. He steadied himself on the top of the roof with his other hand.
“Shoot. Are you okay?” Dana blurted out.
He grimaced, furiously shaking his hand out. “I’ll be fine.”
They continued. Once they had the tarp secure, they made their way back down.
“I’ll move you into room five; there is no leaking in there.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“After what I just put you through? Yes, I do.” She gave a nod to his hand. “By the way, you’re bleeding.”
He
After managing to get up on the roof without breaking her neck, she began the arduous task of getting the large planks of wood covered. The roof wasn’t steep, but coated in water it felt like she was about to slip at any moment. The wind howled, making it virtually impossible to keep the tarp down long enough for Dana to nail the edges down, let alone keep her balance. For every nail she got in, the tarp blew up in her face, almost sending her careening off the roof.
She felt like a surfer fighting against a turbulent wave.
“You know, it would go a lot faster if both of us did it.” A voice called out from down below. She peered over, knowing full well who it was. He stood there with his arms wrapped around himself, no coat on. She smirked and gave a short nod. She felt even more embarrassment, but realized he was right.
“Come on down for a moment.”
* * *
D ana stood outside his doorway while he threw a jacket on. With the door ajar she could see his dog, Apollo, staring back at her, as if sizing her up. She wasn’t scared of dogs, but this one seemed unpredictable. A few minutes later Jack appeared. She bit down on the side of her lip as they walked in silence. She couldn’t believe that it had come to this—getting her only guest to assist her in repairing her motel. Yep, she had officially reached an all-time low.
“I’m Dana, by the way. Dana Grant.”
She extended her hand, and he shook it.
“Jack Winchester. But…” He smiled. “You already knew that.”
As the gravel crunched beneath their feet, he continued, “Shouldn’t the roofer be doing this?”
She threw a hand up. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“So are you trying to upgrade?”
“Looking to sell.”
“So you don’t want to keep the business?”
“Can’t afford to.”
Returning to the spot where she’d positioned the ladder, Jack offered to steady it while she went up, but the idea of a stranger gawking at her ass—even if he was handsome—wasn’t something she felt comfortable doing. She insisted that he go up first, and with a smirk in reply she sensed he knew why. Like grappling with a bed sheet, they laid out the tarps and Jack attempted to get a few nails in. She snuck a glance at him as water streamed down his features. He couldn’t have been more than thirty-eight, she thought. She’d only turned thirty-six three months ago. His face appeared to show the signs of a life lived beyond his years. She spotted a small scar on his neck, and several on the backs of his hands.
“It must be difficult.” He cast a glance at her, continuing to hammer a nail in. “You know, not having your husband around to help out with these kind of things?”
She was hesitant in her reply. “I guess. He wasn’t exactly the sort of man who offered to help.”
“Do you mind me asking how he died?”
She scrutinized him. “If you don’t mind. It’s kind of personal.”
“Sure. So what about your son? How’s he coping with it all?”
Had he not heard what she just said? “You ask a lot of questions.”
“Sorry, I’ll keep hammering.”
As he took the next swing, he let out a yell and winced in pain while gripping his finger and sliding back on the roof. He steadied himself on the top of the roof with his other hand.
“Shoot. Are you okay?” Dana blurted out.
He grimaced, furiously shaking his hand out. “I’ll be fine.”
They continued. Once they had the tarp secure, they made their way back down.
“I’ll move you into room five; there is no leaking in there.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“After what I just put you through? Yes, I do.” She gave a nod to his hand. “By the way, you’re bleeding.”
He
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