Jackson stepped back. “No way.”
“I promise I’m not trying anything. We’ve known each other a long time. I hate how things have been between us. I’d like to try to mend that if I can. Be friends.”
“What about ‘Don’t expect any help from me’? That’s what you said the last time we talked.”
Hannah raked her hand through her hair. “I’d just found out you were engaged. I was mad and hurt and...handled it wrong.”
Jackson studied her a second and then shook his head. “No. No way. You cheated on me, lied to your dad about why we broke up, and then have the nerve to come here and try to work things out? There’s nothing to work out. We’re done.”
“It’s my fault Daddy is doing this. Let me stay and help you get it ready. I know how much this house means to you. Would it hurt to have another set of hands working to get this place back in shape?”
“How about fixing it so I don’t have to have another set of hands. Tell your dad to back off.”
Hannah sighed loudly. “I tried, Jackson; I did. He’s convinced this is the best way to get us back together. I told him to stop, but he just wouldn’t listen.”
“And I’m supposed to believe anything you say? All of this is your fault.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here. This is the only way I know how to help fix things. Let me stay and help you.”
Part of Grace knew it would be beneficial to accept Hannah’s help, but the other part wanted to beat her to a pulp. It was all so confusing, and she didn’t know why her hackles were raised. Jackson wasn’t really engaged, not that Hannah knew that, but he was as far as she was concerned, and a little voice kept whispering in Grace’s ear that Hannah wasn’t to be trusted. Hannah might say she just wanted to mend things, but Grace knew from overhearing their last conversation that she wanted more than that.
What did it matter if Hannah wanted him back? Grace wasn’t looking for a relationship. If Hannah had really changed, didn’t Jackson want to know? Without debating further, Grace stepped out of the stall. “I thought I heard voices.”
Jackson and Hannah both jumped and looked at her. Grace’s guess was that they’d been so caught up talking that Jackson forgot she was working in the barn. Grace’s gaze drifted from Jackson’s surprised face to Hannah’s. Hannah may have been trying to be subtle, but Grace caught the slight narrowing of her eyes and the way her jaw tightened. Oh yeah, Hannah had her boxing gloves on, and she was looking for a fight.
Hannah quickly recovered. “Hi. Grace, right?”
Like she didn’t remember? “Yes, that’s right. I’m so sorry our announcement came as a shock the other day. I’m known for speaking before I think. I should have let Jackson handle it.” Grace let her gaze rest on him.
“That’s okay, sweetheart. Most likely, it would have been a shock no matter who told her.” He stepped away from Hannah and walked to Grace, sliding his arm around her as he stopped. Within seconds, his lips were on hers, and she couldn’t stop herself from melting into him. That first kiss was done and over before she knew it, but this one felt different.
The first time he kissed her, she’d shrugged off the little flutter of butterflies nestling in her stomach. It’d been a long time since she’d kissed someone, so of course it would feel tingly.
This time there was no dismissing what this kiss was doing to her. A fire bloomed in the pit of her stomach as he circled his other arm around her. He was deliciously warm, and his lips were soft. She slid her hands up his chest, feeling the muscles tense as she did.
With a small probe, her lips parted as he deepened the kiss. He was honey, all sweet and gooey, sticking to all the parts that felt dry and lifeless. His hand slowly glided up her back and into her hair. He was making her head swim, and if he wasn’t holding her, her knees would have already given out.
When he broke the kiss, he held her gaze for just a breath and then pressed his lips to each of her cheeks. As he let her go, he slipped his hand into hers and faced Hannah. “I don’t want you here.”
Grace’s heart skidded to a stop. Oh, right, Hannah. That’s what that kiss was. It was a show for Hannah. How many more times would he be kissing her like that if Hannah was living at the house? Was she going to regret butting in and blurting out that they were engaged? If he kept kissing her like that, she would. How on this green earth was she going to survive kissing him on a regular basis?
