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“JAKE, I NEED YOUR HELP with something.”
“Zelda? What is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Annie. She won’t get out of bed.”
“Annie? I thought she went back to New York.”
“Why should she? She broke off her engagement. She quit her job.”
“She broke it off?”
Zelda’s frustrated sigh echoed over the phone. “And this is why I told her she needed to talk with you, explain what’s been going on. Damn stubborn. The both of you.”
Jake held his cell phone to his ear with one hand while he signed an order form on the clipboard one of his crew was holding out to him. “So. She’s still here.”
“Yes.”
“Staying with you?”
“For now. Her parents asked her to return with them to San Diego, but I convinced her to stay at the farm.”
“Why?”
“Because, right now, this is where she needs to be.”
It’d been five days since Gracie and Matt’s wedding. “I thought you said the bed and breakfast was booked solid for the next month,” he said as he stalked over to his truck and opened the door. He tossed his hardhat behind the seat before climbing in. “What room is she in?”
“The attic room.”
“How long has she been in bed?”
“Since yesterday morning. I think everything has finally hit her, Jake. I’ve tried to talk with her, but she just lies there, staring at the wall. And she’s not eating.”
He muttered an oath under his breath as he turned the key in the ignition. “Sounds like she might need some professional help.”
“She needs you. You’re the only one who can reach her.”
“I don’t know about that, Zelda. But I’m on my way.”
Fifteen minutes later, he brought the truck to a skidding halt in front of Zelda’s house. Zelda rushed down the front steps to meet him. “Don’t worry about making any noise,” she assured him, her face wrinkled with concern. “All of my guests are out for the afternoon.”
He patted her shoulder, the calming gesture belying his inner apprehension. “Just what kind of noise do you think I’m going to make? Don’t worry, Zelda. I won’t yell at her.”
“Good luck,” she called after him in an ominous tone as he ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He strode to the end of the hall and the doorway that opened onto the stairs to the attic. At the top of the stairs, he paused at the door to the extra bedroom he’d added to the attic last summer. He pressed his ear to the wood panel. Not a sound. He twisted the handle and slowly pushed the door open.
Annie was lying on the full-size bed, her back towards him. It was muggy and sour inside the room, but she was huddled under the covers as if she were in the Antarctic, only the upper half of her head visible and one small, white hand clutching tightly to the top blanket.
Jake took several deep breaths to settle his pounding heart. Zelda’s frantic call had shaken him more than he wanted to admit. His initial anger at the news that Annie was still in King’s Valley dissipated to a numbed calm.
He went over to the dormer windows, unlatched them and shoved them open. Then he sat down on the other side of the bed.
“It’s two o’clock in the afternoon,” he said in a calm voice. “Why are you still in bed?”
“Go away.”
“No.”
She tried to pull the blanket over her head, but he tugged it back. “What’s wrong, Annie?”
“Stop bothering me. Just leave.”
“That’s not going to happen. So why don’t you save us both some time, and tell me what the hell is going on.”
“As if you care.”
“I care.”
“No, you don’t. Not anymore.”
“Is that why you haven’t gotten out of bed or eaten anything since yesterday? Your grandmother’s worried sick.”
Silence.
He unlaced his work boots, kicked them into the corner, and sat down fully on the bed alongside of her, his back resting against the headboard.
She stiffened and then scooted as far away from him as the bed would allow, her head buried in the pillow.
“If I didn’t care about you, Annie, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
When she continued to stay silent, he said, “Zelda told me that you were the one to break off the engagement with Maxwell. I’m glad to hear that. That took a lot of guts.”
“You have no idea,” she mumbled.
“Oh? Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Silence.
“Are you sad about it? That you’re not going to marry him?”
“No.”
At her vehement reply, a spark of relief ignited deep inside of him. “Okay. That’s good. Is it that you’re not working at the gallery anymore? You told me you loved that job.”
“No.”
“No, you didn’t love that job?”
She kicked his leg. “Go away, Jake. I’m not going to talk to you.”
