“Thanks, Sam, I would love some lemonade.” Edee glanced at her dance partner. “Hi, J.T.”
A streak of red fur dashed through the door, pushing past J.T.’s legs.
“Who is this?” Edee dropped to her knees to look at the dog, glad for any excuse to hide her surprise at J.T.’s presence. When she snapped her fingers, the red dog darted to her side.
“This is Droopy. Sam bought him while we were working on the house.”
“He was supposed to be a puppy for Ellie—”
Ellie grinned over her shoulder as Sam added ice cubes to glasses of lemonade. The love the couple shared in their exchanged glances filled Edee with longing. Lost under a wave of emotion, her head snapped up when Ellie spoke. “Droopy decided he wanted to belong to both of us.”
Sam huffed, pretending impatience, but even from half way across the room, Edee felt the couple’s connection as Sam moved to Ellie’s side. “She has that dog spoiled rotten. He even grins for her. Show them, Ellie.”
Laughing, Ellie dried her hands on a towel and dropped to her knees. Ben twinned his tail around her legs. Droopy dashed over to stand in front of her, his body wiggling in excitement. Murmuring silly noises to the dog for a few seconds, Ellie said, “Show me toofies, Droopy.”
The red dog rolled his lips back and showed his teeth, looking as if he were grinning as Ellie clapped her hands and laughed. “Good doggie! Good boy!”
The large cat sat back on his haunches, staring from woman to dog, with a superior look on his face.
J.T. shook his head. “That dog is rotten.”
Edee looked from the dog almost twisting in half with pleasure, to J.T. “Have you taught your dog any tricks?”
“You have a dog?” Sam demanded in surprise.
Color slashed J.T.’s cheeks. “I picked up one of the mutts hanging around downtown, took him out live with Mr. Jensen.”
“That is the scrawniest little dog I’ve ever seen.” Edee couldn’t pull her eyes away from the flush in J.T.’s face. “He doesn’t have fur, just a row of scraggly hair down his back.” Thinking of the pitiful looking animal, she asked. “What did you name him?”
J.T. scratched Droopy’s ears, then turned his attention to the cat twinning around his ankles. “Rascal seemed a good choice.”
“You have a dog.” Sam repeated, as if in a trance. His eyes glazed over.
J.T. felt the walls closing in on him. Taking that scrawny dog home had seemed the decent thing to do. Ole man Jensen didn’t mind. And J.T. felt better seeing the dog’s ribs disappear after several meals. But he didn’t want to stop to analyze his actions. Owning a dog…any animal, smacked too much of settling down, and he hadn’t made his mind made up on that topic, yet.
He had bought a building. But he could always sell out and move on if things didn’t work out. Acquiring a pet hinted at something more permanent, something solid. Something leading to letting people get close.
He sure as heck wasn’t ready to expose his feelings to an audience. Ignoring Sam’s intent look, he turned to Edee. “So, have you decided about the work on your house?”
Edee jerked as if someone had slapped her face. J.T. clenched his teeth, wishing he had kept his mouth shut. He had intended to divert attention away from the topic of his dog, not cause her react like a deer caught in headlights.
What was wrong with her? Even from across the room, he could see her jaw working. When would he learn to keep his mouth shut?
Blinking wide eyes, Edee cleared her throat. “I was just telling Ellie what a good job she and Sam have done on this house.”
J.T. watched Sam’s thoughtful expression as he looked from Edee to J.T. and his gut twisted. Sam knew him too well.
“Remodeling is hard work.” Sam offered as he washed his hands at the sink, and turned, still wearing an inquisitive look on his face.
Closing the refrigerator, Ellie placed tomatoes and lettuce on the counter. “I bet J.T. could use the work until he gets established in town.” She looked up from slicing tomatoes. “Sam told me your permits still haven’t been approved.”
The two men exchanged glances.
