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He caught it and threw it back at me. “Is that any way to talk to your favorite public official?”
“I like Christian better.”
“You wound me.”
I snorted. Christian was Moose’s brother—though he was almost his polar opposite—and Jared’s lone deputy. “Since you’re here, you can make yourself useful.”
“You know asking favors after insulting me isn’t advised.”
I nodded to the console. “Just take the other end. We’re bringing it upstairs.”
“Up Kinleigh’s stairs? Are you high?”
“If I was, I wouldn’t tell you.”
Jared attempted to lift one side and grunted. “Why are we doing this?”
“Because Kin loves projects. Especially if they’re Art Deco.”
“Art what?”
“Never mind. Just lift.”
“Would you just ask the girl out and put us all out of our misery?”
My side of the console thudded to the floor.
“What? Like this is a shocking revelation?” He stacked his arms on his side. “You’ve been into her forever.”
“Would you keep it down?”
“She doesn’t know? Or is your river of denial deep enough to swim in?”
“Look, it’s a new thing. And not going too well.”
“Couldn’t seal the deal?”
“Jesus, Jared.” I collapsed against the sawhorse behind me. “Like I’d give you details.”
He tipped his hat back. “Oh, so it is serious. Huh. Well, I suppose we all have to do it sometime.”
“It’s not like that.” I didn’t think. How could I know for sure? She was too busy avoiding me as if I smelled rotten.
Sure, I got a little ripe somedays with the heat of the shop. I took a hesitant sniff and luckily, just smelled sawdust and laundry detergent.
When I looked up again, Jared was grinning at me.
“Shut up. Just help me bring this upstairs and maybe—”
“Maybe you’ll get rewarded for your present?”
“No. Well, that would be nice, but it isn’t why I got it for her. I just saw it and knew she’d want it. And it’s not like I want favors or whatever.”
“You don’t?”
“I mean—Jesus, just help me. I can’t talk about it. I’m not going to talk about it.”
He gave me a narrow-eyed look, one eyebrow disappearing into the shadow from his ridiculously big hat.