“Fine. Then I’ll just stay here with you. I’m sure Zelda will bring me something to eat soon. She knows all of my favorites. Lasagna. Fish tacos. Fried chicken. She makes the best fried chicken. Or, I could request one of her famous breakfast dishes. Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. Dang. I’m getting hungry.”
Annie kicked him again.
This time he grabbed her leg and squeezed it, just above the knee, before letting go. “That was a pathetic little kick. Too bad you’ve let yourself get so out of shape. I’m thinking of putting together a flag football team with some of my construction crew. We could’ve used your expertise. But you’re way too scrawny now. Nothing but a sack of bones.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It wasn’t meant to be. It’s the truth. Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
She twisted around and glared at him from behind a greasy, tangled curtain of hair. “Stop being so nasty and mean. It’s not helping! Just leave me alone.”
“When was the last time you washed your hair?”
“Why do I feel like I’m talking to the wall?”
“You stink. You need to take a shower and wash your hair.”
She flung back the covers and rose to her knees. “Get out!” she yelled, pushing futilely against his shoulder. Her face was mottled, the whites of her eyes red.
“Don’t yell,” he replied mildly. “There might be guests downstairs.”
It appeared the effort to shove him off of the bed had completely drained her. She flopped down on her back, hands over her face, her body shaking.
His eyes swept over her outfit, wrinkled khaki crop pants and a tee-shirt that must’ve been white at some point in time but was now covered with paint smears of every color imaginable. Some of them appeared ancient. None of them were new. Was this the same shirt she always liked to wear when she was painting years ago? “Looks like you’ve been painting.”
She went still, so still it appeared she wasn’t breathing, until a low, piercing wail emerged from her mouth, coming from some dark place deep inside. Tears seeped from between her fingers. She turned onto her side, her back to him once more, her body shuddering uncontrollably.
He released a ragged sigh and cuddled against her back, wrapping his arm around her waist and hauling her tightly to his chest. His other arm cradled her head, his hand cupping her damp cheek. He made soothing sounds as she cried and cried, gut-wrenching sobs wracking her tiny frame.
He blinked back the moisture in his eyes, shoving down all of his questions and his sudden, disquieting apprehensions, concentrating only on consoling this woman who’d been his best friend.
It was a long while later before the sobs turned into little hiccups, gradually ebbing into silence. She lay relaxed against him, her breathing slow and even. He wondered if she’d fallen asleep, until she said in a small voice, “All my canvases are blank.”
“What?”
“All my canvases are blank. I haven’t been able to paint for over a year. Not since grandpa died.”
He slid his palm up and down her arm in a comforting gesture. “I’m sorry.”
“I thought it’d be different when I came back here. Two days ago, I took my paints and a canvas to the chicken house. I sat there for hours. And nothing.” Her voice caught on a leftover sob. “There’s nothing left inside of me to paint anymore.”
“That’s not true. You’ve just been unhappy. Inspiration will come back to you.”
“What if it doesn’t?” she whispered. “What if they were right all along?”
“Who?”
“My instructors at the academy. Every single art gallery in New York.”
“What about Maxwell? He told me you were an amazing talent.”
“He was lying.”
“Is that why you left him?”
She was silent for so long that he thought she wasn’t going to answer. “Actually, it was,” she eventually confessed. “Everything about him was a lie. I was just too stupid not to know it at first.”
“You’re not stupid.”
“Yes, I am.”
He gave her a little shake. “Stop it.”
She fell into silence again, almost a stupor.
Jake pulled away from her and stood up from the bed. “I’m going to start the shower,” he said firmly. “You’re going to wash your hair and get cleaned up. Then we’ll go downstairs and get something to eat. And then we’ll take a walk.”
“A walk to where?”
“You’ll see.”
***
ZELDA’S FACE SHONE with relief when Jake walked into the kitchen forty minutes later, Annie at his side. But she didn’t ask any questions other than what they’d like to eat. “How about an omelet?” she suggested.
Annie swallowed. “Could you... Would it be too much trouble to make some of your Belgian waffles, Grandma?”