Clenching his jaw, J.T. bit back a string of words that would have turned the air blue. He had wanted to refurbish that house since he was a kid. But he wanted to do it his way. He wanted to own the house before he did the remodeling. Now that he’d reached a deal with Edee for dance lessons in exchange for fixing her roof, he needed to keep his distance the rest of the time.
Spending time with Edee, holding her close during the dance lessons, made his feet itch and his nerves jump. For the last two days, every time he started the engine, he had to fight the urge to keep on going and steer his truck of town.
“Uh, I’m making plans for the Beasley building—”
The panic on Edee’s face stopped his words for a few seconds. Did she need help to get work done on that house?
“…but I offered to take a look when Edee gives the word.” He clamped his mouth shut as he saw Sam and Ellie exchange a speaking glance.
Silence filled the room.
Outside, the crowd mingled on the patio and laughter floated in the screen door, while in the kitchen, Ellie stared from Edee to J.T. with eyes as big as saucers.
His mouth hanging open, Sam stared at J.T.
Edee just looked at him. Her dark eyes filled with emotions he couldn’t decipher. Was she clenching her fists because she wanted to say yes to his offer, or was that a no? All he knew was the room suddenly felt like a funeral parlor as he added in a faint voice.
“Or not, your decision,” and with those decisive words, he turned and left the house, with Droopy on his heels.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Thanks for standing up for me at the town council meeting last night.” Edee said as she held the front door open for J.T.to squeezed past carrying a large board.
Her breath shuddered when his arm brushed hers and she inhaled the scent of soap and something tangy and masculine. Breathing deep, she fought to hide her reaction to his presence.
It was one thing to admit she was attracted to him when other people were around, like Friday night at Ellie’s cookout, or last night at the town council’s regular Monday meeting. But having J.T. in her own home, made her feel his presence on a personal level, and she longed for a dream she didn’t dare pursue.
Putting one end of the large piece of plywood on the floor, J.T. leaned the board against the wall. “You’re still a business owner, even if you vacated the office.”
“Well, it was still nice of you to defend me.” She tried to keep a stern expression on her face, but grinned as she added. “And you made it impossible for me to get out of that kissing booth.”
“Ahhhh, now I see.” His eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked at her. “You counted on objections to eliminate you from working at the festival.” He nodded. “Too bad you didn’t tell me.” Tearing his gaze away from hers, he stared at the sheet of plywood. Are you sure about helping me carry this to the attic?”
Hands on her hips, Edee glared. “Are you implying I can’t manage one end of this board?”
She didn’t intend for him to do everything just because he was working in her house. Dance lessons and designing his website weren’t physical work like he was doing.
When he shrugged, she returned to the topic of last night’s meeting. “I thought Stan was a friend from high school.”
Lifting his end of the board, J.T. started up the stairs. “That doesn’t mean I have agree with everything he says.”
“You mean,” Edee panted, noticing that each stair seemed steeper, and she had to watch out for Albert at every step. “You don’t think the stray dogs roaming around town should be put down?”
Once he reached the attic, he waited for her to ease her end to the floor. Then, checking to make sure the cat wasn’t in the way, he leaned the board against the wall.
“Those dogs aren’t useless just because they’re homeless.”
Her
ears practically twitched at the tone in his voice. Being homeless seemed to be a touchy point with him. “If no one wants to take them in—”
Shifting the board to spot he needed it to replace the water damage that had rotted out part of the support under the attic window, he blew out a gusty sigh.
“Look at my little guy.” With a heave, he moved the board in place, and almost stepped on Albert’s tail. “Rascal is a great little dog.” J.T. reached for his tape measure and the pencil over his ear.
Watching him, Edee grinned. Something about the sight of J.T. with a pencil sticking out of his hair made her smile. “Is he still timid?”
“Yeah, but he’s coming out of that.” J.T. turned to her and grinned. “He sits up tall in the front seat of my truck as if he was born to ride with me.”
