A Struggling Dad Worked as a Handyman, Not Knowing the Homeowner Was a Billionaire Falling Hard

Building More Than Just a Porch

Olivia led them through the main floor, pointing out various issues. There was a leaking bathroom faucet and windows that stuck.

A kitchen cabinet door was hanging askew. “The previous owners left it this way?” Sebastian asked.

He was making notes on the pad he always carried. Olivia hesitated.

“No, I’ve owned it for 3 years, but I’ve only stayed here a few times.” The property manager was supposed to handle maintenance.

“But clearly,” she gestured at the accumulating list of problems. “Dad’s really good at fixing things,” Lily declared proudly.

“He fixed Mrs. Moral’s whole house after the storm. She said it was better than before.”

Sebastian felt warmth spread across his cheeks. “Lily’s my biggest fan.”

“It sounds like she has reason to be,” Olivia replied. The genuine respect in her tone caught him off guard.

He was used to clients who treated him as invisible. They saw him as necessary but not worthy of real acknowledgement.

“Here’s the library I promised,” Olivia said, pushing open a set of double doors. The room beyond was stunning.

Shelves lined every wall from floor to ceiling. There was a rolling ladder to reach the highest ones.

A massive window overlooked the lake with a cushioned window seat. It was just as Olivia had described.

Afternoon sunlight streamed in, illuminating dust motes floating in the air. “Wow,” Lily breathed.

Her expression was reverent. “Feel free to explore,” Olivia told her.

“You can pull out any book that interests you.” As Lily darted toward the shelves, Sebastian noticed Olivia’s gaze.

She followed her with a mixture of delight and something else. It was something that looked almost like longing.

“This is an amazing room,” he said. “Does it need work too?”

Olivia turned back to him. “The window leaks when it rains.”

“And I’d like to add some more electrical outlets for reading lamps.” Sebastian nodded, making notes.

“Easily done. I’ll need to check the wiring first to make sure it can handle additional load.”

“I trust your judgment,” she said simply. Again, he felt that strange sensation.

It was the feeling that she saw him. She truly saw him, not just as a service provider.

They continued through the house, compiling a substantial list. By the time they finished, Sebastian estimated it would take three weeks of full-time work.

“I can prioritize the safety issues first,” he explained as they returned to the kitchen. These included the porch railing and the loose step.

He also noted the electrical panel that needed updating. Then he would move on to the comfort items like the sticking windows and cabinet repairs.

Olivia was pouring glasses of water for all of them. “How soon can you start?”

“I can begin tomorrow with the safety issues.” For the larger projects like rebuilding the porch, he’d need to order materials.

That could take a few days. “That sounds perfect. I’m not in any rush,” Olivia replied.

She slid a glass of water toward him across the marble countertop. “And don’t worry about Lily.”

“She’s welcome to come with you if your child care situation remains complicated.” Sebastian felt a surge of relief.

Finding work that accommodated his single father status was always a challenge. “That’s incredibly kind of you, but I don’t want to take advantage.”

“You’re not,” Olivia assured him. “Actually, it’s nice having some life in this house. It’s been empty for too long.”

Their eyes met briefly and Sebastian felt an unexpected connection. It was a shared understanding that seemed to transcend their different circumstances.

Then Lily burst into the kitchen clutching a book about marine biology. The moment passed as they prepared to leave.

Sebastian provided Olivia with a written estimate. Her lack of reaction to the substantial figure confirmed what he’d suspected.

Money was not an issue for her. Yet, there was none of the casual dismissiveness he often encountered from wealthy clients.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Olivia said as they stood by his battered pickup truck. The contrast between their vehicles was almost comical.

“8:00,” Sebastian confirmed, helping Lily into her seat. “Bye Miss Reed,” Lily called, waving the book Olivia had insisted she borrow.

“Thank you for the book.” Olivia waved back.

As Sebastian drove away, he caught one last glimpse of her in his rearview mirror. She was a solitary figure standing before the grand house.

She looked somehow both powerful and utterly alone. The next morning arrived with a summer thunderstorm.

The storm threatened to delay Sebastian’s work. He called Olivia, expecting to reschedule.

But she insisted he come anyway. “There’s plenty to do inside,” she pointed out reasonably.

“And I’ve made cinnamon rolls.” The mention of homemade baking surprised him.

Somehow he hadn’t pictured Olivia Reed as someone who baked. With Lily at a friend’s house for the day, Sebastian arrived alone.

He was drenched despite the brief dash from his truck to the front door. Olivia answered his knock immediately.

It was as though she’d been waiting nearby. “You’re soaked,” she observed, ushering him inside.

“Let me get you a towel.” Before he could protest that he was fine, she disappeared down a hallway.

She returned moments later with a plush white towel. Their fingers brushed as she handed it to him.