Annie didn’t look at Jake, but she could tell he was smiling.
“Of course! You can both help me. You do the whipping cream, Annie. Jake, there’s a carton of strawberries in the fridge.”
Zelda chatted about this and that as they all worked together to prepare the meal. One couple had left that morning, but she had two more guests arriving that evening. The new girl she’d hired to help with the office work was starting tomorrow. Lindy, her husband and their adopted son, Sam, were leaving for Montana in another week. Bert Wakefield was going with them. “They’re meeting with their architect to review the plans. They’re building a house there, Annie. Did Lindy tell you?” She was talking loudly over the sound of the hand-mixer Annie was using to whip the cream.
“Not yet. We haven’t had much time to talk.”
“They’ll be gone for just a couple of weeks. I’ll have all of them over for dinner when they get back. It’ll be June by then. This year has already flown by so fast.”
Annie set the bowl of cream aside and went to the sink to rinse the beaters. She was still in a kind of daze, less lethargic after taking a shower and washing her hair, but still a bit groggy and shaky. She still couldn’t believe that Jake was here, that he’d talked to her, comforted her, prodded her to get out of bed. He did still care about her. Maybe there was hope of a renewed friendship. That’s all she needed right now. A good friend.
“Are you eating too, Gram?” she asked as she opened the silverware drawer.
“Yes. This will be like an afternoon tea. I’ll make some. Or, would you rather have coffee?”
“Tea’s fine with me,” Jake said as he sliced the strawberries. “I’ve had enough coffee for the day.”
“What time did you start work this morning?” Zelda asked.
“Five. I’m helping my dad with the milking until Matt’s back from his honeymoon.”
“Of course. I forgot.”
Annie set the table and then sat down. Her legs felt wobbly. Jake filled a tall glass with water and placed it at her elbow. “Drink,” he ordered.
She rolled her eyes at him. “I’ve already had a glass,” she reminded him. He’d practically forced her to drink it, telling her he’d shove her into the shower, clothes and all, if she didn’t.
“Drink some more. And you need some potassium.” He snagged a banana from the fruit basket on the table and pulled down the peel before handing it to her. “Here.”
“Bossy.”
His mouth twitched in response. He watched her as she took a piece of the fruit and put it in her mouth. She made a show of slowly chewing each piece, giving him baleful looks.
Zelda set the first waffle, topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream and strawberries, in front of Annie. “Take a bite,” she cajoled. “Tell me if it tastes all right.”
Annie made a wry face at her grandmother. “Your waffles always taste good, Gram.” She released an exasperated sigh as her grandmother and Jake stood watching her like she was an exhibit at the zoo. She picked up her fork, cut a chunk from the waffle and put it in her mouth.
She closed her eyes, savoring the sweetness, the delicious, buttery crunch of the waffle. She suddenly realized that she hadn’t really tasted her food for a long time. All of her senses had been dulled, almost numb, for far too long. “This is delicious, Grandma,” she murmured, opening her eyes and smiling.
Her grandmother blinked rapidly before turning away. “Yours is coming up next, Jake,” she said in a bright voice, busying herself at the counter.
Jake’s quiet sigh compelled Annie to glance up at him. “Thank you,” he mouthed.
His warm smile filled her heart to bursting.
After finishing their meal and helping Zelda with the dishes, Jake gently prodded Annie outdoors. It was a warm afternoon; the hot days of summer were quickly approaching. She tilted her face to the sun, basking in its light, feeling its healing power tingling over her skin.
“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Jake warned.
“I’m not tired.”
“Good. We’ll go this way.”
He set off down the drive. As they cut through the western cherry orchards, she had a good idea of where he was heading. “Not the chicken house, Jake.”
He kept walking. “Why?” he asked over his shoulder.
“I, uh, kind of made a mess in there the other day.”
“Then we’ll clean it up.”
Her spirits sank as they neared the wooden structure. Jake opened the door and gestured to her to enter. She gritted her teeth as she brushed past him and stepped into the space.
It wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. The worst was the shattered glass water jar in one corner, her palette, broken in two, nearby. Tubes of paint were scattered about. The easel lay on its side on the floor, but it appeared undamaged. The canvas had a small tear along the edge where it’d hit the chicken wire.
Jake came to stand beside her, hands on his hips as he surveyed the mess. “This isn’t too bad. Should only take us a few minutes to clean up. I’ll run back to the house and get a broom and some other stuff. Why don’t you pick up the paints? Looks like all the caps are still on. That’s good.”
He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Okay?”
She swallowed. “Okay.”
A short while later, they’d cleaned everything up. Annie stood by the door, a garbage bag at her feet, while Jake continued to shove a push broom across the planks, his movements brisk. Bits of hay and dust filled the air. Catching her eye, he paused in his task, propping an elbow on the broom handle as he observed her.
“See? That wasn’t too bad.”
“It’s almost clean enough to move chickens back in.”
“I’ll send a couple guys over tomorrow to fix the roof. Put in some skylights.”
“Skylights? Why?”
“Because this will be your art studio.”
Her heart caught in her throat. “Jake—”
He held up his hand. “The work can’t be done for free, naturally.”
“You don’t need—”
“So, you’ll come and work for me until it’s paid off.”
“Work for you?”
“Yep. I’m buried in paperwork. I need someone to help in the office, filing, keeping track of work orders and invoices, answering the phone, that kind of stuff.” He gave her a hard look. “It’s not an art gallery, but it’s good, honest work.”
“I’ve never worked in an office before.”
He shrugged. “It’s not that complicated. I’ll have Lindy show you the ropes before she leaves. She came in to help me now and then. How about I split your pay fifty-fifty. We’ll put half of it towards the repairs needed here and the other half you can keep.”
“I have money.” If he knew the pittance she had in her savings account, he’d probably laugh. Living in New York hadn’t been cheap.
“How much? Enough to find a place of your own? Or were you planning to live in your grandmother’s house forever?”
Her cheeks pinkened. “Of course I wasn’t going to do that. I have my land here, you know. The five acres my grandfather left me.”
“What are you going to do? Pitch a tent on it?”
His tone had been casual throughout their conversation, but his eyes were intent, watching every nuance of expression on her face.
She cast him a defiant look. “Actually, I could do that. That might be fun.”
He laughed shortly. “I was joking. Don’t take it as a dare, Annie.”
“I’m not. There’s all the camping stuff in the barn, unless it’s been thrown away. That big eight-man tent. Remember all the times we put that thing together when we were kids? We all spent more summer nights outside in that tent than we did indoors.”
“You’re not sleeping in a tent,” he said firmly. He waved a hand at the room. “How about we make part of this a living space? I’ll sheetrock the walls over in that section there, put in a divider wall. Shouldn’t be a problem to connect to the water and utilities from Ethan’s property.”
She gaped at him. “You’d do all that?”
He smiled at her expression. “Yes. But not for free.”
She set her hands on her hips. “Just how long would I have to work for you?”
He looked into the distance as he did some swift calculations in his head. “One year.” His eyes returned to hers. “Tops.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” she asked, confusion knitting her brow.
“You didn’t hear Zelda’s voice when she called me today and told me you hadn’t gotten out of bed in two days.”
“So, it’s for Zelda’s sake,” Annie surmised, hating the weak tremble in her voice.
Jake propped the broom against the wall and strode towards her, pausing a foot away. He folded his arms across his chest, his face stern as he looked at her. “No. It’s not just for her. It’s for me too. And for you. And everyone who knows us. If you’re going to stay here, we need to be pleasant to each other. Maybe, someday, we can even be friends again. Wouldn’t you like that too?”
She blinked away the moisture in her eyes as she stared up at him. “Yes. I’d like that.”
“Good. Now let’s clear everything out of here and go tell Zelda our plans.”
“Hold on. I need to know more about my new job. Where’s your office?”
He smiled. “I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty on Monday morning. I’ll explain everything to you then.”
