“What’re you workin’ on?” Kate asked from behind him. “The motorcycle?”
“Yeah.” Beau turned around and dropped the grease-stained wipe onto the tool bench. “It’s my granddaddy’s old bike he left me.”
“Wow.” Kate balanced the pie in one hand while running her hand over the tan colored seat. “It’s beautiful, Beau.”
“Thanks. I’m hoping to have it running before I move to Savannah.” He figured he should remind her that he wasn’t sticking around Mitchel Creek very long.
“So, it’s really true,” she said, forming her lips into a pout. “You’re movin’ to Savannah?”
“Yes, ma’am. In two weeks, or sooner if I get things done ahead of schedule.” There was no way he was going to be leaving earlier, since there was so much to do on the house. But Kate didn’t need to know that.
“I’ve always loved Savannah,” Kate said, fingering the fringe along the seat. “My cousin lives near there, so maybe I’ll look you up if I’m ever down that way.”
Beau had been raised to be a gentleman. The polite thing to do would be to give her an open invitation, but he didn’t want to do that. He wasn’t looking for a relationship right now. Besides that, until he worked through whatever fascination he had with Ashlee, he had no business getting involved with someone else.
His phone buzzed an incoming call, and he had never been so grateful for the distraction. “Excuse me, but I need to take this call. It’s my grandmother,” he said, looking at the caller ID.
“Of course,” Kate said with a soft smile.
Beau tapped on the icon to answer the call. “Hey, Nana,” Beau said, turning slightly away from Kate. “I was just about to call you.”
“You were?” she said, sounding mildly concerned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Beau said as he walked across the garage floor to pick up a tool lying on the ground. He also wanted to put some distance between himself and Kate. “I just wanted to see if you were still planning on me for supper.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, but that’s sounds like a lovely surprise.” She clicked her tongue. “Although, I should warn you that the master chef hired to run the onsite cafeteria hasn’t shown up the past three days, so we’ve got a temporary cook that isn’t very good. Normally, you know I love to cook and I make all my own meals, but my oven isn’t working properly. That’s the real reason I called you.”
“They still haven’t fixed it?” Beau asked, turning around to see Kate reading something on her phone.
“No, and I’m not sure when it will happen.” Nana sighed heavily. “The director announced yesterday that management is undergoing a major change and things might be backed up for a week or so before they can straighten everything out. I’ve left several messages with the maintenance office, but no one has called back.”
“That doesn’t sound right,” Beau said, picking up a few more tools. For the amount of money his grandmother had paid to live at this retirement facility, she shouldn’t have to worry about broken ovens. “Let me gather up a few of Granddaddy’s tools, and I’ll come over to see what I can do.”
“That would be wonderful.” There was a pause, and Beau could hear another voice in the background. “Could you also bring some plumbing tools? My neighbor’s faucet is spraying everywhere, and Nora doesn’t have any family close by to help her.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He glanced at his watch and saw it was almost five-thirty. “I just need to grab a quick shower, and then I’ll be right over.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Meet me at my condo first and then we can all walk over together.”
“Sounds great.” Beau almost volunteered to bring dessert, but wasn’t sure if he’d bring the pecan pie Kate had purchased. His grandmother was picky, and if the pie wasn’t freshly baked that day, she would know.
He ended the call and turned to see Kate watching him expectantly. “Is everything okay with your grandmother?”
“She’s fine, but her oven has been out for a few days now and the facility still hasn’t fixed it.” He saw confusion darken her brown eyes, so Beau quickly added, “There’s a cafeteria there so after supper I’ll see what I can do about the oven.”
“That’s sweet of you.” Kate moved closer. “If you need an assistant fixin’ the oven, I’m your girl.” She grinned. “My ex-husband wasn’t very handy and I ended up figuring out how to fix things with the help of YouTube.”
