His By Design

by Dell, Karen Ann

  Zoe drummed her fingers on the table, then brightened. “Jeff’s dad has a panel van. Maybe I could talk them into transporting whatever I buy. We ought to go tomorrow. I would hate to lose a display case to another eager beaver.”

  “I’m free tomorrow, so I could drive us over. That is, if you can get away?”

  “Of course I can get away. I’m the boss.” Zoe gave a smug smile.

  “Then I’ll pick you up around nine tomorrow. I’d like to meet this guy who has your skirts all in an uproar, anyway.”

  “How did everything go today?”

  Jen was in her usual seat at the table, his dad had the other chair across from her and Jeff used the step-stool drawn up between them. Cartons of Chinese take-out cluttered the tabletop.

  Jeff helped himself to more kung pao chicken and another crab rangoon. “Good, over all. We were a few minutes late but more than made up for it.” He gestured with his chopsticks. “Dad, you were fantastic. We’ll have the rest of the plumbing finished by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Well, it’s what I do. All day, every day. After thirty-five years, I think I’ve got the hang of it now.” He winked at Jen.

  She winked back. “And that’s why every general contractor in Fells Point wants you on their team.”

  “Aaah.” He waved away her praise. “That boss of yours sure is easy on the eyes, Jeff. Seems like a nice young woman, too.”

  Here it comes. He knew his dad couldn’t resist the temptation.

  “Don’t go there, Dad. Nothing is going to happen between Ms. Silvercreek and me. I’m not taking any chances that might keep Jen’s paintings from hanging on that gallery’s walls on opening day.”

  “Well, of course not. But offering to buy her dinner or take her to a movie seems innocent enough.”

  “And what if she sees that innocent invitation as a bribe to get ‘my’ paintings in her gallery? She’ll turn me down flat and that will be the end of a great opportunity.”

  “But—”

  Jen put a hand on his arm. “Stop it, Dad. Jeff doesn’t need your advice on who to date.”

  Jeff shot her a look. Okay for her to give him advice on his love life, but not Dad?

  His dad put his big hand over hers. “And how about you, baby girl? Are you doing okay here?” He looked around the remodeled motel room which Jeff’s carpentry skills had transformed into a cozy one-room apartment. “Do you get out much? Meet anybody new?” he asked hopefully.

  She just shook her head. “You weren’t going to do this, remember? I’m fine, Dad. I get out as often as I want to. And I don’t want to meet anyone new, so let’s just drop the subject, shall we?”

  “You make it sound like taking an interest in my children’s lives is a crime.” He shook his head and concentrated on his plate.

  Jen and Jeff shared a look over his head.

  For most of his childhood, Jeff had had a difficult relationship with his father. He was never into sports, and his preoccupation with art worried his blue-collar father. He was seven years old when his mom had brought home a can of Play-dough, and the first thing he made was a flower for her. She bought more Play-dough. He made birds. And bunnies. And butterflies. No trucks, no dinosaurs, no Jedi warriors. This, along with his slight build and almost angelic beauty, led his dad to the wrong conclusion.

  Jeff spent years trying to allay his father’s fears about his sexual orientation. What hurt him the most was not that his dad thought him gay—he had no problem with gay people—but that the man thought Jeff was a coward for not ‘coming out.’ It wasn’t until the episode with Rusty when he was a freshman in high school that his dad was finally convinced. Still, his dad’s concern with his love life left some lingering doubts. He needed to change the subject before this conversation deteriorated any further.

  “We don’t want to argue with you, Dad. In fact, I need to ask for your help with another part of the reno.”

  That got him a brusque nod. “Sure. What do you need?”

  “The skylights for Zoe’s studio came in today. As long as you’re here, would you mind helping me put them in? Zoe can’t help with that, she’s too small and doesn’t have the strength to hold them while I nail them in place. I was going to hire a temp to help me but as long as you’re here . . .”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks, Dad, I appreciate it.”