***
HIS OFFICE WAS ON THE ground floor of the carriage house on his father’s ranch. Once used to house horse wagons, a carriage and tack back in the mid-1800s, it had been used as a storage place for decades. Jake had helped his dad convert the space into an apartment for one of the ranch hands and his wife a few years back. When that man had bought his own home last year, Jake had taken over the lower level for his office. A few months ago, he’d moved out of the main house and now lived above his office. With Gracie and Matt getting married, he hadn’t wanted to be in their way. The Lancaster house was a bachelors’ home no more.
Jake grinned at the fuming look Annie sent him after he pulled his truck in front of the building and turned off the engine.
“I could’ve walked over,” she muttered. “And I wouldn’t have worn heels.” She waved a hand at her nude pumps, knee-length sage-green cotton skirt, and white, cap-sleeved blouse.
“So thoughtful of you to dress up for your first day on the job,” Jake replied. “You look very neat and efficient.”
“You should’ve told me,” she persisted as he jumped down from the truck cab.
He poked his head through the open window. “Good thing I’m the only guy who’s going to see you today. My crew wouldn’t have been able to concentrate with all the leg you’re showing.”
Annie rolled her eyes at him, but inside she was secretly pleased at the offhand compliment. The old, familiar, teasing Jake seemed to be back. She hoped it lasted.
She gave a low whistle when she entered his office space. “You were right. What a mess.”
“See what I mean?” He indicated the tall file cabinet against one wall. “I bought that a year ago, and it’s still empty. Lindy helped more with the computer stuff. So, your first task will be sorting through all the items on my desk.”
“And the items on the chairs and the floor too?” she asked blandly.
He grinned. “Everything. Sort it however it makes sense to you. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, set it aside for me to look at.”
“Will you be here too?”
“Nope. I have to get over to the job site.” He retrieved a business card from his wallet and handed it to her. “All of my contact info is on there. Cell phone is best. That other number is the phone inside the trailer.”
“Trailer?”
“My mobile construction trailer.” His grin widened at her puzzled expression. “I’ll take you over to the job site later this week. Show you around. Just be sure to wear jeans that day. No heels.”
He gave her one more assessing look before pivoting towards the door. “Take an hour for lunch. You’re done at five. If I’m not back by then, just turn off the lights. No need to lock up.”
He left.
She looked at the empty doorway for a few moments before turning back to the desk. Sighing, she set her shoulder bag on top of the filing cabinet, kicked off her heels, and started to work.
She was sitting on the carpeted floor, neat piles of papers surrounding her, when Lindy walked through the door several hours later.
Lindy grinned down at her. “It probably wasn’t a good idea for you to wear white.”
Annie glanced down at her smudged blouse. She grinned back. “I didn’t know any better. I’ve never worked in an office before. I thought I was going to some fancy office building!”
Lindy’s eyes traveled around the room. “Looks more like a storage shed right now.” She indicated the paper bag she was holding in one hand. “I’ve brought lunch. Let’s go sit outside and eat first. Then I’ll show you everything I’ve set up on the computer.”
Annie stood up. “Is it lunchtime already? I’ve lost track of time.” She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her shoulder bag and followed her friend outside.
They sat at a picnic table in the side yard near the house. Annie removed several plastic containers from her bag and set them on the table along with a bottle of water. “My grandma made enough to feed an army,” she joked as she opened the lids to reveal pasta salad, fried chicken, deviled eggs, a fruit salad and some apple cake. “Help yourself.”
Lindy smiled wryly. “Jo Wakefield—Mrs. Atkinson—lives next door to us now. She’s become quite the housewife. She’s always bringing over dinners and desserts.” She opened her bag, taking out some foil-wrapped items. “Voila! Turkey enchiladas.”
“Your husband moved in to your house?”
“Yes.” Lindy’s face shone with happiness. “It’s been so perfect, Annie. I know it sounds silly, but we’re such a cozy, happy little family. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
“That doesn’t sound silly at all.”
“Just a couple more weeks until the schoolyear is over,” Lindy observed. “No more piano lessons to give. I can’t wait. I need a break. So do my guys.”
