Did she not want to be alone with him? Not irritated by that—thrilled. “West is in the city for business. Beck is out trying to find a place in town for him and West to set up shop.”
“And probably sleeping with his real-estate agent,” she mumbled. “What do West and Beck do, anyway?”
“Create different kinds of computer programs and games.” Jase was as far from tech savvy as possible. Being cut off from society for so long meant everything digital that was so commonplace for everyone else was alien to him. He wasn’t even sure how to use some of the apps West had put on his phone.
“Why don’t they just work from home?” she asked, her tone now reverent, as if working from home was a dream everyone entertained. “I mean, it’s not like they’re going to drum up a whole lot of business in Strawberry Valley.”
“They drum up business all over the world, wherever they are, but they aren’t their most productive while I’m making repairs on the house. Or so I’ve been told.” He motioned to the peeling wallpaper. “The boys are part of the reason so little has been done.”
Beck, far more than Jase and West, hated change—which was surprising, considering he changed lovers almost every night. Jase had to ease him into each and every home improvement. And West, well, he liked to plan every detail down to the studs—which usually took months.
“Ah.” Caught up in their conversation, Brook Lynn forgot to be leery and smiled up at him. The amusement brightened her entire face. “Gave you a verbal spanking for your noisemaking, did they?”
So bright...blinding me to everything else. Making the ache a thousand times worse.
“Nah, they know better than that,” he managed, rubbing the spot just over his heart. “I finally kicked them out so I could get started on the larger tasks.” Not because he’d wanted to be alone with Brook Lynn.
“Why don’t you work with them?” she asked. “Considering how close you guys are, I mean.”
“Cubicles and computers aren’t my bag.”
“Are you a silent partner, then? Is that how you guys met? Business?” She blinked and shook her head, as if she’d just realized something important. “You know what? Forget it.” She lifted her chin, squared her shoulders. “We might as well get started. What’s my first assignment?”
Good question.
He looked around, considering his choices. Something easy. Maybe something that required very little bending over—or a lot of bending over.
He must have taken too long to reply, because she added, “How about I give you a detailed history of your house? It’s been in the Glass family for a million generations, but there is now only one Glass left. Harlow. She refused to get a job when her mom died, which is how you guys were able to snatch it up, I guess. She was the town bully once upon a time, before becoming a recluse. She’s a year older than me and still hangs around town, though no one knows where she’s living right now.”
Detailed history...or cautionary tale?
“I promise not to bully you. Now, start with the living room,” he said, “and end with the kitchen.” That way, she’d feel as though she’d contributed something to his day without actually straining herself. And he could make himself scarce so that he wouldn’t have to see any bending or not bending.
“You mean...clean them?”
“Spotlessly.”
She pursed her lips. “So I’m a maid, as suspected.”
“You’re an assistant.”
“An assistant who cleans your house.”
“Good for you. You catch on so quick.” He patted the top of her head and tried not to marvel at the silky softness of her hair—or to think about twining a lock in his fist and angling her head for better access to her lips.