Page 22

“What in the hell is that? Are they trying to demolish your house or paint it?”

Miss Laverne giggled. I grinned over at her. For a moment, I was so captivated by her girlish glee that I forgot about the noise.

“Be careful,” Graham yelled. “You almost broke a window, you asshole.”

I winced and set down my coffee. I stomped through the parlor and flung open the front door.

“What in the hell is going on? Are you trying to paint the house or destroy it?”

Four men stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me… for a long time. I looked down to make sure I wasn’t naked or something. I wasn’t. Hell, what my clothes didn’t cover, my long hair did, so what in the hell was their problem?

Had I grown a second head?

A third eye?

A fifth limb?

“Anyone care to answer my question?” I shoved my fists onto my hips.

Graham came forward and walked up the porch steps, his big body blocking my view of all the other men. “I’m sorry, Doll. We’re definitely not here to trash Miss Laverne’s house. We plan to paint it yellow, just like she wants.”

I looked to the corner of the porch, where I saw a bunch of cans of paint, all labeled Sunflower. Yep, that sounded about right.

“Let me guess,” I said quietly. “You’ve bought the paint, and all the labor is free.”

“No, I didn’t buy the paint, but Dave might be selling it to her at cost.” Graham grinned.

“And the price of labor?”

“You’re paying for that.” His grin turned wicked.

I arched a brow. “How do you figure that?”

“You’re going to be baking a lot of cookies, cakes, and brownies, but I’ll be buying all the supplies for that.”

I studied his hazel eyes and saw mischief and caring.

What a combination.

“I’m in.”

“Never doubted it. Now there’s something special you owe the coordinator of all of this.”

I should have figured. Graham was a smart and wily man. “What could that be?” I kept my voice sounding confused. His expression told me he wasn’t buying it.

“One date. One lunch date that doesn’t include Miss Laverne or anybody else.”

Yep, cunning and wicked. I looked over at the paint cans again and licked my suddenly dry lips. He had me, fair and square, and the bastard knew it. If I said ‘no,’ I’d come off like an ungrateful little brat. But… I didn’t need to sound pleased about it.

I rolled my eyes and gave the biggest sigh possible, then gave him the yes he’d been waiting for.

“Was that really so hard?”

Dammit, I couldn’t stop my grin. “Maybe.”

“Doll, you can’t lie worth shit.”

Chapter Five