staring.”
“You’re beautiful.” He didn’t see any reason to deny it. When her mouth opened and then snapped shut, he grinned wider. Getting to know her had been fun. Throwing her off her game—that was even better. “If you want me to fix your gates, I will—unless you think someone’s going to lock you up.”
At his tease, her shocked silence turned into a scowl, but she couldn’t disguise the twinkle in her eyes. “I don’t know. I’ve been feeling pretty chained up lately, especially to my computer. It’s like I can’t not write. I’ve never written like this before. I go to sleep and I’m thinking about the book. I wake up thinking about the book. I swear I’m dreaming about it, even when I’m awake.”
He wanted to reach for her, but unfortunately she’d backed up a step. He preferred her crowding into his space. “Mac…”
“I bet you think I’m crazy.”
“When you do what you love, it gets like that.” He couldn’t really judge her. He’d been spending hours working around her place just to catch a glimpse of her. The thought sobered his amusement almost immediately. Where the hell had that thought come from?
“Thank you.”
Still puzzling over his own attitude adjustment, Justin frowned. “For what?”
“For being so damn nice. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts.” She rose and held her hand out for his glass. “Do you want more tea?”
No. He wanted a whole lot more than tea. But he wasn’t going to let his mind go there. He had a responsibility to his siblings to make good on their father’s will. Getting Mac to open up to the idea of using Summerfield as a tour stop on Penny Hollow’s haunted house tour had to be his focus, not Mac herself. “I need to get back to work. I want to see how much that structure I can free up. Besides, you have a book to write.”
Her earlier temper fled in favor of a smile. She paused at the door. “Justin?”
“Yeah?” He was halfway down the steps, trying unsuccessfully to get his mind back on the project, but turned to face her.
“Is there any place good to eat around here?”
“The diner closes most nights at eight, but they serve a mean chicken fried steak.”
“Would you let me take you out to dinner?”
Surprised pleasure rippled through him. “How about I take you out?”
“But you’re working on my garden and you’ve been helping me. I owe you pizza, remember?”
“It’s a guy thing.”
“What’s a guy thing?” Confusion clouded her expression. “Food?”
“Helping out a beautiful lady.”
“I’m confused. Is that a yes or no to dinner?”
“It’s a yes, if you let me treat.” He raised his eyebrows and waited.
“You’re already helping me out. Why can’t I buy you dinner?”
He almost felt bad for her confusion. Almost. “Because it’s a guy thing. So, if it’s my treat, dinner sounds just fine. I’m going to get back to work, though.” He pivoted and headed back to the secret gazebo, aware of her staring after him.
“So, six thirty, I guess?” she called.
The woman was going to make him crazy. “Sounds good, Mac. Go write!” He had a gazebo to finish uncovering. Doing so fed his soul in a way he couldn’t explain.
A slither of ice crossed his neck, and he glanced back at the house. Mac had gone inside, but he couldn’t quite shake the memory of the second woman he’d seen earlier. The woman a step beyond Mac. The afterimage remained burned to his retinas. Speaking of hyperactive imaginations… Shutting down that train of thought, he went back to work.
He had a date later, and that was definitely a guy thing.
…
At almost seven, Justin held open the door to the Penny Whistle Diner for Mac. Her invitation had provided him with the perfect opportunity to be friends. She’d changed into a pretty red sundress after he’d run home to shower and clean out his truck. Before he’d left, though, he asked her to avoid looking at the gazebo until he’d finished clearing
“You’re beautiful.” He didn’t see any reason to deny it. When her mouth opened and then snapped shut, he grinned wider. Getting to know her had been fun. Throwing her off her game—that was even better. “If you want me to fix your gates, I will—unless you think someone’s going to lock you up.”
At his tease, her shocked silence turned into a scowl, but she couldn’t disguise the twinkle in her eyes. “I don’t know. I’ve been feeling pretty chained up lately, especially to my computer. It’s like I can’t not write. I’ve never written like this before. I go to sleep and I’m thinking about the book. I wake up thinking about the book. I swear I’m dreaming about it, even when I’m awake.”
He wanted to reach for her, but unfortunately she’d backed up a step. He preferred her crowding into his space. “Mac…”
“I bet you think I’m crazy.”
“When you do what you love, it gets like that.” He couldn’t really judge her. He’d been spending hours working around her place just to catch a glimpse of her. The thought sobered his amusement almost immediately. Where the hell had that thought come from?
“Thank you.”
Still puzzling over his own attitude adjustment, Justin frowned. “For what?”
“For being so damn nice. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts.” She rose and held her hand out for his glass. “Do you want more tea?”
No. He wanted a whole lot more than tea. But he wasn’t going to let his mind go there. He had a responsibility to his siblings to make good on their father’s will. Getting Mac to open up to the idea of using Summerfield as a tour stop on Penny Hollow’s haunted house tour had to be his focus, not Mac herself. “I need to get back to work. I want to see how much that structure I can free up. Besides, you have a book to write.”
Her earlier temper fled in favor of a smile. She paused at the door. “Justin?”
“Yeah?” He was halfway down the steps, trying unsuccessfully to get his mind back on the project, but turned to face her.
“Is there any place good to eat around here?”
“The diner closes most nights at eight, but they serve a mean chicken fried steak.”
“Would you let me take you out to dinner?”
Surprised pleasure rippled through him. “How about I take you out?”
“But you’re working on my garden and you’ve been helping me. I owe you pizza, remember?”
“It’s a guy thing.”
“What’s a guy thing?” Confusion clouded her expression. “Food?”
“Helping out a beautiful lady.”
“I’m confused. Is that a yes or no to dinner?”
“It’s a yes, if you let me treat.” He raised his eyebrows and waited.
“You’re already helping me out. Why can’t I buy you dinner?”
He almost felt bad for her confusion. Almost. “Because it’s a guy thing. So, if it’s my treat, dinner sounds just fine. I’m going to get back to work, though.” He pivoted and headed back to the secret gazebo, aware of her staring after him.
“So, six thirty, I guess?” she called.
The woman was going to make him crazy. “Sounds good, Mac. Go write!” He had a gazebo to finish uncovering. Doing so fed his soul in a way he couldn’t explain.
A slither of ice crossed his neck, and he glanced back at the house. Mac had gone inside, but he couldn’t quite shake the memory of the second woman he’d seen earlier. The woman a step beyond Mac. The afterimage remained burned to his retinas. Speaking of hyperactive imaginations… Shutting down that train of thought, he went back to work.
He had a date later, and that was definitely a guy thing.
…
At almost seven, Justin held open the door to the Penny Whistle Diner for Mac. Her invitation had provided him with the perfect opportunity to be friends. She’d changed into a pretty red sundress after he’d run home to shower and clean out his truck. Before he’d left, though, he asked her to avoid looking at the gazebo until he’d finished clearing
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