Page 5 of Just Married

Lesley bit her lower lip. “I fell in love with the house. I’m working on another project now, but I’ll look over my notes and get back to you by the end of the week.”

“Perfect,” Jordan responded, but he sounded distracted. Like her, Jordan was a busy man. Neither one of them had time for chitchat. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will,” she promised.

“Thanks, Les,” Jordan said affectionately. “I appreciate you doing this, and I know Zane does, too.”

“I’m glad to help.” As she replaced the receiver, Lesley wondered if she’d feel the same way later. She had the distinct impression that this assignment wasn’t going to be like her normal projects.

* * *

Zane wandered down to the breakfast table early the following morning. Mrs. Applegate was humming cheerfully to herself as she stood in front of the stove.

“Such a nice young woman,” she said, smiling over at Zane as she poured him a cup of coffee.

“Who?” he asked, pretending not to know.

“That architect who stopped by yesterday afternoon.”

Zane didn’t respond one way or another. An achy, restless feeling had come over him the moment Lesley Walker had driven away. The sensation had stayed with him all night. Generally, the pain in his leg was what kept him awake. Not thoughts of a woman. Especially one he barely knew. One thing was certain, he had no intention of furthering the relationship.

The back door opened and Carl stepped inside the kitchen. “Morning,” he grumbled with a decided lack of friendliness. He walked over to where Zane sat and pulled out a chair. “I’ve been thinking of changing feed stores,” his friend announced starkly. Carl had taken over ordering the supplies and other duties to keep himself from going stir-crazy.

“I thought we got a good price at Hoffman Feed.”

Mrs. Applegate delivered plates heaped with crisp fried bacon, eggs and toast to the two men.

“The prices are fine,” Carl answered before digging into his breakfast. He ate like a man who feared this would be his last meal.

Zane knew the man well enough to realize something was troubling Carl, and he suspected it had little to do with the local feed store. To the best of his knowledge, Carl had been buying whatever he needed from the same place since the horses had been delivered. Their prices were fair and Zane preferred to do business locally. But if Carl wanted to drive another twenty miles to another feed store, Zane figured that was his business.

“You got a problem with Hoffman Feed?”

Carl paused, the fork poised in front of his mouth while he analyzed the question. “I don’t much care for sassy women.”

Zane lowered his head in an effort to hide his amusement. So Carl had clashed swords with Candy Hoffman again. It wasn’t the first time the two had created sparks.

“I saw a woman wandering around the grounds yesterday. Who was she?” Carl asked.

“The architect,” Zane answered without elaborating.

“A real sweetheart, too, if you ask me,” Mrs. Applegate called from the other side of the kitchen.

Zane hadn’t asked, but he knew if he mentioned it his housekeeper would ignore him, and so he said nothing.

“She was a pretty thing,” Carl said. “Will she be visiting again anytime soon?”

“I don’t know.” Zane eyed his fellow soldier, disliking the interest Carl revealed in Lesley.

“If she does, how about an introduction?”

Zane wasn’t keen on that one bit, but before he could say so, Mrs. Applegate approached the table and set down a plate of hot-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls. “She isn’t the one for you.”

“Who isn’t?” Carl barked the question as he reached for a roll, burning his fingers in the process. He licked his fingertips and cursed under his breath.

“Candy Hoffman has her eye on you,” the housekeeper informed him.

Carl didn’t bother hiding his irritation. “That woman’s meaner than a beaver with a broomstick up her butt.”

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