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All sorts of feelings bubble up inside me as I stare at his gorgeous face, not the least of which is a longing to kiss him. It’s so strong, it nearly knocks me on my butt. Where the heck did that come from? I should only be thinking about how grateful I am that Ethan is helping me out. Not only is he here to paint, but he’s renting a table at the diner.
As he steps inside, I get a hint of his aftershave, and I’m back to longing again. Suddenly, I’m afraid my feelings for him are going to become another complication in my life.
And the last thing I need are more complications.
Chapter10
Ethan
“Am I too early?” I ask, noticing how flustered Moira seems. She’s dressed in an old T-shirt that nearly swallows her up and a pair of shorts that barely poke out from the hem of her shirt. Her hair is up in a ponytail, and she doesn’t have any makeup on, but somehow, she’s as appealing as a movie star on the red carpet.
“Not at all. It’s just been a hectic morning. Come on in,” she says, stepping aside to let me in.
Juno, their golden retriever, greets me like we’re long-lost friends. I crouch down to pet her. “Hey, girl, how have you been?” When Prisha and I stayed here last summer, Juno decided to honor me by sleeping on my bed.
She rubs her head against my thigh to let me know all is well in her doggie world. After a minute, Moira leads the way into the kitchen where the twins are gobbling up some waffles.
“Did you eat?” she asks.
“Yup, I’m all fueled up and ready to paint.”
“Digger and Harper stopped at the hardware store to get the paint mixed. They should be here in a few minutes,” she says. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”
“Only if it’s already made.”
“It is.” She reaches into a cabinet for a mug. “Ash, Colt, you boys head outside and see if you can find your brother. I’ll do the dishes.”
The boys move so fast, I have to step aside to avoid being mowed down. Juno follows them. When the door slams behind them, Moira releases a ragged sigh while she pours my coffee. Handing it to me, she explains, “Wyatt is upset with me this morning.”
I don’t want to pry, so I say, “That’ll happen with kids.”
She opens the ancient burnished-yellow dishwasher and starts to load the dishes on the counter. Setting my coffee down, I get up and carry over the plates and cutlery that are littering the table.
“You don’t have to help,” she says.
“I thought that’s why I was here.”
She takes a glass from my hand. “Thank you.” Her fingertip brushes against my skin, warming me from head to heel. She startles like she’s just been on the receiving end of an electric shock. She hurriedly turns her attention back to the dishes.
I’m almost one hundred percent certain, Moira Bishop is not immune to my charms. She makes me feel like a middle schooler in the throes of my first crush. Maybe I should just pass her a note.Do you like any boy in this room? Circle Yes or No.
The front door opens, and Ash sticks his head in. “Wyatt’s down at the creek. We’re going to race sticks for a while.”
“That’s fine. Just stay out of the water. There’s enough laundry to do this weekend as it is.”
He gives her a thumbs up before racing across the front lawn. Moira looks over at me. “What do you suppose the chances are that any of them come home dry?”
“Based on my recollection of being that age, I’m going to say five percent.”
“You must be an optimist,” she says wryly.
Moira scrubs the waffle maker while I wipe the counters and table. After a few minutes, the work is done. She takes a deep breath. “Thank you. Cleanup is much easier with a little help. I’ve been training the boys, but they seem to leave more messes than they start with.”
The door opens and Digger and Harper walk in. Harper announces, “Liam and Lily saw the boys and ran down to the creek to join them.”
Digger adds, “I’m thinking it might be easier to just let them play. With the four of us working, we should be done in no time.”
“That’s a great idea,” Moira replies. “This way the kids can get as wet as they want, and I don’t have to worry about who’s going to spill paint first.”