“I heard you’re going to Montana?”
“Yes. We’re leaving on Friday. Just for a couple of weeks this trip. We’re building a house near a lake. Swan Lake. It’s beautiful. We’re going to live up there every summer.”
“It sounds wonderful.”
Lindy made a point of clearing her throat. “So, are you going to tell me what’s going on? I was shocked when Jake called me last night to tell me you’d be working for him. Isn’t that going to be just a little awkward?”
Annie shrugged. “It won’t be so bad. We’ve agreed to bury the hatchet. He called it ‘being pleasant to each other.’ I don’t think we can ever go back to the friendship we once had, but I think I’m okay with that. I need to work on taking better care of myself. That’s the most important thing right now.”
“What about Darlene?”
“I’m fine with it. What else can I be?”
Annie knew her blasé attitude wasn’t fooling her old friend. But most of what she’d said to Lindy was true. At least, that’s what she would keep telling herself.
“Well. That’s good.” Lindy gave her a frank look. “You look a lot better than you did last week. Like a huge weight’s been lifted. I guess Jake knows about Maxwell?”
“About the break-up, yes. Not anything else.”
“But you’ll tell him, right?”
Annie sighed. “I don’t know why it matters now. He’s moved on. And I don’t want his pity.”
“I doubt it’d be pity. He’d probably want to fly to New York and beat Maxwell to a pulp.”
“And that’s why I’m not going to tell Ethan or Nate, either. Because you know that’s exactly what they’d do.”
Lindy pursed her mouth in a comical expression. “You’re probably right. I just had a vision of Maxwell’s face seeing all three of those guys barreling towards him.”
Annie’s laugh was a little brittle. “He’d run in the opposite direction, tail between his legs. Bullies usually end up being the biggest cowards.”
Lindy stretched her hand across the table to clasp Annie’s. “I’m so glad you’ve come home, Annie. And it’s so good to see you smiling again. I’ve missed you.”
Annie put her other hand over Lindy’s and squeezed. “I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry for not staying in touch and the way I treated you at Ethan and Jessica’s wedding. Will you forgive me?”
“Of course I will. Don’t say another word about it.”
After lunch, Lindy showed Annie the bookkeeping programs she’d set up for Jake. She also showed her the website she’d created and how to update details on the site pages. It all seemed to be pretty straightforward, but Annie took diligent notes. She didn’t want to let Jake down any further than she had already.
The next few days were a repeat of the first. Jake insisted on picking her up each morning so that they could talk about her progress and the additional tasks he needed done. He hadn’t worked in the office yet, at least not while she was there. He spent each day at his current job site or meeting with prospective clients.
At the end of each workday she walked back to her grandmother’s house, feeling stronger and healthier than she had the day before. It was good to have something to focus on, something that was important and that would help take some of the burden off of Jake’s shoulders.
On Thursday night, he called her and told her to wear jeans and closed-toed shoes to work the following day; he was taking her to the job site around lunchtime. “I always provide lunch to the crew on Fridays,” he said. “You can join us.”
She spent Friday morning organizing the filing cabinet. When he arrived at eleven-thirty to pick her up, he took a moment to survey the room. “It’s beginning to look like a real professional actually works in here,” he said, looking pleased. “Good job.”
She felt her face glowing at his casual praise. Her spirits soared. Briefly, she thought about Maxwell, how she’d lapped up his fake praise like the cats lapped up fresh milk in Tom Lancaster’s barn. She’d followed Maxwell around like a trained poodle, anxious for a kind word, a tiny showing of appreciation. This feeling was different. This had nothing to do with her appearance or her artwork. This was just about her. It felt good.
They drove to the other side of town where a new housing development was going up. On the way, Jake shared with her his excitement at landing the contract, his first major project, and then the hours of sleep he’d lost wondering how he was going to manage it.
“Someone, I think it was Gracie, told me you work eighty hours a week,” she observed.
