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Chapter 11
Alison glanced up at the kitchen wall clock for the tenth time in as many minutes. She took a deep breath and listened to the sound of the power tools coming from next door. It was already 11:30. Troy would only be there until noon. It was now or never.
Even as she stepped out onto her back porch and started the short trip across the grassy patch separating the two houses, she debated with herself over whether she was jumping the gun. Maybe she should just relax, let him make the next move.
But what if he was freaked out about the whole fan-selfie, recognized-in-public, minor-celebrity thing? What if he thought she was snooty or standoffish? She definitely didn’t want to reinforce that impression.
In the end, she came up with a plan.
She’d buy him a small gift. Nothing extravagant—that would actually work against the down-to-earth image she was doing her best to cultivate.
No, this needed to be something small and fun. Tongue in cheek, even. The more she thought about it, the more enthused she’d become about the prospect. If she could find something that would reference their short history, emphasize some kind of inside joke between them.
She’d set off early this morning and scoured every shop in downtown Valentine Bay, looking for the perfect thing. Every time a clerk asked if they could be of any assistance, she said the same thing—she had no idea what she was looking for, but she’d know it when she saw it.
Then, finally, she’d seen it, and where else? At Ella’s shop, Everything Ella. She made a mental note to just start all future shopping trips there and save herself time.
Now, gift in hand, she stepped through the plastic tarp that covered the front door, and, giving herself a sense of déjà vu, called, “Hello? Anyone here?”
The banging that reverberated through the house stopped abruptly, and Troy rounded the corner, replacing a hammer in the loop on his toolbelt. The wide smile on his face sent a wave of relief flooding through her, the sensation as sweet as honey. That was not the face of a man who thought she was snooty or standoffish. That was the face of a man who was damn happy to see her, and it filled her with warmth.
A flip switched inside her, and she suddenly felt very silly for all of the endless circles she’d let her thoughts chase themselves in. Something about this man had worked its way under her skin, and she didn’t see herself shaking free of him anytime soon.
“Hey, pretty lady. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
She giggled, taking herself by surprise. “I brought you something. A little thank you gift for a lovely time the other evening.”
Wow. That weirdly formal phrasing is doing nothing to further your case that you’re not snooty and standoffish,she chastised herself. For God’s sake, woman! Relax!
“You bought me a present?”
“I did. It’s nothing much.” She extended her hand, holding it out to him. “It’s just, you know, a travel mug. Because it has a lid that fastens. And it’s a little more durable, in case of a fall. And it says ‘Sawdust is Man Glitter’ on it.”
Stop. Babbling!
He turned it over in his hands, examining it from multiple angles. Even though she knew he was likely just being polite, she still couldn’t help the thrill that went through her at how seriously he was taking the small gift.
He looked up at her, his face engulfed in a wide smile. “It’s great. I love it!”
“Oh, good. I’m so glad.”
“I’m glad you dropped by. I was going to stop by your place before I knocked off for the day, actually.”
A flush of pleasure filled her. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I was thinking about what you said at dinner the other night. About wanting to get more involved and meet people?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, I absolutely do.”
“Well, my construction company has a softball team. Why don’t you join up? It’s a great group of people. We have a good time.”
She tilted her head. “Isn’t there some kind of rule that would keep me from joining? I mean, because I don’t work there.”
“Nah. It’s very casual. Lots of the wives and girlfriends play…” His words cut off abruptly as his eyes widened, as if he’d heard what he said only after it was partway out of his mouth and then clamped his throat muscles together as hard as he could when he did in hopes of stopping the awkward words in their tracks.
But she didn’t mind one bit. He could call her his girlfriend all day long, and she wouldn’t do anything but enjoy it.
“Or, I mean…friends. Or sisters, or kids. Grandkids, even. It’s just a casual league. That’s what I’m getting at.”