  Jeff started closing up the cartons and putting them away in the fridge. Conversation languished and his disgruntled father finished his dinner in silence, until Jen suggested she and he watch Dancing with the Stars.

  Jeff shot her a grateful look, and she mimed him, “You owe me.” He nodded agreement and excused himself. “I’ve got some paperwork to do next door. Let’s get an early start tomorrow, okay, Dad?” His dad nodded and Jeff retreated to his studio.

  He took out his sketch pad and pencil. His ‘paperwork’ was drawing Zoe’s face from several angles. He had a sculpture in mind that wouldn’t see the light of day until Jenny’s need for secrecy was past. These drawings would do for now but sometime in the future Zoe would have to pose for him.

  Naked.

  How he’d accomplish that he as yet had no idea. But he’d been giving it a lot of thought.

  Jeff and his dad arrived right on time the next morning, bearing the usual gifts of pastry and extra coffee. He hoped they would thaw the somewhat chilly air that had settled in yesterday afternoon after he’d refused Zoe’s offer of pizza for lunch.

  The door was unlocked and he assumed Zoe was in the back room. Finding it empty, he called up the stairs. “Zoe? You up there?

  “Yes. I’m trying to decide what tile I want to get for the bathroom. Can you come up for a second?”

  “Uh, sure.” He handed the bag of pastry to his dad with a shrug and took two coffees up to Zoe’s apartment. He was starting to think of it that way now that the rooms were roughed in.

  He found her standing by the windows at the front of the building, the morning sun highlighting her delicate cheekbones and striking gleaming highlights in her dark-brown hair. She wasn’t dressed for work, but wore khaki slacks and a bulky oatmeal sweater that only accentuated her fragile bone structure. He handed her a cup.

  “Tile?” he questioned.

  “No, not really. I just wanted to ask you a favor, but not in front of your dad, in case you decided to say no.”

  He couldn’t imagine any favor she could ask that he’d refuse, unless it was to stop dreaming of her every night. That would be a deal-breaker.

  “Shoot.” He sipped his coffee.

  “Well, two favors, actually. First, can you two get along without my help for a few hours today? I realize I’m not giving you any notice but this came up rather suddenly.”

  Relief poured through him at the thought she would be out of the building while he and his dad did the potentially dangerous installation of the skylights. The idea that he might not be able to get along without her help made him want to smile, but he wisely kept that response to himself.

  “Not a problem. Dad and I have quite a bit to do to finish up the plumbing and . . . stuff. We’ll struggle along without you. When will you be back?”

  “I’m not sure, but probably after lunch. Which brings me to favor number two.” She hesitated.

  “Come on, let’s have it. It can’t be that big a deal.”

  “Amanda, my accountant, is taking me to Cambridge to look at an antique store that is going out of business. The owner is selling off the store furnishings as well.”

  Again she hesitated.

  “I know you offered to build some display cases for me. And I’m sure you would do a beautiful job. But if there are vintage wooden display cases that this guy is getting rid of, and they’re in reasonable condition, I’d like to use them downstairs.” She rushed
on. “They would have such a craftsman-like vibe that I think they would add some of the ambiance I’m looking for. They wouldn’t be as spiffy as yours, I know but—”

  It dawned on him that she was worried about hurting his feelings over some damned cabinetry. He pressed his finger against her lips to stop the flow of words. Normally he’d have assured her that was no problem. But any bit of guilt he could make her feel, the smallest amount of sympathy he could generate, would be one more reason she would agree to hang ‘his’ paintings.

  “I understand.” He spread his hands and kept his voice neutral. “You should do what you think is best for the gallery you’re creating, and if having antique display cases floats your boat, then so be it. We’ll save money on the lumber I would have used for them, so that should help defray the cost of the ones you buy.”

  “Yes, Amanda will like that.” She smiled. “So what I’m going to need is a way to get whatever I buy, if I buy anything at all, from Cambridge to here.”