“I appreciate the offer,” Beau said, anxious to end their conversation. “But I’m also helping out Nana’s neighbor, so I might be there for quite a while, especially if I need to make a few runs to the hardware store.”
A shadow of disappointment clouded her face. “I won’t keep you then.” She forced her mouth into a smile and handed him the pie. “In case you’re wondering, I didn’t bake it myself. I work full-time and don’t really have time to bake unless it’s on the weekend and my kids are with their daddy.”
He was impressed she didn’t try to pass it off as her own. “I’m sure it will be delicious.”
“I hope so.” She tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “Well, I just wanted to say hey since we didn’t get to talk at the wedding.”
“It was good seeing you again, Kate.” He knew she wanted him to say more, maybe ask for her number so they could go out, but he couldn’t do it. He didn’t feel any chemistry, not even a spark. Besides, if she did feel attracted to him, he didn’t want to lead her on when nothing would come of it.
“Yeah.” She moistened her lips. “It was good seeing you too.”
They stood there for a few seconds of awkward silence before she lifted a hand to wave at him. “Take care, Beau.”
“You too.” He felt terrible as he watched her walk away and climb into her car. The least he could’ve done was walk with her and open the door for her. She waved at him again as she pulled around and drove away.
Feeling like the biggest jerk, he closed the garage door and locked it before taking the pie inside the house. Maybe he should’ve asked for her number, if for nothing more than to send her a thank-you text.
Beau set the pie on the kitchen countertop, feeling guilty all over again for being so rude. What was the deal with him and women anyway? Although he’d tried all day not to think about Ashlee and how good it had felt to slow dance with her the previous night, she was always there, invading his thoughts.
He’d been rude to her too. Well, not exactly rude, but he’d ended their date with a handshake. Man, he had absolutely no game when it came to Ashlee. The handshake had been lame, but at the time it was the only thing he could do without breaking down and kissing her thoroughly.
Groaning, because she was once again occupying his thoughts, Beau peeled off his shirt as he climbed the stairs. He promised himself he would text her this evening. He wasn’t sure what he’d say, but he couldn’t keep avoiding her forever.
The hot water felt amazing. He wished he could stay in longer, but he needed to hurry and get to his grandmother’s place to check out the oven. He wasn’t sure he would know what to do, but like Kate said, he could always look it up on YouTube.
He got out of the shower and dressed in a black V-neck tee and dark-wash jeans. Grabbing his wallet and phone from the dresser, he went downstairs to get his keys. He bypassed the pie, deciding to save it for tomorrow. The men working on the porch would appreciate the treat.
He headed for the back door, but stopped when the doorbell chimed. He hesitated, wondering if Kate had come back. If it was her, he knew he couldn’t leave her standing there. Taking in a fortifying breath, he pivoted on his heel and headed toward the foyer. The person on the other side knocked just as Beau grasped the knob and pulled the door open.
One look into the visitor’s blue eyes made his stomach plummet like the time he’d jumped from a plane with some of the guys in his unit.
“What are you doin’ here?” he asked gruffly.
Chapter 13
Narrowing her ga
ze, Ashlee’s fingers curled around the edge of the pie plate she held. “My goodness… someone’s in a grumpy mood.”
“Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been a long day.”
“So, you take it out on a poor unsuspecting girl bringing you a homemade pecan pie?”
“Homemade?” He leaned against the door, looking all kinds of sexy in his fitted shirt, and gave her a small smile. “Since when did you start baking?”
“A few hours ago,” she said, holding out the baked dessert.
He laughed and took the pie, peeling back the foil to check out the contents. One eyebrow went up. “Did you really make this?”
“Yes.” Although this particular pie had been her third try, she had made it all by herself. Of course, it had taken so long to get it right that she and Addie didn’t have time to make dinner for Beau.
“You didn’t buy this from Kroger’s bakery?”
She rolled her eyes. “Do you give all girls this much grief when they make you a pie?”
“Not usually,” he said, his face coloring slightly.
