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I don’t do feelings and commitments and all the things I know this man is looking for in a woman. And even if I did, I’ve made a pact with myself to swear off men for the foreseeable future. This ridiculously intense attraction I feel toward Declan will pass. Someday.
“Want me to get rid of it for you?” His smile is far too pleasing, its sexiness rating surely a fire code violation all its own. His offer is tempting. If I don’t remove the beast, I might have to keep the restroom permanently closed to the public. But I’m not about to admit to Declan that I have a…weakness.
“No need.” I brush the dust from my knees, making a mental note to wipe down the worn counter when Declan’s busy with his inspection. This past week included a lot of bookshelf creation and assembly, leaving a film of sawdust on every conceivable surface. Because, of course, I didn’t think to cover things with drop cloths.
“Mind if I get started then?”
“Go for it.”
Butterflies in my stomach are acting up, and I’m not entirely sure if it’s Declan or the fate of my grand opening date that’s to blame. Probably both. I busy myself wiping down the bar, unable to keep my gaze from ping-ponging toward the dark hallway. If that spider comes back, I’ll…probably just scream.
I add call exterminator to my ever growing to-do list.
“Where are all the books?” Declan asks as he pokes around the space, clipboard in hand.
“In Ester’s basement.” My precious inventory of books will be the final touch before the doors open. It’s easily the part I’m most looking forward to completing. “I didn’t want anything to happen to them in the meantime.” Though it’s unlikely someone would want to steal boxes of books, they are my biggest investment. More than even the alcohol will be once my liquor license arrives.
Declan grabs a barstool and drags it to a corner, his attention fixed on a slightly rusted sprinkler head above a door jamb I already planned to have replaced. I whip out my phone to make that note, but before I can type all the words, he says, “Your sprinkler system is outdated.”
“Good detective work, Sherlock.”
I pretend not to notice the way his snugly fit shirt rides up as he kneels on the barstool and reaches toward the sprinkler. This crush is getting way out of hand. I blame the bride’s signature cocktail at my friend Haley’s wedding a couple weeks ago. One I’ve sworn never to drink again. It made me get all feely on her big day. I almost forgot I’m allergic to all that. “You’ll have to replace it.”
“One sprinkler head.” I finish entering it on my list and wave my phone at him. “Check.”
“Not just one fixture, Cassidy. The whole system. It’s out of code.”
“Come again?”
“Your entire sprinkler system is ancient.” Declan climbs down from the stool and carries it back to the bar. It’s completely unfair for him to look so sexy while delivering such shitty news. “I doubt it’s even fully functional. It’ll need to be replaced or there’ll be no grand opening.”
2
DECLAN
After one last triple check of my work, I close out the accounting software on the animal shelter’s computer.
A couple of years back, the numbers were looking quite grim after my sister Haley left Daisy Hills. No one quite knew what to do without her. Less money came in and more money went out. The shelter very nearly closed their doors. Her return to town and the shelter couldn’t have been more timely to help turn everything around before the whole place went under.
Now the shelter is thriving once again.
“In a hurry?” Haley asks as she fills the doorway to the shelter’s lone office, arms folded across her chest. Her black t-shirt is covered in animal fur. I’d bet money she was in the cat room. Jellybean, their coon hound, will likely have something to say about that when she gets home later.
Her mischievous grin suggests she knows where I’m headed. It’s not as though my interest in Cassidy James is a secret.
“I have to swing by Ester James’ place next,” I say innocently. I do the books for over a dozen local businesses, some of them single operation ones like Ester’s home quilting shop. That, along with being the assistant fire marshal and a volunteer firefighter, keeps me pretty busy. “Promised I’d be in time for tea.”
Haley lifts an eyebrow. “You don’t drink tea.”
“Don’t you have a husband to bother?”
Her radiant glow is nearly blinding. I’ve never seen my sister so happy. Or so tan. Barbados was obviously good to her. I hope the honeymoon phase never wears off. For her.
Or for me when I finally wear Cassidy James down.
Because I will wear her down.
“He’s working,” Haley says with an easy shrug.
