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More reserved, he’d said.
Prepping to be a high society wife.
Although she’d grown up in a small town in a working class family, I had easily envisioned her being the wife of a successful businessman. Amanda had always had a sophisticated air about her.
“So are you going to get on with giving her an estimate to fix this place?” Toby asked, taking a drag off the vapor cigarette.
“Would you mind smoking outside?” Amanda asked, and I hid a smile. I had told Toby that a lot of people considered vapor smoking the same as cigarettes.
Toby frowned. “It’s vapor.”
“There’s still nicotine in it though.” She eased out the words with a smile that made my pulse race.
“You heard the lady, Toby,” I said, nudging him toward the door.
Toby rolled his eyes and headed for the door.
“Should we get started on the estimate?” she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
I pulled my notebook out of my back pocket. “Where do you want to start?”
“The kitchen?” She led the way to where it was. “Since it needs the most help.”
I did my best not to stare straight at her perky ass, but it was tough not to. When she entered the kitchen and turned to face me, I made eye contact.
“Tell me, what would you like to see in here?” I asked.
Looking nervous, she chewed on her thumbnail. “I don’t know. I’m thinking of gutting it. I just don’t know what I can afford and can’t afford.”
“Toby said you have a pretty good budget. We can stretch it and give you a new house…if we do it right.”
She glanced at me and lifted a brow. “Oh, I fully expect you to do it right.”
There was the slightest hint of flirtation in her voice, which stunned me. Since hearing about her ugly split with her fiancé, I had half expected to find a shell of the girl I once knew. She wasn’t doing backflips, but she was strong. She had weathered being cast aside and replaced, and all with dignity and grace.
Her eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head to the side. “What, do I have something in my teeth?”
You’re so beautiful. “No, I just never expected to see you back in Maple Creek. When you left, I thought we’d lost you to the city for good.”
I wished I could take back the words as I watched her smile slowly fade. Just by mentioning Arizona, I had no doubt reminded her of what she’d left behind and what she had been through. She had been heartbroken. Completely devastated, her mother had said…much like my mom had had her heart broken by my father. Mom had referred to herself as broken. She’d been a woman with a son to raise, and at the age of twenty-one, she’d done it alone.
Working two jobs just to keep a roof over our heads, my mom had given up a lot to give me the best life she could. I wouldn’t lie—I had missed having a mom like Toby and Mandy’s, who had been home every single day to greet them when they got off the school bus. I had loved being at the Hathaway’s house and envied their perfect family life.
Mandy cleared her throat. “I’m the first to admit that I didn’t always love this town, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. I’m kind of looking forward to the slower pace.”
Her comment made me smile. I loved Maple Creek and always would. I could never understand people who said they wanted out of the small town. To me, Maple Creek would always be home. “So what are you doing for work?”
“You’re looking at it.” She shifted on her feet. “I thought spending time remodeling the house would be good for me.”
I measured her kitchen, writing down measurements as I went. “Good…so you’ll be available to work as my assistant.”
“That depends,” she said, her voice taking on that flirty quality again.
“And what would that be?”
“Will you cut me a deal?” she asked, a grin teasing the corners of her mouth.
I knew I was walking a fine line here. She was my best friend’s sister, and I respected that, yet I couldn’t help but envision us together. “You’re family. Of course I will.”
She grinned. “What a surprise you are, Brax.”
