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“You don’t look very enthused about it,” Eve said.
“I’m not. The book is good. Very good. But this is one movie star whose reputation for causing trouble during production has most producers spooked.”
Both puppies resting obediently in their beds in the corner of the room, their grandmother slid back from the table and stood. “I have confidence that if anyone can keep this woman in line, it’s you.” She took a couple of steps, and tenderly brushed her fingertips along his jaw. “You inherited your grandfather’s charming ways.”
It took everything in Eve not to spit with laughter. While the grandfather she knew could be quite doting on his beloved wife, gruff, determined, and powerful were the sort of words that came to the forefront of her mind when describing the man. Many others came to mind as well, but charming was rarely one of them.
With her brother and grandmother on their feet, Jared, and she followed suit. When she turned to follow her grandmother out of the room, Jared reached for her hand to slow her steps. He fell in beside her, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Of course.” She stopped in her tracks. “Is something wrong?”
His hat in one hand, he ran the other one roughly across the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give that impression.” His hand fell to his side, and his weight shifted from one foot to the other. Letting out a deep sigh, and with an almost unnoticeable shake of his head, his eyes settled on hers. “For a grown man, I’m really botching this. I was hoping to get your phone number.”
This was a very different side of the cocky man who had just had a verbal sparring match with her brother, and nothing like the reputation of a notoriously charming bachelor. She tried not to smile too widely. “Of course. Let me get my phone and I’ll text you.”
“Actually.” He smacked his hat against his thigh. “Perhaps since I’m already here, I could persuade you to join me for dinner tonight?”
“Oh.” For some reason the invitation took her by surprise.
“Or not.”
“No, no. Dinner would be…nice.” The need to smile tugged at her cheeks until her plans for the day smacked her upside the head. “Except I promised to do a few photo ops with the bid winner and then stay to help out at the current building site this afternoon. I’m not really sure if I’d be able to sneak away early enough.”
“Building site?”
“Yes. Last night’s charity. A lot like Habitat for Humanity, volunteers work the home construction site. I promised the coordinator last night that I would come. Any publicity is always helpful.”
“Could you use some extra hands?”
His response was unexpected, especially after last night’s comment about preferring to just cut a check, but she had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Always, but I’ll be leaving here by ten.”
He dipped his chin in understanding and she was all set for him to back out and reschedule dinner when he smiled at her. “I’ll pick you up.” Still smiling, he plopped his hat on his head, and crossing the foyer in three long strides, opened the front door. “See you at ten.”
She nodded and watched the door close behind him. The only coherent thought that came to mind was, ten o’clock in the morning couldn’t come soon enough.
His foreman was going to love him for bailing on a hard work day, but if the boss couldn’t take a day off for a good cause, what good was being the boss. Standing on the Baron front porch, Jared glanced around him waiting for someone to come to the door. He’d always been impressed by the home’s resemblance to Tara from the iconic 1939 film. The architecture extravagant for the area and yet, it somehow fit in well with the rolling hills and even the smattering of cows mulling about didn’t look out of place.
The door swung open and from over the butler’s shoulder, he could see Eve galloping down the front stairwell.
“I’m ready if you are.” Her smile was wide, sincere, and utterly captivating. In form-fitting denim and a sharply pressed button-down shirt, she would no doubt be the best dressed construction worker on the continent. That she landed on the ground floor with a thud and trotted over, cheeks flushed and slightly out of breath, only added to her charm.
If he wasn’t careful, he was going to be in big trouble. Sooner than later. “I’m all yours.”
Her eyes widened slightly and he pinched his eyes shut.
Had he really said something so inappropriately provocative? “I mean, for the day. The work day.”
Slipping past him, she chuckled softly. “I got it.” The second her eyes landed on his car, she came to a screeching halt. “You drive a Porsche?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Not at all. I just expected you to show up in a work truck not a GT-3 RS.”
Had she been standing by the insignia he wouldn’t have been caught by surprise, but it was pretty clear she recognized the car instantly. This lady was full of surprises. “You know your cars.”
“I’d better or Kyle would have my head on a platter.”
Of course. It made sense that the sister of a professional racecar driver would know her cars. “Would you like to drive?”
