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“Fair enough,” Emma agreed, giving him a small smile.
“So, what’s Clarissa dishing out today? I’m starved.” Anthony chuckled, thankful that she was letting it go, and leaned in and kissed her forehead.
“I’ll bring you out the Bayou Gumbo. It’s the best thing she’s ever made yet,” he assured her. “Stay right there. I could use a break myself and I’d love to have lunch with you.”
Emma smiled widely, feeling a blush rise up all the way from her collarbone.
“Sounds good,” she replied, happy that the conversation went as well as it could.
3
“Any chance you’d move to Texas to join my crew?” Jasper asked, packing up his toolbox. Jolene laughed as she pulled off the gloves he’d lent her and added them to the bag of safety gear.
“Thanks, but I’m a Louisiana gal,” she replied.
“But we really did a pretty good job, didn’t we?”
Jasper smiled in satisfaction as he looked around, pleased with the work they’d accomplished. He hadn’t emptied the bed of his work pickup before he left Texas so he had almost everything they needed aside from stone and wooden materials. They started in Jolene’s cabin, replacing the missing rails on the porch and staircase to the loft. Then they moved on to patching any holes and cracks they found in the walls and replaced the four rotting floorboards they had found.
With the barest of masonry skills, they smoothed out some broken pieces in the fireplace and rock bed foundation it rested on. They also took apart the pipes leading to the outside and gave them a good cleaning. The plumbing, they discovered, wasn’t too worse for wear, but they did find some warped pulpboard that needed to be removed and replaced and some washers that needed tightening to stop the leaks.
Jasper had worked construction since he was thirteen years old, but he’d never felt more satisfaction in a job than he did at that moment. It was a strange thing, really, but it was true. There was something beautiful in the simplicity of the cabin’s design. The rawness of it. It felt good to restore it.
“I’d say we’ve earned ourselves a beer, certainly,” he said in way of agreement.
Jolene helped him put his equipment back into the bed of the truck and dusted her hands together.
“I like the sound of that,” she said as she caught her breath and wiped the sweat from her brow.
“I might need a little liquid courage anyway to talk to Clarissa again after how last night went.”
“No kidding,” Jasper agreed dryly, thinking of his own predicament. “What time do you think they’re going to be back?”
Jolene shrugged, not wanting to admit that she’d pondered that question all day.
“Six at the earliest, but with how mad they were with us last night, we could be waiting quite a while.”
Jasper sighed as he leaned his arms on the bed of his truck.
“Here’s the thing. I can’t sit still and wait. I’ve got to keep busy or I’ll go crazy.”
“I’m the same way,” Jolene agreed. “So, what do you suggest?”
Jasper rolled his head left to right, letting the tension pull away from his muscles before he stood up straight and adjusted his cowboy hat.
“I suggest we go get cleaned up because Lord knows we need to,” he said with a chuckle. Jolene joined him in his laughter as she leaned back against his truck.
“Then go to the grocery store and grab some beer and food. I’ve got a cowboy surprise that’ll knock your socks off.”
Jolene gave him a look of surprise. It was the first time any man had offered to cook for her, and she felt a sudden rush of flattery that she wasn’t expecting. She quickly punched the unfamiliar feeling down and smirked at him.
“I don’t think I’m ready for a cowboy surprise just yet,” she said sarcastically.
“Beer sounds good, but why don’t I do the cooking instead?”
Jasper smirked and shook his head, liking her sassiness.
“Fine, but I get to pick the beer. Now, let’s get going.”
