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Wanda smiled from ear to ear. “Oh, that’s just lovely. I’m so happy you’re back in Blackwater.”
Shayla looked up at Vance with her heart firmly planted on her sleeve and said, “Me too.”
To her shock, Vance leaned down and kissed her. It was brief, but it was enough to make it clear that she was very thoroughly claimed. Her pulse quickened, and she looked over to see Sam staring at her, a mixture of surprise and worry on his face. Before Shayla had time to ponder it, the woman in Sam’s arms came forward and held out her hand. “Sam didn’t get around to introducing us, so I figure I might as well do the honors.” The woman’s smile was warm, and Shayla found herself grinning right back. “I’m Julie. Sort of a newbie to the group.”
She liked her immediately. “Shayla. I used to live in Blackwater. I’ve only recently moved back. For the last twelve years, I’ve lived in Florida.”
“Florida sounds like heaven right about now.” She cocked her head to the side and asked, “What made you decide to move back to this frigid cold state?”
She felt Vance stiffen beside her. “Well, this was always more my home than Florida.” She glanced up at Vance to find him staring down at her, his expression unreadable. “I missed it,” she said, hoping he understood that she was talking about him and not the state. When he smiled, Shayla’s legs shook a little.
Vance cupped her chin and asked, “Ready to get to work?”
Shayla took off her coat and placed it on top of Wanda’s. She rubbed her hands together and grinned up at him. “Just point me in the right direction.”
He chuckled. “How about I show you around first?” Vance took her by the hand and led her away from the group. As she looked around the room, she was thrown back in time to when the diner had been in its prime. She remembered the shiny stainless-steel barstools with the red padded seats and Wanda standing behind the counter with a smile as she poured Shayla a soda. Shayla’s gaze darted to the far corner, and her heart sank when she realized the booth she and Vance shared once upon a time had been ripped out. There were good memories tied to this place for both of them. It was a little sad to see it changing.
When they reached the long, wooden bar, he said, “I’m not sure you remember, but there use
d to be a scarred countertop here.”
Shayla took in the beautiful, dark wood finish and the pretty swirl design down the sides of the bar. “This is gorgeous,” she said as she smoothed her palm over the shiny top. “Did you build it?” she asked, suitably impressed with the workmanship.
“Yep. I’m happy with the way it turned out, but it was hard to see the old counter go. A lot of memories there,” he said, his voice a little gruff.
Shayla squeezed his hand and knew he was thinking of his father. “You’ll all make new memories. I’m sure your dad would be proud.”
He nodded. “Remember when we used to come here after school?”
She smiled. “Your mom would get me a soda, and we’d sit in the back of the room, kissing, the soda usually forgotten.” Butterflies took flight when she said, “You asked me to be your girlfriend in that booth.”
“Mm, and you said, yes. Happiest day of my life,” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Shayla’s heart overflowed with love in that moment. The best times of her life were when she lived in Blackwater, and every good memory she coveted were all tied to this one man.
Vance cleared his throat and pointed to a far wall. Shayla promptly yanked her head out of the clouds and turned to see the section Jeanette must have been working on, because there was drywall dust all over the floor. “We’re redoing all the walls. We want a more rustic look. The old plain white had to go.”
She noticed one wall had a bright red X on it and asked, “What’s happening there?”
He took her there and flatted his palm against the surface. “We plan to take this wall out completely, but it’ll have to wait for the weather to warm up. We want to expand on the dining area to add a dance floor. We’re thinking of maybe hiring a local band to play live music on the weekends.”
“Oh, how fun!” She could easily picture herself in Vance’s strong arms as they danced to a soft, slow love song. Focus, girlfriend. She mentally squashed the image and cleared her throat. When her gaze travelled upward, taking in the loose wires hanging willy-nilly from the ceiling, she asked, “Um, why does it appear that someone has a grudge against the electric company?”
Vance snorted and tugged a lock of her hair. Shayla’s nerve-endings buzzed to life. “The lighting is way outdated,” he explained. “We’re working on installing recessed lighting. Don’t forget, woman, it’s still a work in progress.”
Shayla grinned. “With you leading this project, I’m sure it’ll be terrific.”
He bent and picked up a piece of broken drywall. “Let’s hope so, otherwise we’re all going to be living out of cardboard boxes. This thing is sucking away all our savings.”
“By the time it’s finished, the people of Blackwater won’t know what hit them.” She waved a hand around the room and asked, “So, where do I begin?”
He winked. “You might regret asking me that question after a few hours of sanding. Your muscles will be crying uncle, trust me.”
“Try me,” she said, anxious to prove to him that she wasn’t the delicate flower he seemed to think she was.
He leaned down and placed a quick kiss to her lips. “Oh, I intend to, believe me.”
Shayla’s heart sputtered at the sensual promise. The wicked gleam in Vance’s eyes sent all the blood in her body traveling south. Oh, God, the man was too yummy. Entirely too yummy.
