Read Online Treasure on Lilac Lane: A Jewell Cove Novel by Donna Alward - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Donna Alward
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was holding the metal piece with his prosthetic, and the screw clung to the magnetic tip of the drill bit, but he didn’t get it set quite right and the moment he pulled the trigger, it spun off the tip and went careening away, tap-tapping on the floor as it fell.
Rick sighed.
“Do you need help?”
Jess’s voice was soft, coming from the doorway. He looked up, irritated. Her expression had softened and she’d lost that condemning look she’d had when he’d first arrived. Just looking at her made his body react in ways he wished it wouldn’t. It made things damned uncomfortable. How could he possibly be attracted to someone who made him so angry?
“I’m fine.” He retrieved the screw from the floor, then marked the spot, gave it a tap to set the tip, put the bracket back in place, and pressed the drill bit firmly against the top of the screw. To his relief it went perfectly into place.
“Rick, I’m sorry I was so angry.”
For some reason her apology made him nearly as mad as the accusation. Maybe he should do the gracious thing and accept it. He didn’t feel like it. Maybe Jess needed to learn to think before she spoke … and that words were more than just words.
“Okay,” he answered. He picked up another screw. This one was easier now that the first screw held the bracket in place. The drill whined through the silence.
“You’re mad at me,” she said, and he looked up. Sure enough, her eyes were asking for forgiveness. He should give it. He knew that. But because Jess made him feel weak, he held back.
“I’m busy here, Jess. You want your job done or not?”
She turned on her heel and disappeared again.
When she was gone Rick dropped his head and let out a breath. This wasn’t good. His feelings for Jess weren’t exactly friendly. They were more, much more, and she was convinced that he was nothing more than a disappointment.
The old Rick would have shaken that off, put on the charm, and proved her wrong. The problem was, he wasn’t convinced she was wrong. And until he was, he had no business messing around with the likes of Jess Collins.
C HAPTER 5
Jess had just rolled the quilt and was now immersed in making tiny, even stitches. She loved the feel of the needle and thimble, the slight popping sound as the needle poked through the taut fabric, the bubbled texture of the previously quilted spots under her fingertips. Summer Arnold, one of the regulars from Jess’s craft classes, sat beside her looking like the last person to be spending an afternoon with a needle and thread.
Summer’s hair had a pink streak down one side, a silver nose ring looped through one nostril, and her jeans had tears at the knees and thighs. Her youthful face had a healthy glow, though, and she seemed to blend an edgy rebel look with a natural, earthy vibe.
It was a relief for Jess to spend time with Summer, one of the few friends she had who was unmarried. It seemed lately that every time she turned around she was faced with her family and friends and their perfect husbands, perfect families, perfect lives. Sometimes it put Jess’s life in stark relief. It seemed like everyone was married or in love these days. And Jess was alone.
Which was her choice. She’d rather be alone than settle just because she was lonely, but sometimes—not that she’d admit it to another soul—that choice sucked.
She focused on the pieced blocks that made up waves and a sailboat. Summer tied off her thread and grabbed the spool for more. “Hey Jess, I heard you and Rick took some donations to the shelter. How’s he doing?”
Jess started at the mention of Rick’s name. The last few days she’d had to endure his presence in her workroom, and he barely said two words to her. He was still angry at her accusations that first morning. But she’d taken one look at his bloodshot eyes and tousled hair and had known. She wished she had better control over her reactions. It didn’t seem to matter what she knew
Rick sighed.
“Do you need help?”
Jess’s voice was soft, coming from the doorway. He looked up, irritated. Her expression had softened and she’d lost that condemning look she’d had when he’d first arrived. Just looking at her made his body react in ways he wished it wouldn’t. It made things damned uncomfortable. How could he possibly be attracted to someone who made him so angry?
“I’m fine.” He retrieved the screw from the floor, then marked the spot, gave it a tap to set the tip, put the bracket back in place, and pressed the drill bit firmly against the top of the screw. To his relief it went perfectly into place.
“Rick, I’m sorry I was so angry.”
For some reason her apology made him nearly as mad as the accusation. Maybe he should do the gracious thing and accept it. He didn’t feel like it. Maybe Jess needed to learn to think before she spoke … and that words were more than just words.
“Okay,” he answered. He picked up another screw. This one was easier now that the first screw held the bracket in place. The drill whined through the silence.
“You’re mad at me,” she said, and he looked up. Sure enough, her eyes were asking for forgiveness. He should give it. He knew that. But because Jess made him feel weak, he held back.
“I’m busy here, Jess. You want your job done or not?”
She turned on her heel and disappeared again.
When she was gone Rick dropped his head and let out a breath. This wasn’t good. His feelings for Jess weren’t exactly friendly. They were more, much more, and she was convinced that he was nothing more than a disappointment.
The old Rick would have shaken that off, put on the charm, and proved her wrong. The problem was, he wasn’t convinced she was wrong. And until he was, he had no business messing around with the likes of Jess Collins.
C HAPTER 5
Jess had just rolled the quilt and was now immersed in making tiny, even stitches. She loved the feel of the needle and thimble, the slight popping sound as the needle poked through the taut fabric, the bubbled texture of the previously quilted spots under her fingertips. Summer Arnold, one of the regulars from Jess’s craft classes, sat beside her looking like the last person to be spending an afternoon with a needle and thread.
Summer’s hair had a pink streak down one side, a silver nose ring looped through one nostril, and her jeans had tears at the knees and thighs. Her youthful face had a healthy glow, though, and she seemed to blend an edgy rebel look with a natural, earthy vibe.
It was a relief for Jess to spend time with Summer, one of the few friends she had who was unmarried. It seemed lately that every time she turned around she was faced with her family and friends and their perfect husbands, perfect families, perfect lives. Sometimes it put Jess’s life in stark relief. It seemed like everyone was married or in love these days. And Jess was alone.
Which was her choice. She’d rather be alone than settle just because she was lonely, but sometimes—not that she’d admit it to another soul—that choice sucked.
She focused on the pieced blocks that made up waves and a sailboat. Summer tied off her thread and grabbed the spool for more. “Hey Jess, I heard you and Rick took some donations to the shelter. How’s he doing?”
Jess started at the mention of Rick’s name. The last few days she’d had to endure his presence in her workroom, and he barely said two words to her. He was still angry at her accusations that first morning. But she’d taken one look at his bloodshot eyes and tousled hair and had known. She wished she had better control over her reactions. It didn’t seem to matter what she knew
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