What? It was silly. It was a simple kiss. Nothing more. She’d be fine. They were partners. That’s all. She liked Jackson, and Hannah wasn’t good for him. All Grace was doing was protecting him. There wasn’t anything else going on. And it wasn’t like they’d be making out every chance they got. They’d only be that way when Hannah was around—which would be all the time. Maybe she could figure out a reason to keep them from having to be physical all the time.
Under normal circumstances, Grace would suspect Hannah wouldn’t last five seconds working. That girl was built for high society, not stinky, animal-laden ranches. But there was a resolve in the way she eyed Grace.
Grace didn’t peg Hannah as the cowboy type either. Then again, three days ago, Grace hadn’t been either.
Good grief! Where did that come from? Cowboys weren’t her type either. The thought flitted through her mind, and she glanced at Jackson. Cowboys might not be her type, but this man sure was. He was sweet, passionate, and, boy, could he kiss. It was a wonder she still had her socks on.
Hannah’s smile looked forced. “I was telling Jackson that I wanted to stay and help fix up the house. It’s my fault that my dad is foreclosing, even though I asked him to stop, and I want to make up for it. Jackson told me no, but I know you could use the help.”
Grace wondered how much she was going to regret this. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt having more help.”
Jackson jerked his gaze to her, confusion etched across his face. He tipped her chin up. “Honey, are you sure you want to do this?”
He stared into her eyes, searching for her reasoning. Those green pools of his only seemed to grow deeper every time he locked eyes with her. And now, she was noticing how deep and soothing his voice was. Understanding softened his gaze after a moment, followed by caution.
Oh no. Maybe he didn’t want to spend time around Hannah. She should’ve considered his feelings before rushing to accept. “Are you okay with it?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. We can handle getting the house fixed up by ourselves.”
At first, her heart swelled at the words, but of course, they had to keep up the charade for Hannah. It said a lot about Jackson’s character that he would think to be concerned about how a real fiancée would feel in this situation. Not to mention the fact that he was so opposed to it in the first place. “I think we should take Hannah up on her offer. An extra pair of hands wouldn’t hurt.”
Jackson’s eyebrows knitted together. “I don’t know, Grace. I don’t want Hannah here.”
Grace chewed her bottom lip and took his hand, “We need to talk for a second,” she said to Hannah before pulling him to the other end of the barn, away from Hannah. When she stopped, she let his hand go as she looked up at him. “Tell me what you’re really thinking.”
“I don’t want her here. I know her, and she’s only wanting to cause trouble.” His voice was low, and she could hear the strain in it.
“Okay.”
His eyebrows knitted together. “Just like that, you’d give in?”
“We’re a team. If you don’t want her here, she’s not staying.”
His gaze held hers for heartbeat after heartbeat as a small breeze picked up and the smell of hot hay swirled around them. “What do you think?”
“I think we have three months to work on this house, and we’ve got someone willing to help us. As long as we tackle her like we tackle this house, we’ll be fine. It’s free labor, and as frustrating as she might be, I think it’d be unwise to turn down the help.”
Jackson nodded and rubbed his hand over hi
s mouth. “You’d be okay with her staying here?”
“I’d be fine. I know what she’s up to.” Grace smiled.
He returned her smile, and his eyes twinkled. “All right. If you can handle it, I can handle it. Let’s go tell her.”
As they walked back to Hannah, Jackson tangled his fingers in Grace’s again. They stopped in front of Hannah, and with his eyes locked with Grace’s, a glorious smile spread on his lips. “Fine, we’ll take the help.” He pulled his gaze from Grace and it landed on Hannah. “You try anything, and I mean anything funny, and you’re out. Do you understand?”
Hannah chewed her lip and nodded. “I understand. I did bring my clothes, just in case you said yes. I figured it’d save time if I could jump in right away and help.”
“That’s fine. Grace’s room is the second on the left. Mine is the second on the right. You can choose one of the other two rooms. Okay?”
