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Jena glanced at Grant again. From his short brown hair to his slight smile, he drew her gaze over and over. The conflicting feelings that battled in her made her shift in her seat. Usually, she knew what she wanted, she made a plan, and she followed through and achieved her goal.
But her feelings for Grant wouldn’t cooperate. She shouldn’t even consider him as a dating partner. His apparent disregard for planning and his silly statement about failure being needed for success should have turned her off him completely. But they hadn’t. They just made the attraction she felt toward his physical presence and his kindness and thoughtful words pointless. Because she wasn’t going to date someone just for fun, just because he was attractive and kind.
One moment, she veered toward acting professional and the next she shared about her ex-boyfriend, wanting Grant to know that she might be interested. Not her finest hour.
“Are you seeing anyone new?” he asked with a catch in his voice.
“No. How about you? Some cutie waiting for you back at Manning Ranch?” She smiled to hide the pulsating strobe lights that seemed to be having a party in her stomach.
His face colored, overwhelming his tan. “Uh, no.”
“I’m embarrassing you.” Why was she stating the obvious? “Ah, excuse my Deanna Troi moment.” He probably wouldn’t get her Star Trek: The Next Generation geekery.
He laughed. “Good one. Wouldn’t have expected to find a fellow Trekkie here.”
Some of the tension left her, and that party slowed down to something more comfortable, though she wasn’t the partying kind. She’d only been cajoled to a few by her brother, John, and her friend Alice. But John was in Arizona with the family. And Alice, who’d been in Loving a lot during the summer working at Las Tres Hermanas and building the garden at Dolly’s bookshop, was now busy with grad school and her full life.
“Me either. Especially not in one of the Manning brothers.” There went her mouth again. “I mean...I know you aren’t all the same. Sorry.” She didn’t like it when people assumed she was the same as her brother. The only thing they seemed to have in common, aside from their family, was that they both liked men and Dolly Parton. So why was she making assumptions about Grant based on what she knew of his brothers?
“Thanks. Seven of us—we’re different.”
She knew that. It’s why she said she was sorry. Getting on personal topics had been a mistake. “I should get going soon. But I’d like to hear more about your plans, I mean, hopes for the property.” She was trying to respect his views, but she really didn’t understand his lack of plans. “I could tell Luke and Tim, and that would give them a better idea of what to look for.” There, business lunch back on track.
“Right.” He wiped his full lips on his napkin. Not that she was noticing his lips. They were just there. “How about dessert?”
“I have time for that, so I can hear your ideas.” Not because she wanted to spend more time with him, this cute, available, kind, fellow Star Trek geek.
The waitperson cleared their lunch and they ordered dessert: two apple pies a la mode.
“Do you get special treats from Las Tres Hermanas?” she asked about the bakery that supplied many of the café’s desserts.
“Not really. Being the brother-in-law of one of the owners doesn’t carry as many perks as you might think. This is the first time I’ll get to try one of their pies.”
Three of his brothers were involved with the three women who owned the bakery, so Jena was a bit surprised by Grant’s statement, but then he hadn’t been into town since she’d lived here in Loving, and the bakery had been bustling since they’d opened several months ago.
“Their pies are great,” she said. “I’m still trying everything, and they keep changing it up, so I haven’t chosen a favorite yet.”
“Do you need a favorite?”
“It’s good to have favorites to rely on.”
“Why not just be open to trying new things, to change?”
She leaned back and crossed her arms. “I am. But I prefer having favorites.”
He nodded. “As to the property, I’m looking to build as green as possible, as I said. I have a lot of ideas for the land, but that’s not really relevant to Luke and Company’s bid. Mainly, I envision using reclaimed materials where possible, greywater systems, and I’m still researching using solar here. If you have any ideas on the electrical systems, I’d be happy to hear.”
“I’ll do some research and give my report to Luke. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
Their pie came and they both took bites. The cinnamon and sweet scent eased the discomfort this lunch had brought, though it also reminded her of Grant’s scent, and how she’d felt so mellow and melty in his arms.
“Anything else you think I should know?” she asked, half her pie demolished.
“Nah. I’ll talk more with Luke or your uncle once we meet.” His tone was less friendly now, but still polite. “But thanks for meeting with me.”
“Glad to. Thanks for considering Luke and Company for your project. We’ll be in touch by Tuesday. Are you staying in town?”
He finished his bite of pie. “Yeah. I thought it would be easier. I’m at Mrs. G’s, but you can reach me on my cell.”
She nodded. “Can I pay for lunch?”
“No, thanks, I’ve got it. Thanks again.”
“Thanks, then. Good to meet you.” So much for the friendly connection between them. But that was okay. This was supposed to be business, and as long as that wasn’t messed up, plan completed. She had a job to get to, anyway, and the rest of the ticks on her daily to-do list to check off. Same thing tomorrow, on her weekend schedule.
“Are you going, Jena?” Mrs. G seemed to appear from nowhere to stand beside her.
“Yes, thanks.”
“I need the two of you,” the older woman said, looking slightly frazzled, her short hair sticking up at odd angles.
“Diego, one of my chefs,” she said to Grant, “just twisted his ankle. And an oven is on the fritz. Could you squeeze me in, Jena? And Grant, could you take over the bread baking early tomorrow morning?”
“Sure,” Grant said. “Anything for you, Mrs. G.”
Jena pulled up her calendar. “Would tonight be soon enough? Is it not working at all?”
“It’s working, for now. Tonight will be fine. Grant and I will meet you here. What time, dear?”
“Uh, nine? I’ve got two jobs to finish, and spending the evening with my cousin Clara so Uncle Tim and Aunt Denise can have a date night. If it’s urgent—”
“No, no, nine will be fine. We’ll see you then, won’t we, Grant?”
“Uh, okay, see you.” He stood with Mrs. G, shifting his feet as awkwardly as Jena felt in her gut.
She sure hoped this wasn’t some scheme on Mrs. G’s part. Jena, along with several others, had become aware of Mrs. G and her friend’s matchmaking. She wasn’t sure if it were a real thing or just teasing from Luke and some of the Manning brothers, but she didn’t want to be subject to such an experiment if it were true. No experiments for her. She’d leave that to people like Grant Manning, who could afford to fail.