“It’s stuck.”


    “It’s been rusted for years.”


    “The ground’s shifted, too. The valve’s buried deep now.”


    The neighbors were talking among themselves, but my eyes were fixed on Josh.


    I never expected him to lie t on the ground like that. He was straining so hard that veins popped in his temples and arms -he exuded raw strength.


    But despite all that, the valve wouldn’t budge. I even saw his face start to turn red.


    “The poor guy, don’t waste your time. A few strong men already tried,” an elderly neighbor called out sympathetically.


    I felt sorry for him, too. “Josh, why don’t we just call someone to fix it?”


    Just as I spoke, I saw Josh’s whole body rx. He got up quickly, dusting himself off. “It’s done.”


    He was as efficient as ever, turning to me with a quick motion. “Let’s go upstairs and take a look.”


    The water was still pouring down the stairs, and the thought of going up in wet shoes didn’t seem appealing. “Let’s wait a bit. Let the water calm down first.”


    Josh nced at my shoes. “I’ll carry you upstairs.”


    My eyes widened. “No need.”


    As I said it, I could feel my face flush, especially with everyone watching.


    Josh looked at me for a moment, as though he’d caught something in my expression. Then he said, “I’ll go up first and take care of things. Give me the keys.”


    He reached out, and when his fingers brushed mine, it was like an electric shock.


    It was a feeling I’d never had with Alvin. We’d been close since childhood, so holding hands or hugging was second nature. But this? It felt different-strange, intense, and something I hadn’t felt in a long time.


    I suddenly understood what Alvin meant when he talked about the way Oscar made him feel.


    Josh marched upstairs, his boots sshing through the water. With every step, it felt like he was walking on lotus flowers.


    I stood there for a moment, unable to tear my eyes away from him. Then the voice of an old neighbor broke my trance.


    “Is that your boyfriend, dear? He’s quite the capable young man. He’s got strength, doesn’t he?”


    Another neighbor chimed in, “Doesn’t even mind getting dirty, lying down on the floor like that. Not many guys like that around these days.”


    My face burned. I couldn’t tell if they were teasing me or offeringpliments, but something stirred inside me.


    The water eventually subsided, so I headed upstairs. The door was wide open, and the whole floor was soaked.


    ap


    I carefully walked inside, lifting the hem of my pants, and made my way to the bathroom where Josh was working on the valve. He looked up when he saw me, exining, “This pipe cracked. It’s probably because it hasn’t been used in years, and corrosion got to it.”


    He was right. It hadn’t been touched in over a decade-of course it had rusted.


    I didn’t say anything, but Josh added, “The whole plumbing system in this house is old. To avoid future problems, it’s best to rece everything.”


    “Such a big project?” I was surprised, and honestly, a little overwhelmed.


    “It’s doable,” Josh said, already removing the broken pipe fitting. He looked at me.


    Seeing my wet shoes, his brows furrowed, and he handed me the part he had just taken off. “Go buy six of these fittings, a pipe wrench, some PVC pipes, and four faucets. One for the sink, one for the kitchen, and two regr ones.”


    I blinked, and Josh, noticing my confusion, quickly added, “I’ll send the details to your phone. Just get them.”


    “Josh, why don’t we just hire someone to do it?” I asked. The task seemed tooplicated.


    AD


    Comment


    Send gift


    No Ads