Hannah grinned and rocked on her heels. “This is going to be great. We’ll get this house together and show Dad just how great it can be.” With that, she bounced out of the barn, leaving Grace alone with Jackson.
He turned to her. “You sure you’re okay with her staying here?”
Grace shook the cobwebs from her brain and smiled. Why was his voice so noticeable now? Was it the same deep timber when she first met him? What had happened to make it so luscious suddenly? “Are you kidding? One more person helping us? It’d be crazy to turn her down. Are you okay?”
“I don’t know what she’s thinking. I am done with her, and there’s no going back.”
Grace wasn’t going to let the question slide. “That didn’t answer my question.”
Jackson pulled off his hat and let it hang by his side. “Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t tell when she’s lying or not. Guess that makes me one dumb, gullible guy, huh?”
He couldn’t really think that. Grace took his hand and held it between hers. “No, it doesn’t make you dumb or gullible. It means you’re trusting, even after having been through such a tough time. It means you’re strong and you didn’t let all that bad stuff change who you are.”
They stood there quietly for a second before Jackson smiled. “Well, we’ll see how long Hannah lasts.”
Whatever it was that was really bothering him was behind a wall, and Grace understood that. She’d let it go and hope that maybe as they worked together, he could trust her a little more. “She could surprise you.”
“She hates the smell of anything barn-like. Work is a four-letter word to her. I can’t see her lasting more than a day.”
Grace almost snorted. Jackson didn’t see Hannah’s determination. If all the woman got out of staying at the house was breaking up Jackson’s relationship, it would be mission accomplished for Hannah. Of course, Grace didn’t say that, but the thought was like a neon sign. “Well, extra help for a day is better than nothing.”
“Yeah, but it also means,” he looked over his shoulder, “that we’ll have to pretend we’re a couple. Are you okay with that?”
Not by a long shot, her head screamed. What came out of her mouth was, “Sure. We know where we stand. Right?” She hoped it sounded as convincing as she wanted it to sound.
Heartbeat after heartbeat, Jackson remained silent. A strange look crossed his face, and then he said, “Absolutely, you’re my designer. This is a business partnership.”
“Great. We should be fine.” She smiled, her heart sinking a little. For a moment, she thought he was going to protest. Why did it sting a little that he didn’t? No, he was right, and if he could stand strong, so could she. “You think she’ll want to go camping with us if she lasts that long?”
Jackson threw his head back and laughed harder than she’d ever heard. “Hannah? Camping? There could be a zombie apocalypse, and she’d be looking for a hotel. No, she won’t be going. She’s not like you.”
Why did that last sentence feel like a cut? Surely he didn’t mean it like it sounded. She lifted her chin. “Nope, she’s not. I’m going to get my stall finished so we can dig through more boxes, okay?”
“All right.”
Grace spun on her heel and walked back to the stall she’d been working on. As she stepped inside, she caught a tear running down her cheek. She’s not like you. What did it matter that he thought of her like that? They had a shared goal, and he was being nice enough to let her stay at this grand old house as a favor. It’s not like they had anything like feelings going on. Well, other than the love of the house.
With a deep breath, she picked up the pitchfork and threw herself back into the work. No thinking allowed. Just sweat, hard work, and nothing else.
Chapter 10
“This wallpaper was put on with superglue. It had to be,” Hannah said. It was the fourth day of her so-called help. Okay, it was helping, but it came with the price of her whining.
Jackson cut a glance at her and shook his head. How many times was she going to say that? He’d had a count going, but he lost track after the twentieth time. “It’s an old house. I don’t even know how long this wallpaper has been on here, and with all these windows in this dining room, the sun baked it on.” He went back to sanding his section of the wall.
Grace and Hannah were working on taking down the wallpaper, and he’d come behind them, sanding off the stuck-on glue. It was grueling work, and if they didn’t have air conditioning, it would be downright miserable. That was not a challenge, he thought as he looked up. They didn’t need anything breaking down.
