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“I know,” Peppermint said. “I’m so glad you were able to come at such short notice.”
“Not a problem,” Phoebe said, giving me a meaningful look.
I know. I did need the money. This needed to happen now, not in a month when Ocean got back from her cruise.
“We’re off to Bear Island for three weeks,” Peppermint said. “Do you think that’s enough time?”
“Three weeks?” I couldn’t help my squeak. I looked over the house again and realized that my plan to knock it out in a couple of days was probably unrealistic. The house had needed a makeover before the Vikings had had their way with it.
“Of course,” Phoebe said. “It’ll be all done by the time you get back.”
“You can stay here . . .” Pepper started.
Phoebe smiled. “No worries. We have a hotel already booked.” She pulled out a contract and they started negotiating the details.
I stepped down from the porch and looked up at the bungalow. It wasn’t that big, but it was still a lot in a few weeks, and there were all the trees to clean up as well—was that part of the deal? House painting wasn’t really my thing, but I couldn’t help picking up a few things hanging out with Phoebe and Ocean. I knew the basics and Phoebe would help me with the rest.
The corner lot was wooded and separated a bit from the neighbors which was nice. I expect Pepper’s Vikings were rather loud. I stumbled over an exposed tree root—that had been helpfully painted red—and was caught by strong, muscular arms. I looked up into warm sea-green eyes and a wide smile.
“Sorry, thank you,” I mumbled, feeling like an idiot. I wasn’t usually this clumsy, but I’d been so focused on examining the house and grounds that I hadn’t even seen it.
“No problem,” the man said, setting me on my feet. He held a scraper in one hand and looked like he was working on one of the red striped trees.
“Are you one of Pepper’s Vikings?” I asked.
“No,” he said, scratching his scruffy chin.
I totally pretended that’s what I was looking at and not the expanse of muscled chest. Though he wore a heavy flannel jacket over a long sleeve t-shirt, the jacket was open and the t-shirt didn’t leave much to the imagination. Nor did the low slung jeans that hugged his hips, and the outline of . . . well, wasn’t my mind in the gutter today? I felt hot just looking at him.
“I’m Hudson.”
I shook myself and raised my eyes to meet his gaze. “Delphine.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, offering a million watt smile. That thing was dangerously charming. I just wanted to fall into his arms and let him have his way with me. I wondered how any woman ever resisted it.
“I’m with my sister . . .” I said, gesturing back toward the house but not taking my eyes from Hudson. That smile of his was making warmth curl in my core. “We’re here to repaint the house.”
He nodded and held up his scraper. “I’m just trying to help Pepper with the painted trees.”
“Yeah, that looks awful,” I said, way too honest for my own good.
“Well, it’s your lucky day,” Phoebe said from behind me. “Here’s your very own scraper.”
I spun around and looked at her blankly. “What? We’re starting now?”
She laughed. “We might as well. We’ve only got a few weeks.”
“But I thought we were just doing the house . . . Hudson . . .” I stammered. I was an idiot. “Didn’t Pepper hire Hudson to do the trees?”
“We’re painters,” Phoebe said, shoving the scraper into my hand. “Where the paint goes, so do we.”
“The more the merrier,” Hudson said. “That’s what Pepper said when I offered to help.”
Phoebe grinned at Hudson. “I like the way you think. I’m Phoebe.”
He gave her an equally charming smile, and I was starting to feel stupid again. He turned that wattage on for everyone. But hadn’t I just been thinking I only wanted casual relationships? What harm would there be for me to flirt with a playboy?
Phoebe turned and looked around for her own trees.