She’d been joking, but Beau looked embarrassed. “Why do you look so guilty?” The thought of another woman bringing him food made her stomach twist with jealousy.
He shifted uneasily and shrugged. “I may have received another pie this evening and I may not have properly thanked the person.”
“Are you tellin’ me someone else brought you a homemade pecan pie?”
“It’s not homemade. Kate said she bought it at Kroger’s.”
“Kate? As in the Kate Taylor that caught the wedding bouquet at Taylin’s reception?”
“You know Kate?”
“Yes, I was Sleeping Beauty at a birthday party for her daughter a month ago.” And Kate was kind, pretty and single. She also happened to be Beau’s age and not at all related to any of his best friends. It irritated her enough to want to toss the pie she’d slaved over into Beau’s face. She held out her hand. “Could I please have my pie back?”
“Why?” he asked, pulling it closer to his chest.
“Because I just thought of a much better way to deliver it to you,” she said sweetly.
“I’ll just bet you did,” he said with laugh.
Ashlee didn’t laugh. She couldn’t, not when every part of her was filled with so much envy she was sure her skin had turned a sickly green color. Awesome. Instead of looking lovesick, she now appeared insanely jealous.
Now she was glad she hadn’t deleted her profile from the dating app. At the first birthday party she’d attended this morning, Ashlee had played the part of the Snow Queen and Jessica, a girl with naturally red hair, had played the part of her younger sister. While they drove to the location, Jessica had gone on and on about her new boyfriend she’d met with Flirt, the latest popular dating app. Still feeling the sting of Beau’s handshake from the night before, coupled with her sister-in-law’s advice to put herself out in the dating world again, Ashlee had allowed Jessica to create a profile for her. She’d had a lot of alerts, but she hadn’t responded to any of them yet. But she would respond, because she needed to let go of this obsession she had for Beau Jacobsen.
Forcing a smile to her lips, she took a step backward. “Well, enjoy both your pies.” She turned and made a beeline for her car. “I hope you get fat,” she muttered under her breath.
The snort of laughter coming from Beau meant she’d said that last part louder than she’d thought. “Hey, where are you going?” Beau said, still sounding amused.
“Home.” Ashlee jerked open the car door and climbed in, but Beau’s hand prevented her from pulling the door closed.
“Don’t be mad.” He gestured to the pie he held in one hand. “I’m sure yours is much better.”
“Whatever.” Her phone, which was mounted on her dash, dinged several times in a row. She tapped the screen and saw it was blowing up with more alerts from the dating app.
“What’s up with all the notifications?” Beau asked, not sounding nearly as amused as he’d been only seconds before.
Ashlee shot him an annoyed look. “None of your business.”
“Wait a sec,” he said, staring at her screen. “Don’t tell me you’re on Flirt.”
“Okay,” Ashlee said, grabbing her phone from the dash-mount, “I won’t tell you.”
“It’s not smart or safe to use a dating app, Ashlee. More than likely it’s some overweight-dude living in his parent’s basement who posted a pic of some guy with a six-pack.”
Well, this was an interesting twist. Now Beau was the one sending off the jealousy vibes. Perhaps Addie was right after all.
She tapped her finger on the screen. “I don’t know, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this guy at the gym.” She glanced up and grinned. “His six-pack is totally legit.”
“Let me see.” He snatched the phone out of her hand. “Darren Hastings? I went to school with him. He was a year younger than Chase and me.”
“Cool, you already know him.” She took the phone back. “I’ll see if he wants to meet sometime this week.”
“Not cool,” he said, grabbing the phone again. “You can’t go out with him. He was bad news in high school, and I’m sure he hasn’t changed.”
“Geez, Beau, don’t go all big-brother on me.” She plucked the phone out of his hands and studied the picture of a shirtless Darren. “People change, and he looks harmless.” Harmless in a bad-boy sort of way, but she’d make a connection with Darren if it made Beau jealous.