Edee laughed, but she wasn’t ready to let subject rest. “So, what was really going on at the council meeting?”
Brows arching, he looked up from measuring. “Meaning?”
Edee passed him the L-square he pointed. “You just bought an empty building in the middle of town. Why aren’t the council members happy? Why are they giving you a hard time over renovation permits? I don’t understand why.”
Marking the board with the metal L-shaped ruler, J.T. heaved the board to the sawhorses before Edee could scramble to her feet to help. “They weren’t giving me a hard time. That’s how it goes with building permits.”
Edee gave him a doubtful look. His words seemed calm, but she saw the shadows in his eyes and her heart twisted. She and J.T. had a lot more in common that she realized.
He wanted a home, just as she did. She could sense it in the way he responded to the negative comments that day in the diner, and then again last night at the meeting.
Both of them were alike, but they were different, too.
This was J.T.’s hometown. Even if he was getting the cold shoulder, he still belonged. And he knew that. Look at the way he seemed more interested in getting his business going than people’s reactions.
She was the one who wanted to put down roots in Redbud. Yet, neither of them seemed to be making much progress. People were friendly to her, but no one seemed interested in hiring her to do their web site designs.
“Did you go to school with Stan?”
“Yep,” his brow arched as he put the saw down and smoothed the edge with sandpaper, “and Aaron, Sam, Brandy—”
Edee held both hands up and laughed. “Okay, I get it.”
But she didn’t. Not really. Why was there tension around J.T. when he mixed with the older residents? He didn’t instigate the strained atmosphere. His easygoing charm and wide grin were like an open book.
So, why couldn’t she read between the lines? Why couldn’t she figure out what made J.T. Knight tick?
Pushing Albert off her lap, Edee rose to her feet, brushing sawdust from her jeans. A better question might be, why was she so interested in learning what motivated J.T.? Frowning at the thought, she turned toward the door. “I need to work on my web designs. Give a yell if you need me.”
Rushing to the turret room as if hounds were on her heels, instead of Albert, she rolled her eyes. Why had she said that? Give a yell if he needed her, indeed. Jacob Troy Knight didn’t need anyone. The air around him crackled with energy and competence. She must be out of her mind for thinking he did. Or was it wishful thinking on her part?
Once safely in the room, she dropped to the chair behind her desk and heaved a sigh. Short answer, she wasn’t thinking. She was reacting to the flutter in her chest every time she was close to J.T. or saw the shadows in his eyes turn a dark turbulent green.
And she still didn’t have answers.
J.T. wasn’t talking. If she knew what was good for her, she would get busy and try to forget him.
***
“When are we going to practice those dance lessons? The festival will be here before you know it.” J.T. said as he leaned against the turret door.
Looking at the sparkle in his eyes and the width of his shoulders caused her nerves to twist in knots. How was she supposed to survive spending hours in his arms teaching him how to dance?
Yet part of her couldn’t wait. Her heart was about to pop out of her chest in excitement. But maybe it had nothing to do with the way the green t-shirt hugged J.T.’s broad chest, and everything to do with staring at her computer screen too long.
A glance at her watch showed hours had passed since she started work on his website design. Hours she had been conscious of pounding and sawing as he worked inside the house, while overhead, quiet had returned. The roof was finished, thanks to J.T.’s connections and the swift work of the men he employed.
But with the workmen’s departure, she and J.T. were alone and that added to her tension. Without anyone to interfere with her imagination, she thought about the two of them facing the future just as they were today…working from the same house, sharing, caring…
And those thoughts would get her in trouble, fast. Forcing her attention away from her fantasies and back to reality, she met J.T.’s gaze.
“I-I…when did you want to practice?”
J.T. straightened away from the doorframe. “I need to run over to the craft shop this afternoon. Susie has a problem with one of the antique display cases.” He grinned. “I thought we could run over to Mt Airy for dinner after I finished.” He held a hand up when she opened her mouth. “We could take a few steps after dinner…get in some practice.”