  Aha, so this was the favor she thought his dad might turn down. Using his van to bring the cases here. Great, another bit of indebtedness would get chalked up in his column. “No problem. I’m sure we can borrow my dad’s van for a couple of hours tomorrow before he leaves for home.”

  “Oh thank you!” Zoe threw her arms around him and hugged him in her exuberance.

  His own arms responded in kind and he reveled in the feel of her body pressed against his, the top of her head tucked under his chin, the fragrance from her hair intoxicating him. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and set her away from him before he could be tempted to kiss her lips.

  “So, do you want to come down and have your morning sugar fix, sweet cheeks?” He brushed a thumb over one cheek to emphasize his point and saw her pupils dilate slightly. They stood so close he’d only need to dip his head to taste the softness of her lush mouth.

  She stepped away and blew out a sigh. “Yeah, that’s what I need. Sugar.” She went ahead of him down the stairs.

  While they finished off Olivia’s goodies, Jeff asked his dad to loan them the van. He readily agreed. “I’ll drive and Zoe can ride with me. You can follow us on your bike.” He winked at Zoe. “That okay with you, young lady?”

  “Certainly. And thank you so much for letting us use your van. It will be nice to chat with you on the ride over and back. Since you’ve been here working, I’ve barely had five minutes to talk with you.”

  No, no, no. Not a good plan. God knows what dad might say about me to Zoe.

  He shook his head. “You won’t have to come with us when we pick up whatever you buy today. Dad and I can load the truck and pay the owner. You can stay here and . . .”

  “No way. I’m not giving up the chance to ride with your dad. I’m going.”

  “Okay, okay. Whatever.” He picked up a carton full of junction boxes and headed for the front of the store.

  “Is he mad at me?” Jeff heard Zoe ask his father.

  “Nah. He’s fine. Just jealous that I get to have you all to myself for a while.”

  You got that right, Dad. Better be careful what you talk about.

  “Considering he gets to have me all to himself every day, he shouldn’t complain. You’d think he’d be grateful to pawn me off on someone else for a while.”

  The tinkle of the doorbell diverted Jeff’s attention from his dad’s conversation with Zoe. He did a double-take. Another knock-out. Blond, tall, slender. When had all these gorgeous women moved to Blue Point Cove? He intercepted her as she headed for the rear of the gallery.

  “Hello, beautiful. You must be looking for the meeting.”

  “Meeting? No, I’m not . . .” She frowned and bit her lip.

  “Aren’t you here for the Beautiful Women of Blue Point Cove meeting? I know my boss is president of that club.” He gave her a slow once-over. “And, by the looks of you, I’d guess you’re the V.P.”

  She laughed and put out her hand. “You must be Mr. Petrosky. I’m Amanda Adams. I’m glad to meet you.”

  “Mr. Petrosky is my father. My name is Jeff.” He clasped her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”

  “Amanda, hi. I see you’ve met my renovation specialist and resident smart-aleck.” Zoe slipped her jacket on. “You two will have to chat more later. Right now we’ve got shopping to do.” She grabbed Amanda’s elbow and steered her toward the front door.

  “What shall I do when the other women show up?”

  Zoe turned back at his question. “Other women?”

  “You know. For the meeting.” He sounded serious although his mouth twitched upward at one corner.

  Amanda grabbed Zoe’s arm and tugged her through the door. “Ignore him. I’ll explain in the car.” She shook her head at him. He winked back.

  She was a very pretty woman.

  But she didn’t hold a candle to Zoe Silvercreek.

  Chapter 7

  The trip to Cambridge was a success. Zoe couldn’t wait to get back to Blue Point Cove and tell Jeff about the beautifully carved oak display cabinets she had purchased. It would be a tight fit to get them both in the back of the panel van, but even if they had to make two trips the reward made it worth the extra effort. Wait until he saw them. She just knew he’d admire the workmanship that went into them as much as she did.