“Why didn’t you and Quincy stay here?” asked Grace. She never complained, and she could talk and work at the same time. Add some gum, and she could almost join the circus as a side act.
It had been easy to pretend he was engaged to her. They’d been so busy with the house that they’d only had time for a few kisses here and there. Although, it was awkward to go to town with her the day before to apply for the marriage license, even if it was pretend. They told the clerk to mail it so they didn’t have to wait around with all the prying eyes from the small town. Who knew what people were saying about them at this point.
“Quincy didn’t want to take care of it. He liked living close to his shop. And living out here would have meant I couldn’t walk to school or visit my friends as much. He never said it aloud, but I think he lived in town because he thought it was best for me.”
Grace caught his gaze for a brief second and smiled. “Did he have any children of his own?”
“No. He was briefly married before my dad split. She left shortly after I moved in. I often wonder if I had anything to do with it.”
Without looking at him, Hannah said, “She may not have wanted kids, so it’s a possibility.” He knew she meant it as a way to cut him. Oh, she’d act innocent, but that was Hannah.
“Hannah!” Grace stopped pulling wallpaper. “Just because you think something doesn’t mean it has to fall out of your mouth. Their relationship could’ve had any number of reasons for not working out. You can’t lay that kind of thing at the feet of a little boy.”
Jackson shrugged. “She’s probably right.”
Grace stalked over to him, took his chin in her fingers, and locked gazes with him. “Good riddance. Your uncle taking you in was sweet and kind. And look at you. Any woman would be proud to call you their son. Now, don’t you ever think like that again.” She turned to Hannah. “And don’t you ever say anything like that to him again.”
“Okay, geez, I didn’t mean to start anything,” Hannah said.
Grace let his chin go and stalked back over to her section of the wall, attacking the wallpaper with renewed force. It almost seemed like she was seething.
He ducked his head to hide the goofy smile on his face. His skin tingled where her fingers had touched him. Grace had prickled like a porcupine. And she’d done it while defending him. He couldn’t remember a time when anyone had done that. Hannah sure hadn’t.
After a few minutes, Grace seemed to be back to her normal, unagitated self. “I was thinking
after lunch, we’d take an hour and go through a few more boxes.”
“How many boxes do you think are in the attic?” Hannah asked as she cut a glance at Jackson.
He rubbed his knuckles along his jaw. “I don’t know.”
Grace piped up. “We need to have a system to put those records in chronological order. For now, we could just stick up a sheet of paper on the wall with the decade and put the correlating box under it. That way we aren’t messing with boxes we’ve already looked through. Guess I should’ve thought of that sooner.”
“Wow, you aren’t perfect,” Hannah muttered.
Grace stopped working and glared at her. “No, I’m not perfect. I never said I was. I need to use the restroom and wash my face. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She shot Jackson a quick glance and started to walk out of the room.
Before she could get through the door, Jackson grabbed her hand and stopped her. He put his arm around her, tugging her tightly against him. He put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Thank you for standing up for me.”
He pulled back, and a smile played on her lips.
She cupped his cheek, and for a breath, she locked eyes with him before pressing her lips to his. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Should he kiss her back? It was a show for Hannah, wasn’t it? That’s why Grace was kissing him, right?
Did he care? Not one bit. He returned the soft kiss, and it was like a green light had flashed. Her lips parted as she circled her arms around his neck. His body felt like it was on fire. He picked her up by the waist and whisked her out of the room. Pinning her against the wall just outside, he held her face as the kiss grew more heated.
Grace broke the kiss and whispered low enough he barely heard her, “You think Hannah believed that?”
“I believed it,” he whispered back and shook his head. “I mean, yeah, I think she believed it.” Honestly, he didn’t care if Hannah believed it. He set Grace’s feet on the floor but kept his arms around her.
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