Please, coffee, help me get through this day without maiming that man.
“Hellcat?”
My fingers curled tighter around the handle of my extra-large mug. “Yes?”
He held up my bag. “Missing something?”
I set my mug down and crossed to him, reaching for it. “Thank you.”
He held it away from me. “Dahlia, about the other day.”
“We aren’t discussing the other day.” I snatched my bag out of his hands.
The door opened and TJ sailed through with a smile. “What happened the other day?” TJ asked as she halted beside me.
“Nothing happened.”
TJ pulled off her sunglasses and put them on top of her head. “I call shenanigans.”
“Nolan Devereaux, meet TJ Parks. If you’re smart enough to hire us, she’ll be your carpenter.”
TJ’s eyebrows shot up. She glanced from me to Nolan and then back again. “Hmm.” She held her hand out to Nolan. “I’ve been out to the Barrows house a few times. I’m excited to get a look at her bones.”
Nolan shook her hand, releasing it quickly. “I’ve had a few specialists out to make sure she’s sound. She needs a lot of work, but thankfully, there isn’t much real structural damage.”
“We’ll be sure to double check that with our own people.”
Nolan nodded curtly. “If I hire you.”
TJ’s lips quirked. “This should be fun.” She slapped my arm. “I’ll just go clean up. Are we moving up the meeting? If so, that would work for me. The Jefferson job needs some additional permits, so I have to go fight with the town hall in Crescent Cove.”
My perfect proposal was going down in flames. “Sure. Just give me a few minutes to set up. Why don’t you text Shelby and see if she can come in sooner?”
“On it.” She glanced at Nolan. “Prepare to get your Timbs blown off, Mr. Devereaux. No one puts on a better entrance package than our Dahlia.”
Nolan uncrossed his legs, his boot thumping to the floor. “I guess we’ll see about that.”
TJ’s lips twitched, but I was pretty sure she barely resisted the urge to bust out in one of her wide grins. “This is gonna be good.”
I took another big gulp of my coffee and hustled over to one of the moveable wall panels I’d cleared off the day before. Normally, I’d take meticulous care with each pin and my laser leveler to make sure everything was perfect.
But my extra hour was now in ashes.
A drop of sweat slithered between my shoulder blades as the sun poured in our huge bay window. It was perfect to show off my drawings and the photos I’d taken to create the before and after imaginings.
I could already see the awnings in their restored order. The turrets that were near crumbling would be refined and re-mortared. The gables and arches would be corrected with the stone mason—hopefully—based on Nolan’s specifications.
I could already see the potential in my mind’s eye.
It was going to take a lot of work, but it was going to be so worth it.
I paused while pinning up the new and improved balcony. I could feel him behind me. The scent of cinnamon and the familiar wall of heat made my skin tingle.
Thankful that I’d planned ahead, my traitorous nipples were hidden under my industrial strength bra. The padding didn’t let me down, even if it felt as if my boobs were in a damn harness.
Why did he have to affect me so much?
It had just been sex. He actually made me insane more often than not. No amount of good sex was going to make up for his personality.
“Did you add on some height to that north turret?”
“Yes. The roofing needs repairs and I thought it would make a good office with a view of the lake.” I pulled out the drawing that showed off the inside of the house. I’d made good use of the rounded room to make a media center or a work desk.
I wasn’t exactly sure what he would be doing so I also pinned up the sitting room it could become instead. Floor to ceiling built-in bookcases took on the existing details on the inside of the house. Updating it and yet making it feel as if it had been there forever.
“No office. I like that second option.”
I shuffled the office option behind it. “Okay. I did some preliminary drawings on the kitchen, but that’s not my forte. TJ will help me with that and you two can plan that for whatever you need. Do you cook?”
“I do.”
“Good. Great.” I moved to the side so his voice wasn’t right behind me. I was trying to be strong, for heaven’s sake. And he was the one who’d said he wanted us to be only professional. “If you’d have a seat, I’m almost done.”
“I’m good.”
I gritted my teeth and tacked up my paint samples as well as shingles for the roof. “Have you spoken to your friend about the stonework?”
“Not yet. He’s in Aruba.”
