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“Sorry, buster, we already worked out those terms. Landscaping for website, remember?”
He nibbled her earlobe and felt her shiver in his arms. “But I added that cool map. Surely, that’s got to be worth something.”
Isaac was teasing, of course. Adding a Google map took virtually no time at all.
“Hmm, that is a good point,” she said, brushing her lips across his in a slow tease. “Perhaps we’ll have to discuss this further over dinner on Wednesday.”
“Wednesday? Why not tonight?”
She drew back, lips pursed in a disappointed pout. “Sorry, Isaac. I promised Aunt Faye I’d cover for her at the bookstore tonight so she could go talk to her banking buddy. Of course, you’re always welcome to pop by and keep me company.”
“I can’t. Brooklyn wasn’t free to cover for her?”
“No, she’s got marching band practice, and Mia is apparently on band mom duty tonight, making sure no one passes out from the heat or whatever.”
“Bummer.” He gave her a peck on the cheek and drew back, trying to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. “But I’m sure Faye appreciates the help.”
“She does, and I’m happy to do it. Of course, it probably won’t be as fun as if I were over here with you two studs, but I’ll make the most of it.” She winked, then glanced out the window. “Plus, it’s supposed to rain tonight, so I’d rather it be me there than little B, in case the leak starts again. Hopefully, the tarp will stay in place. If not, you know where I’ll be.”
“Just be safe,” he cautioned. “I’d hate for you to slip and the bookstore become haunted.”
“You never know, it might help boost business.”
She flashed him a smile, then dug into her salad. All too soon she was heading back to work, and Isaac was left to his own devices once more. From his kitchen window, he watched darker clouds roll in, and the good mood he’d started the day with began to wane.
While he’d like to think this thing with Del was a simple case of infatuation or the excitement that often came with new relationships, he had a sneaking suspicion it was developing into more than that. He loved when she was here and hated when she was gone. And though she’d been a good sport so far with his peculiar, hermit-like ways, a vibrant woman like Del could never fall for a man reluctant to leave home.
Isaac watched the clouds swirling overhead, jealous of their freedom to ebb and flow. He missed coming and going as he pleased, missed living his own life the way he wanted. As he stood scowling out the window over his sink, his phone buzzed with a new text message from Will.
You free yet?
Not hardly, Isaac thought with a snort. He turned from the window, his gaze landing on the car keys dangling from a hook across the room. Keys that, until now, he’d only allowed himself to use for late-night grocery trips. Maybe it was time to change that up a bit, be the outgoing type of man Del deserved to be with. After all, happy employeeswerethe most productive…
*
Del sat behindthe cash register at Brooks Books that night, perched on Faye’s beloved barstool, gaze roving between the leak-prone corner of the room and the weather radar on her cell phone. So far, there’d been no signs of water inside, despite the heavier-than-expected rain outside. She knew she ought to trust the repairman who’d put the tarp down a few weeks back, but it was hard to do, listening to the wind whistle through the street signs outside.
They couldn’t get this talent show booked and over with fast enough.
She reached for the store computer and pulled up Isaac’s test website, still in awe of his creation. Though she didn’t get online much, Del could still recognize quality when she saw it. The design was beautiful, the clickable links intuitive and easy to find. But it was the tone that made all the difference to her—country but not overly so, small town but not hick. That he’d thought to include that map with their town’s shop names and even an option to view at a street-view level touched her heart. He may not be a native of Bourbon Falls, but he seemed to truly care about its future.
Would he stay here long term? Is that why he had agreed to help save the bookstore? Surely, he hadn’t done all this work just to get his landscaping done. If so, he’d gotten the raw end of the deal. They were nearly done with the landscaping already, only needing to put down stone and mulch. She could only imagine how many hours he’d spent on the website design.
Then again, he did seem to love doing it. She remembered the sparkle in his eyes as he shared the prototype with her at lunch, the excitement in his voice. It was the same kind of reaction she had when sharing landscape designs with her clients, her passion for the work bubbling to the surface. Maybe that’s why their relationship felt so easy—they were both passionate about their crafts. Because it sure felt easy. Maybe even too easy at times.
Especially at his place, in his arms. In his bed…
The bell over the front door jingled, startling Del. She looked to the entrance, where her newcomer was fumbling to close their umbrella.
“Evening, thanks for stopping by.”
“Busy night?” was the muffled response.
“Hardly. You’re the only one who’s ventured in tonight.”
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
Del’s heartbeat quickened. “Isaac?”