  The ride in Amanda’s car gave them plenty of time to chat and brought their budding friendship into full bloom. Zoe’s spirits rose with each mile on the return trip.

  “I wonder how much they finished while I was out enjoying myself,” she mused. A sliver of guilt slipped under the delight in her new acquisitions. Boss or not, she’d promised Jeff to work right alongside him till the renovations were completed.

  “They might have appreciated having some guy-time since I gather they don’t see each other very often,” Amanda suggested.

  “I hope so. I know there are lots of things Jeff doesn’t want me to do, either because I don’t have the skills or because he’s afraid I’ll hurt myself. Maybe having his dad help with some of the heavy lifting was a good thing. Want to come in and see the progress on my new digs? Now that the walls are framed in you can get a pretty good idea of how it will look.”

  “I would love to.” Amanda parked in front of the gallery and they went inside.

  “Jeff? Frank?” Zoe could hear rhythmic hammering but neither man was on the main floor. The second restroom was plumbed and waiting for the sink and toilet to be installed. That meant her space was probably ready for floor tile and cabinetry. She headed for the stairs. “Come on up. Let’s see what’s new in my place.”

  A short hallway, created to separate the gallery storage area from her space, led to her apartment door. Although none of the doors had been hung yet, Zoe noticed how much brighter the hallway was. When she went inside she couldn’t believe how much daylight flooded her studio area. She looked up and saw Jeff nailing something around the edge of one of her brand new skylights. She clapped her hands to her cheeks.

  “Jeff!” she shouted. No response. “Jeff!” she shouted even louder, then went to stand under the skylight and waved her arms to get his attention.

  “I don’t think he can hear you, honey,” Frank commented from behind her.

  She whirled to face him. “This is amazing. These are amazing. I didn’t even know the skylights were here, let alone that you two would get them in today.” She gave him a hug. “Thank you so much for helping me, us . . . Jeff. I’m just awestruck at the difference in this room.”

  She gestured Amanda to come closer. “Frank, I don’t think you had a chance to meet Amanda Adams this morning before we left. She’s my accountant—and my friend. Amanda, this is Jeff’s father, Frank Petrosky.”

  “How nice to meet you, Mr. Petrosky.” They shook hands. “I understand from Zoe that you’ve gotten a
tremendous amount of work done in the few days you’ve been here.”

  The hammering on the roof stopped and Zoe went to stand under the skylight where Jeff had been working. Getting his attention at last, she blew kisses up at him with both hands, and gestured for him to come down. She turned with a smile. “He’s amazing, Frank. I am so glad he stopped by that first day. I have to admit this renovation would never have moved along this quickly if I’d had to hire a bunch of different contractors. And his plans for this apartment were so much better than what I had envisioned.” She reached over and gave his arm a squeeze. “You must be so proud of him.”

  Frank nodded. “I am, I am. He’s a very talented fellow. And while I can’t take any credit for his artistic abilities, as far as construction goes, I taught him everything I know. Give him a scrap piece of wood, and in a day or so he’ll give you back a horse or a dolphin or—”

  “A bunch of toothpicks,” Jeff interrupted with a dismissive shake of his head. “Enough about my meager talents as a wood carver. What do you think of the skylights?”

  For the second time that day, Zoe threw her arms around him. This time she added a kiss to his cheek. “I-I-I can’t begin to tell you. They’re wonderful. You’re wonderful.”

  Realizing all of her exuberance had an audience, she quickly backed away and attempted to sound more matter-of-fact. “I just told your dad how grateful I am that you stopped to talk the first day you drove by. I mean it, Jeff, I am beyond grateful and I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

  “Glad you’re happy with the work, boss. I can always use another good reference.” He gave her a wink and turned to Frank. “Dad, I’m going back up on the roof to put some pitch around the flashing for those skylights. When I get done, you can help me put the drywall up. As long as you’re going to stay till tomorrow, I might as well take advantage of the extra help.”