“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not your brother?” Beau said, piercing her with an intense look he’d probably mastered in the military.
“Until you stop acting like one,” Ashlee said dryly.
Beau eyed her phone, likely ready to confiscate it again. Before he could reach out and take it again, Ashlee slipped it down the front of her shirt where it landed securely in her bra. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll be sure and check out my other options before responding to Darren.”
He stared at her shirt for several seconds and then lifted his gaze to meet hers. “Will you at least let me vet him before you decide to go out with him?”
Ashlee let out a deflated breath. Here she’d thought he was jealous, when in actuality he truly was concerned for her safety. “Fine, I’ll let you check him out first.”
Jaw tight, he leveled her with an intense gaze. “Ashlee, I wish you—” Stopping mid-sentence, he pressed his lips into a tight line and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. She lifted one eyebrow in question, waiting for him to continue, but he only let out a pent-up breath and said, “Never mind.”
She desperately wanted to pry whatever he’d been about to say out of him, but remembered her sister-in-law’s advice to play it cool.
“Well, I need to get home.” She pulled the door shut and started the engine. Before driving away, she lowered the window and waved at him. “Have a fantastic night.”
Ashlee headed for home, refusing to look in the rearview mirror to see if Beau was watching her drive away or if he’d already gone back inside his house. Needing a distraction, she turned on her stereo to listen to Phillip Jacobs’ new album that wasn’t due to come out for another month. She and Taylin had both received the early release because Chase had written two of the songs for the popular artist.
When one of Chase’s songs started, Ashlee increased the volume so her little bug practically rocked from the music. Phillip’s raspy voice carried over the speakers, and she sang right along. She might not have all the musical skills her twin sister and older brother had been blessed with, but she could sing.
She was about a mile down the road when her car sputtered and lurched. Gripping the steering wheel, Ashlee pulled off to the side just as the engine cut out altogether. “Please, don’t do this to me now,” she groaned. But it wasn’t the cars fault it had died. She’d forgotten to put gas in it. Again.
Her daddy had warned her more than once that running on fumes wasn’t good for her car
, but Ashlee thought she had at least another ten miles before she had to fill up. The indicator light had only lit up on the way to Beau’s house. Or had that been this afternoon on the way home from work?
Fishing her phone from her bra, she ignored all the new dating alerts and tapped on her favorite’s contact list. Her first thought was to call Taylin to rescue her, but she quickly remembered why that was impossible. Next on her list was her sister-in-law, but Addie and Chase had gone to a movie. Her parents were babysitting Izzy, so they were out too. Who else could she call? Certainly, not Beau.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” she said, pressing her forehead on the steering wheel. She jumped when she accidentally hit the horn. Sitting up straight, she glanced in the rearview mirror and watched as a dark SUV pulled in behind her.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said as she watched Beau Jacobsen exit his car. Had he followed her? Not likely. He probably had a date with Kate Taylor.
She continued watching him through the mirror as he approached her car. Why did he have to look so good? All muscles and swagger, coming to rescue her like the hot Navy SEAL in her romance book. It could’ve been the perfect romantic scenario if not for the irritating smirk on his handsome face.
Ducking her head, she scrolled through her contacts. Surely there was someone else she could call, anyone to avoid accepting Beau’s help.
From the corner of her eye, she saw him standing next to the driver’s side window. Still, she startled when he tapped his knuckles against the window. Pretending as if she’d just noticed him, she turned the key to the ACC position and then lowered the window.
“You didn’t have to stop.” She didn’t look him directly in the eye, afraid he’d know she wasn’t being truthful. “I just pulled over to check my phone alerts.”
He considered her for a few seconds, still wearing that irritating smirk. “You ran out of gas, didn’t you?”
Did she have to answer that? “What makes you think that?”
“The engine is off.”
Blue Moon Kisses: Georgia Moon Romance Book 3 Page 12