“This week, with the extra crew I’ve hired, I’ve managed to pare it down to seventy. Next week, maybe sixty.” He hesitated before saying, “Darlene’s happy about that. I’ll be able to take her out more often.”
“Oh. Good. That’ll be nice for both of you.”
“We’ve been taking dance lessons at the Stumble Inn on Wednesday nights,” he shared, his voice casual. “She wants to enter competitions. She’s searching for the right partner.”
“Not you?”
“Well, I’m trying. I was never much of a dancer as you know. I can handle the two-step or a slow dance, but this West Coast Swing she likes doing is a little too complicated for me.”
“Oh.”
“Unfortunately, I have trouble keeping my hat on. The judges take points off if you drop your cowboy hat in competition.”
“Do they? I didn’t know that.”
“It’s probably too much pressure for me,” he confessed with a wry chuckle. “But I’m trying.”
“Darlene must be thrilled that you’re making an effort. Not many guys would.”
He shrugged. “Well, like I said, she’s still searching. She might find a better partner for herself than me.”
Annie couldn’t find a response to that as he turned the truck between two pillars made of river rock and drove down a freshly asphalted street towards four houses in various stages of construction. He pulled up alongside a large trailer and switched off the engine. “Here we are. Oh, you’ll need this.” He reached behind the seat and then handed her a pink hardhat.
She looked at it. “Pink?”
He winked at her. “’Cause you’re a girl.”
“Well,” she retorted huffily. “Isn’t that just a little sexist?”
He barked out a laugh. “Honey, you’re about to set foot onto a construction site. That pink hat is a warning to my crew that there’s a lady present and to knock off the inappropriate language.”
The glitter in his eyes as he grinned at her made her cheeks flush. She glanced away and flipped down the visor so she could see how the hat looked in the little mirror. “Well, that’s very chivalrous of you,” she said, a trace of coyness in her voice.
Something changed in the air around them. She felt him tense. Then he abruptly opened his door and stepped down from the truck. “Let’s get a move on,” he said, his voice washed of all humor. “The pizza delivery will be here in a little bit. I want to show you around first.”
She walked with him around the site, secretly delighted at the way he took her elbow where the ground was uneven, and held her hand as he pulled her up and into each house. None of the houses had outside steps yet, just sheets of plywood, cement blocks, or wood planks here and there that the crew used to get from place to place.
He introduced her to various members of his crew, who were all courteous towards her. Although, as she followed Jake towards the construction trailer, she heard one of the guys give a low, appreciative wolf whistle.
She laughed and glanced up at Jake. His profile was severe. “Someone isn’t getting his bonus,” he said.
“Please don’t do that. I thought it was funny. That kind of thing happened to me almost every day in New York. There was always construction going on somewhere.”
He didn’t reply, but the look he gave her spoke his annoyance at her remark. He helped her up the steps to the trailer and opened the door, his hand against her lower back as he guided her inside. “My mobile office,” he said.
He kept the tour brief. There wasn’t much to it other than an open space with a long folding table surrounded by metal chairs, and a separate office at the end that he shared with the project manager, who was onsite full-time while Jake was working other jobs and cultivating new clients.
But she was impressed with everything he’d shown her, and she said so. “I had no idea of the extent of work that you do,” she confessed. “Most of the time, I imagined you carrying boards and swinging a hammer. Do you know, this is the first time I’ve ever come to a place where you worked? Why didn’t I do that before?”
His mouth compressed into a solemn line. “I didn’t want to bother you. By the time I was working construction full-time, you were totally focused on your art.”
She tilted her head to one side, giving him a puzzled look. “I wouldn’t have minded being bothered about something like that. Was I really that selfish?”
“It could be interpreted that way, yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me so back then?”
“Isn’t there some saying about love being blind?”
There was a knock on the door before it was yanked open. “Pizza’s here, Boss.”
As much as it was hurting her inside, Annie wanted to continue their conversation. Until she saw the relief lighting Jake’s face. “Let’s go eat,” he said. “Then I’ll take you home. You can knock off work for the rest of the day. I have plans for the weekend, so I probably won’t see you again until Monday morning.”