Part 6

Asher

His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, and Dylan kept glancing at him. He parked his truck in front of the main house before they both walked inside. They could smell dinner, so they headed to the dining room.

“You’re late,” Thomas said, in a gruff voice.

“Sorry,” Asher said, and sat down at the table.

“Did she like it? Was she happy?” Eden asked, excitement evident in her voice.

“Was who happy?” Colt asked, as he gave Dylan a look.

“Asher bought a crib for that woman in the Lansing house. He made Eden fix the mattress while he painted the crib. We just took it over there,” Dylan said.

“I didn’t buy the crib. Marvin gave it to me,” Asher said.

“You got a liking for this woman?” Blair asked, as he folded his hands together, his elbows resting on the table.

When Asher didn’t say anything, Dylan chuckled. “Well, the baby sure likes him.”

“Can we just eat?”

Thomas said grace, and they all dug into their food. His siblings kept giving him looks until Asher finally glared at them. “What?”

Dylan shrugged. “I was just wondering how early you’re going to be at her house tomorrow morning.”

Asher gritted his teeth. “After breakfast.” Dylan grinned, clapping his hands together.

“Keep your phone on; we’ll call you after our chores,” Blair said.

“I’ll manage,” Asher answered him.

The next morning, after breakfast, Asher loaded the bed of his truck with equipment he’d need to work on the Lansing house. He’d noticed enough of them the previous night. That house needed a lot of fixing. He didn’t want to take the chance that Maggie fell through the wooden boards on the porch, or that one of those cupboard doors came loose, and fell on one of them.

He shook his head. ‘What the hell am I doing?’ he thought to himself.

Asher unloaded his truck as he surveyed the yard. He fired up the mower and got started on the lawn. Sweat was running down his back halfway through, so he paused to pull his T-shirt over his head. He tucked it into the waistband of his shorts and continued. An hour later, the front door was pushed open, and he switched the machine off.

“What are you doing?” Maggie asked him. She was wearing yoga pants and a loose T-shirt with Melody on her hip.

“Mowing the lawn,” he said.

“Why?”

Asher looked around him. “It needed mowing.”

“Do you want some sweet tea?”

Asher nodded his head before following her up the porch steps and into the house. It was much cooler inside as he walked into the kitchen. Melody was already sitting on a playmat, and she turned, and started crawling toward him the moment he stepped foot inside.

“Good morning, little lady,” Asher said, scooping her into his arms.

“Asher, what are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” Maggie was staring so intently at him that he started to feel uncomfortable.

“The crib, and now mowing the lawn. We’re not friends. Why are you doing all this?”

Asher shifted on his feet and sighed. “Marvin said you were looking at the crib, so I figured Melody didn’t have one yet. And last night, I noticed that the house needed some work. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”

Maggie shook her head. “What do you want for doing all this?”

“Look, Maggie, I just got back from the Army. I don’t want anything from you. I just saw you living alone, and most of the stuff that needs fixing around here is a man’s job. That’s all I’m doing. Just helping out as a friend.”

“Just a friend?”

Asher nodded his head. “Of course. This is what we do in Two Bear Meadow, we help out our neighbors. Besides, I’d lie awake every night wondering when you’re going to fall through that porch.”

Maggie smiled, and looked down briefly. “Well, in that case, thank you. I appreciate it.”

Asher nodded his head, emptied the glass, and placed Melody back on her playmat. Back outside, he finished mowing the lawn, and watered the plants that had somehow survived. Asher got started on the porch, fixing the railings first.

Asher kept working, only looking up when another truck parked in front of his own. He sighed as his four brothers all got out, and headed down the path to join him. Colt was carrying a cooler, which he placed on the top step of the porch.

“What are you guys doing here?” Asher wiped the sweat off his face with his T-shirt.

“We said we’d come out and help after our chores. Your phone’s off, by the way,” Blair said.

The screened door opened as Maggie appeared on the porch. “Hi.” She looked like a deer caught in headlights, and Asher almost chuckled.

“You remember Finn, and you met Dylan last night,” he said, and Maggie nodded. “That’s Blair and Colt. My other brothers.”

“Wow,” Maggie said, softly.

“Morning, Ma’am,” they all said, tipping their hats at her.

“I thought you guys were here to work,” Asher said, his hands on his hips. “So, get to work.”

“Yes, Sir, Major Fitzgerald,” Colt said, saluting him. Maggie laughed as Asher glared at them.

They spent the next few hours fixing cupboards, sanding the front door, and Asher even fixed the water heater. Maggie jumped up and down when he opened the tap, and warm water flowed out. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“No canoodling in the kitchen with the baby watching,” Dylan said loudly, and they both jumped apart.

“We were not canoodling,” Asher said.

“Uh-huh.” Dylan leaned back against the counter, and watched them with a smile. “Before I forget, Pops said to invite the two ladies over for dinner tonight. Eden’s making a roast.”

Maggie’s mouth opened, and closed before opening again. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“You won’t. Pops is dying to meet you and little Melody,” Blair said from behind Dylan, before he stepped into the kitchen.

“Next weekend we can come back and paint the cupboards for you,” Colt said, as he joined them.

“You guys have done too much already. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for all this,” Maggie said.

“There’s no repayment necessary. I’ll sleep better knowing this house ain’t a death trap anymore,” Asher said.