“Don’t get your hopes up. They could taste like feet,” she said solemnly.
I barked a surprised laugh and studied her again, wondering how many more surprises I could expect from mousy Jenn Sylvester. “I seriously doubt that anything you made could—”
“What is the status of the Ford Expedition? Did you finish with the radiator?”
I stiffened, gritting my teeth as Shelly came into view. She was glaring at my companion, which wasn’t unusual. But I couldn’t afford her rudeness at the moment. Fate had dropped the woman baker on my doorstep and I wasn’t about to lose my chance to confront Cletus.
Adding a bit of steel to my tone, I hoped the warning in my glare was enough to keep Shelly from launching into one of her insulting outbursts. “Shelly. This is Jennifer Sylvester. You’ve probably heard of her banana cake. Jennifer . . .” I motioned rigidly to the woman mechanic, “this is Shelly Sullivan. She’s new to town and works here.”
Jenn reached out her hand for a shake. “Nice to meet you.”
No surprise, Shelly didn’t accept Jenn’s handshake. She crossed her arms and spoke through clenched teeth. “Nice to meet you, too.”
Jennifer lowered her hand slowly when Shelly’s snub became obvious. Just like with Mr. McClure, I couldn’t help feeling frustrated and angry with her. Why she was determined to treat nice people badly? I didn’t understand.
“Don’t take it personally.” I touched Jenn’s arm, hoping the smile I gave her made up for Shelly’s lack of manners. But then I had to prepare myself, putting up my guard as I returned my eyes to my coworker. “She doesn’t shake anyone’s hand.”
The twinge of guilt returned, but this time because Shelly lowered her gaze to the floor of the garage. I noticed a pink flush spread up her neck and over her cheeks. I’d embarrassed her, or she was upset, and that didn’t settle well with me.
A pull to touch her, to apologize, arrested me. But then she returned her gaze to mine and her eyes were fire and ice.
Dammit.
This woman was going to be the death of me. How was it possible to both dislike and admire a person this much? To want—no, crave—so badly to be in her company and be rid of her at the same time?
I didn’t know how long we stood there, glaring at each other, but eventually Jenn’s tentative voice interrupted the staring contest.
“How are you settling in, Ms. Sullivan?”
Shelly’s eyes shifted to Jenn. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, uh, how are things? How’s your place? Do you need anything? Are your neighbors nice?”
Fire and brimstone was replaced with curiosity, and then contemplation. Her features softened.
Even though she wasn’t looking at me, my heart did the two-beat stutter, forcing me to hold my breath. I was so mesmerized by the change in her, I didn’t recognize that we’d been standing in silence for a good while until Jenn cleared her throat again and her eyes darted to me for help.
Finally, Shelly responded, “My house is adequate. I need potholders. I keep using towels and I’ve burned my hand three times. I haven’t met my neighbors, so I don’t know if they’re nice.”
Jenn grinned, taking a deep breath like she was relieved, and maybe a little pleased, by Shelly’s response.
For reasons I couldn’t immediately explain, her words both charmed and aggravated the tar out of me.
I had no idea she needed potholders. If she’d needed potholders, she should have said something. I didn’t want her burning her hands. The woman had beautiful hands, clever hands, strong hands, industrious hands. Nothing should ever happen to her hands. I made a mental note to bring her potholders.
And another thing, here we were, working together for weeks, and she’d volunteered more to Jennifer Sylvester in five minutes than she’d shared with me in a month.
And another thing, where the heck did she live?
And realizing how little of herself she’d been willing to share with me burned my oats. The woman steadfastly refused to be anything other than ornery.
Except that one time she wanted to have sex with you.
And another thing, I’d made an effort, hadn’t I? I’d wanted to know her better, be friendly. And what did she do? Snap at me all day and invade my dreams all night, tell me how she liked bread.
Bread.
That’s right, she literally gave me nothing but bread crumbs.
And one last thing, why was everyone seeing fit to piss me off these days?
Carried on this wave of discontent, I sniped, “Maybe you should make more of an effort,” before I could catch the unkind impulse.
Shelly started, gazing at me with what looked like surprise. In my peripheral vision, I didn’t miss how Jenn’s mouth fell open.
But I was too irritated to feel remorse. We—Shelly and I—were well beyond that. Or we should have been. Once this business with Cletus was settled, she and I were going to have a discussion.
Keeping my eyes on Shelly, I addressed Jenn, “I’ll go start that coffee.”
Not waiting for a response, I left for the garage office on the first floor, veering away from the door at the last minute so I could take a walk around the building. I needed to cool off.
I needed to be calm and collected. I needed all my wits if I was going to use this opportunity to outsmart my brother. So I took my walk around the building, and it was a good thing, too. As I came around the corner several minutes later, completing my second loop, I spotted Jennifer Sylvester speed-walking toward her car, visibly upset.
Concerned, I jogged to catch her, reaching for her arm.
I must’ve startled her because she gasped, her hands lifting to clutch her chest.
I let her go. “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No.” She breathed a weak laugh. “No, it’s fine. I just didn’t see you.”
Dammit. I shouldn’t have left her with Shelly.
“Did Shelly say something? To make you leave?”
“What? No! Not at all. She’s great.”
Really? “Really?”
This was officially the Tuesday of surprises.
Jenn opened her mouth to respond but then snapped it shut, her eyes widening at something over my shoulder. I twisted at the waist and had to do a double take. Cletus was holding Jenn’s plate of muffins and power-walking right toward us.
He didn’t seem to notice me at all. No, his eyes zeroed in on the small woman at my side. Jenn took a step back, like she planned on fleeing.
“Just stop right there,” Cletus hollered, his expression thunderous.
Watching with rapt fascination, I stood dumbly as he moved narrowed eyes over Jenn, then me, then Jenn again.
Shoving the plate of baked goods at my chest, he continued glaring at Jenn, saying, “Beau, take these to the front and close up. We’ll join you in a moment.”
I didn’t move, allowing myself a moment to study him, the situation, the body language, and the sparks of fearful pride these two were shooting at each other.
And I couldn’t believe my eyes.