Sebastian felt an unexpected jolt of awareness that he quickly suppressed. She was his employer and nothing more.

“Thank you,” he said, drying his face and hair. “Sorry about the puddle.”

Olivia waved away his concern. “It’s just water. Coffee?”

Following her to the kitchen, Sebastian noticed she looked different today. She seemed more relaxed in jeans and a simple t-shirt.

Her hair was loose around her shoulders. The cinnamon rolls she’d mentioned sat cooling on a rack.

Their aroma filled the space. “Did you really make these?” he asked, accepting the mug she offered.

Olivia’s smile held a touch of defensiveness. “Don’t sound so surprised. I can follow a recipe.”

“I didn’t mean—” “I know,” she interrupted, her expression softening.

“And yes, I really made them. Baking helps me think.”

Sebastian sipped his coffee. It was strong and perfect.

“What are you thinking about these days?” The question was more personal than he’d intended.

But Olivia didn’t seem to mind. She leaned against the counter, cradling her own mug.

“Changes. Decisions. I’m at a crossroads professionally.”

“Hence the move to make this your primary residence?” She nodded.

“I’ve lived in hotels and temporary apartments for the past decade. I was always chasing the next deal, the next acquisition.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Sebastian commented. He accepted the cinnamon roll she offered on a small plate.

“It was exhilarating until it wasn’t,” she shrugged. “What about you? Have you always been a handyman?”

Sebastian swallowed a bite of the surprisingly delicious pastry. “No, I was in construction management before Lily was born.”

“After my wife died, I needed more flexibility.” Working for himself let him set his own hours.

He could be there for school pickups and sick days. Olivia’s expression held no pity, just understanding.

“You made the choice that prioritized your daughter.” “The only choice,” he corrected gently.

“Lily needed stability after losing her mom.” They ate in companionable silence for a moment.

Then Sebastian steered the conversation back to the work at hand. “I thought I’d start with the electrical panel today since we can’t work outside.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Olivia agreed. “I’ll be in my home office for most of the day for conference calls.”

Sebastian tried not to notice how the simple t-shirt brought out the green flecks in her hazel eyes. Or how her unguarded smile transformed her face.

“This was a professional relationship,” he reminded himself firmly. Over the next week, a pattern developed.

Sebastian would arrive early, often bringing Lily. She had become enchanted with both Olivia’s library and Olivia herself.

While Sebastian tackled the growing list of repairs, Lily would read in the window seat. Or she would help Olivia with small tasks around the house.

One evening, Sebastian found Olivia and Lily in the kitchen together. This was after a particularly long day rebuilding the kitchen cabinets.

They were making pizza from scratch. Flour dusted Lily’s cheeks.

Olivia was laughing as she demonstrated how to toss the dough in the air. “Dad,” Lily exclaimed when she spotted him.

“Miss Reed is teaching me to make real pizza, not from a box!” “I see that,” Sebastian said.

His chest tightened at the domestic scene before him. “It looks like you’re having fun.”

“Olivia says I’m a natural,” Lily announced proudly. Sebastian raised an eyebrow at the use of Olivia’s first name.

But Olivia just smiled. “She asked if she could call me Olivia instead of Miss Reed. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course,” Sebastian nodded. He tried to ignore how right it felt to see his daughter so comfortable here.

He saw how easily Olivia had slipped into their lives. “You should stay for dinner,” Olivia suggested.

“We’re making enough for an army.” “I wouldn’t want to impose—” Sebastian began.

“Dad,” Lily interrupted with the exasperation only a pre-teen could muster. “She invited us. That’s not imposing.”

Olivia’s eyes danced with amusement. “Your daughter makes an excellent point.”

And so they stayed, eating homemade pizza at Olivia’s kitchen island. They talked and laughed as though they’d known each other for years.

When Lily excused herself to use the bathroom, a brief silence fell between the adults. “She’s an extraordinary child,” Olivia said quietly.

“You’ve done an amazing job raising her.” Sebastian felt the familiar mixture of pride and inadequacy.

This always accompanied compliments about his parenting. “I do my best. Sometimes I worry it’s not enough.”

He worried that she needed more than he could give her. Olivia’s gaze was steady.

“From what I can see, you give her exactly what she needs most. Security, love, and confidence.”

This confidence came from knowing her father would do anything for her. The simple validation brought a lump to Sebastian’s throat.

“Thank you for that.” Another moment of silence stretched between them.

It was filled with something undefined yet palpable. Sebastian found himself noticing the delicate curve of Olivia’s neck.

He noticed how she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was thinking. “Can I ask you something?” he said suddenly.

“Of course.” “What exactly do you do?”

“I mean, I gather you’re successful, but…” Olivia smiled slightly.