AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And you painted my kitchen!”
“I painted part of your kitchen and your dining room ceiling.”
“There you go.”
“You’ve fed, housed, and transported me for more than a week,” she said. “That makes us almost even.”
“Are you keeping a ledger? What about that mural you’re painting in my dining room? The murals. I want four of them, one for each wall. And I’m having Heath draw up a damned contract today.”
She pushed the bills into his front pocket. “Stop trying to manipulate me. You don’t care anything about murals. That was April’s idea.”
“I do care. I liked the idea from the beginning, and I like it even more now. It’s also a perfect solution to this problem you’ve created. But for some reason, you’re afraid to go ahead with it. Explain that to me. Explain why you’re upset by the idea of painting some murals for a man you’re indebted to.”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“I’m offering you a legitimate job. It’s got to beat working for that crazy old bat.”
“Save your breath, okay? So far, the only real service I’ve provided happened last night, and even a dumb-ass like you has to see I can’t take your money after that.”
He had the nerve to sneer. “Were we in the same bed? Because, the way I remember, I was the one providing the damn service. You want to reduce everything to commerce? Fine. Then you should pay me. As a matter of fact, I’m sending you a bill. For a thousand dollars! That’s right. You owe me a grand. For services provided.”
“A thousand dollars? As if. I had to fantasize about my old boyfriends just to get excited.”
It wasn’t quite the discussion-ending blow she’d hoped to deliver because he laughed. Not a mean laugh, which would have lifted her spirits, but a highly amused laugh.
“Girl!”
Blue winced as Nita chose that moment to emerge from Barb’s Tresses and Day Spa, her freshly painted crimson talons curling around her cane. “Girl! Come help me across the street.”
Dean gave Nita an obnoxiously cheerful smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Garrison.”
“Good morning, Deke.”
“It’s Dean, ma’am.”
“I don’t think so.” She thrust her purse toward Blue. “Carry this, girl. It’s heavy. And watch my nails. You’d better not have been wasting my gas while I was inside.”
Dean hooked his thumb in his jeans pocket. “I feel a whole lot better now that I see how well the two of you are getting along.”
Blue grabbed Nita by the elbow and steered her into the street. “Your car’s parked over here.”
“I have eyes.”
“I’ll swing by the house and pick up the bike on my way back to the farm,” Dean called out. “You all have a nice day now.”
Blue pretended not to hear.
“Take me home,” Nita said as she resettled in the passenger seat.
“What about the bank?”
“I’m tired. I’ll write you a check.”
Only three days, Blue told herself as she sneaked a look back toward the truck.
Dean stood with a foot propped on the fire hydrant and one of the local beauties hanging off his arm.
When they got back to the house, Nita insisted Blue take Tango for a walk so they could get acquainted. Since Tango was lame and a thousand years old, Blue let him snooze under a hydrangea while she sat on the curb out of sight of the house and tried not to think about the future.
