Chapter 84

“You’ll never get it to turn!” “It’s been rusted shut for years.” “The ground’s so hard now, the valve is practically buried.”

People whispered among themselves, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Hayden. I certainly didn’t expect him to throw himself onto the ground like that. His veins bulged at his temples and arms as he strained every muscle. But even then, the valve wouldn’t budge. His face reddened with exertion.

“Young man, save your energy. A few strong men already tried, and they couldn’t manage it,” an older neighbor said, noticing Hayden’s struggle.

I grew worried. “Hayden, maybe we should leave it and call someone else.”

Just then, Hayden relaxed. “It’s done,” he said calmly, rising in a single fluid motion, casually brushing off the dirt. “Let’s head upstairs and check.”

Water still poured down the stairs, soaking our shoes. “Maybe we should wait until the water subsides,” I suggested.

Hayden glanced at my shoes, then back at me. “I’ll carry you up.”

My eyes widened. “No, no, that’s not necessary.”

But the words were barely out before my cheeks burned, especially with the increased attention from the onlookers. Hayden’s gaze lingered on my face, as if deciphering something. Then, he said, “I’ll go up and take care of it. Hand me the keys.”

Before I could react, he took the keys from my hand. His fingers brushing mine sent a jolt of electricity through me—a sensation unlike anything I’d ever felt with Jace.

Jace and I had been friends since childhood. Holding hands or hugging had always felt easy, familiar. But there was never that spark, that electric jolt people describe when truly in love. In that moment, I understood Jace’s conversation with Steve about his feelings.

Hayden walked briskly upstairs, water splashing with each step; he almost seemed to glide. For a second, I was lost in the moment, watching him, until an old woman’s voice pulled me back to reality. “Young lady, that’s your boyfriend, right? He’s quite a catch—very impressive.”

“And he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, lying down on the ground like that,” another old woman added. “There aren’t many young men like that anymore. You’re very lucky.”

My face flushed, and a strange flutter filled my chest.

Once the water receded, I went upstairs. The door stood open, the floor awash. I rolled up my pant legs and waded inside, heading straight for the bathroom.

Hayden was there, working on the valve. “This section snapped off,” he explained. “It was probably corroded from years of neglect.”

He was right. The pipes hadn’t been touched in over a decade.

I said nothing, simply watching as Hayden continued. “The pipes in this place are all old and corroded. If you don’t want this to happen again, we should probably replace them all.”

“That’s a huge project,” I said, surprised and overwhelmed.

“It’s not too bad,” Hayden replied, already removing the broken pipe. He glanced at my soaked shoes, frowning slightly as he handed me the broken piece. “You’ll need six of these connectors, a pipe wrench, twenty-two meters of PVC pipe, and four faucets—one for the sink, one for the kitchen, and two regular ones.”

I hesitated, and he realized I wasn’t following. “I’ll text you the list. Just grab it when you go to the store.”

“Hayden, maybe I should just hire someone,” I said, the thought of replacing all the pipes suddenly feeling overwhelming.

Chapter 85