His words hanging on the air, Edee forced her lips together. Dinner with J.T. was not part of her plan. Dancing lessons weren’t her idea, but that was part of their bargain.
No more bartering,
She promised herself an hour later as she changed clothes for the third time…or was it the fourth? She didn’t even want to know. But one thing was certain, thoughts of J.T. set her nerves on edge, kept her from concentrating, and took away her appetite.
His easy charm made her want things she had tried to avoid, the same things that filled her mother’s life with misery. But something about J.T.’s strength made her want to protect him, too.
Nothing about the situation she was in made sense. Pulling her belt out of Albert’s claws, she dragged another dress over her head.
Going out with J.T. was a mistake.
She should have insisted on some informal lessons in the living room. If they stayed here, she could give him a few pointers, and slap, bang, she would be finished in thirty minutes.
Why in blue blazes had she agreed to go out to dinner with J. T. Knight? He was her future employer and the man filling her head at night with dreams of the future. How could she survive dance lessons and endless hours spent in his arms?
***
“How did you meet Susie?” Nothing about this encounter was going the way Edee planned. From the minute J.T. appeared at her door wearing khakis pressed to a knife-edged crease, she had been off kilter.
J.T. in t-shirts and jeans she could admire and try to ignore. But there was no way to ignore the professional looking man he appeared to be tonight. He looked too perfect. And that was the root of her new worries.
J.T. was so right for her in so many ways. They shared a sense of laughter. Both wanted to run a business and live in Redbud…and even though he hadn’t used the same terms she did, they both wanted roots.
There was no way she could ignore this side of J.T. Knight.
“We went to school together.” He turned in the parking lot of the craft store and sent her a glance as he parked near the entrance. “This shouldn’t take long.”
The stop at the craft shop gave Edee a little breathing room. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll just look around.”
Finally, after they climbed out of the truck, her heart slowed under the blue and white print of her dress. Okay, so she was wearing the same dress she had worn the first time they met, but she needed the extra armor against falling for his charm. She’d bet dollars to doughnuts he wouldn’t remember, anyway.
; What did it matter? This was a practice session for his dance lessons.
This was not a date.
She didn’t dare question the fact that he didn’t seem to need lessons in anything. Other than his incessant teasing, J.T. was a perfect gentleman.
Not a date! Edee muttered to herself as she looked around the shelves of craft supplies as Susie showed J.T. the delicate door in one of the display cases.
Not a date! Those words whirled around in her head as she examined the pair of stuffed cows like the ones she was making in Ellie’s sewing class. Staring at the black and white spotted fabric reminded her of Albert’s antics as she tried to get dressed for this outing.
Not a date! A little voice in her head warned as he held the door of a shiny black truck open for her. “What happened to your old truck?”
“Traded with my buddy.” Climbing in behind the wheel, he frowned as he started the engine.
Traded? For the night, for good, she wanted to ask. Which buddy? Sam or one of their other classmates, or someone she had never met?
The sudden need to know everything about J.T. sent warning signals to her brain. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up with no job and a broken heart.
With her brain shouting warnings, she made it through the drive to the restaurant by focusing on the reason she was with him in the first place.
“What type of music will they have at the festival?” Lucky for her, the drive to the restaurant was short and his answer complicated. But she finally relaxed as she settled in the chair indicated by the host.
“Okay,” J.T. turned from the waiter after ordering and said to Edee. “Pretend this is the night of the big festival. What do I need to know?”
Edee met his green gaze across the table and tried to hide her unease. Reaching for her water glass, she took a sip to keep her tongue from sticking to the roof of her mouth and repeated familiar words silently. This is not a date!
“Most people at these events aren’t expert dancers. Just move your feet and smile.” Babbling! She was babbling! For crying out loud.
A Bride For Mr. Right (Redbud Romance Book 2) Page 12
