Don't Touch My Petunia

by Tara Sheets

  “Did you lose something?” he asked.

  Just my dignity. She abandoned her search for the quarter. “It’s not a big deal.” With quick, frustrated movements, she began twisting her hair into a bun. If she didn’t get back out there soon, Smitty was going to smoke her on a spit.

  “You look pretty hot in that,” he said.

  She glanced sharply at him.

  His face was all polite concern, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes. “The costume.” He gestured to the pear-shaped mess of feathers. “It’s really hot.”

  Was he teasing her? She ignored him and shook out the chicken hood, preparing to put it on. The sooner she escaped into the boiling sea of humanity, the better. It was one thing to feel ridiculous, but another thing entirely to have a man like him witness it.

  “But why a turkey?” he asked conversationally, leaning one shoulder against the tree trunk. “I don’t get it.”

  “It’s for a rescue shelter,” she said, securing her hair with an elastic band from her wrist. “They thought it would draw attention to help get donations.”

  “For turkeys.” He did not seem impressed.

  “No.” She threw him a look like he was the ridiculous one, then jammed on the feathered hood. “It’s a rescue facility for animals. Mostly cats and dogs. And I’m a chicken, if you must know.”

  “Ah.” He nodded solemnly, but she had the distinct feeling he was laughing at her. “I see that now.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out fast. “I know it’s dumb, all right? Just give me five seconds and I’ll be off to terrorize small children and leave you in peace.”

  He shrugged. “Take your time. I like chickens.” He looped his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans and glanced at the crumpled plate. “My sandwich was chicken.”

  She tried to snap the hood under her chin. The clasp wouldn’t catch. She tried again, muttering under her breath.

  He pushed off the tree and stepped closer. “Do you need some help?”

  “No,” she said quickly. If he had to help, her humiliation would be complete. Why couldn’t he just go away?

  He kept watching as she fumbled with the clasp under her chin. Spiky feathers poked her neck. Brushed against her nose. Scraped along her collarbone. She bit the insides of her cheeks, frustration mounting with every second.

  “Maybe you should consider an easier costume next time,” he said.

  She almost laughed. There wasn’t going to be a “next time.” Even if that meant she had to pack up a bindle stick and go moseying down the train tracks with her dog Hank.

  A prickly feather jabbed her ear. She plucked the offending feather out, tossed it to the ground, and continued trying to snap the hood.

  “You could try a flamingo costume,” he said amiably.

  Another feather dug into her temple. She shoved it back. Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades. Her arms itched. Everything itched.

  “Or an albatross,” he suggested. “You know, something that really says ‘cat and dog shelter.’”

  Kat slapped feathers away from her face. It was too much. She was fed up. With the job. The day. Her life.

  “Look.” She pierced him with a glare, fighting to steady her voice. “I get that this might be entertaining to you, but it’s no picnic for me. I took this gig because I needed the money. I’m supposed to be collecting donations and so far, all I’ve gathered is twenty-five cents from an old man who told me to shake my tail feathers. So just give me a break, okay? This is not my idea of a fun afternoon.”

  She turned her back on him, still grappling with the hood clasp. After several moments in which she considered ripping the hood off, dousing it with gasoline, and lighting it on fire with one of Smitty’s cigarettes, it finally snapped closed. Hallelujah! Now she could get on with her glorious day.

  “What is?” he asked.

  She spun to face him, plucking a downy feather from her mouth. “What is what?”

  He was studying her with those whiskey-colored eyes, his head cocked to one side like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. A dark lock of hair fell over his brow, and Kat was struck again by how attractive he was. Or, would be. If she were into those wild, wicked beast types. Which, she wasn’t.

  The butterflies in her stomach started to say otherwise, but she drew out a mental fly swatter and shut them up, fast.

  “What is your idea of a fun afternoon?” he asked.

  Kat blinked. It had been a long time since anyone asked her opinion on something like that. There were so many ways to answer it. She’d rather be almost anywhere right now. Like the beach, or an outdoor music concert, or a sidewalk café. She’d rather be curled up with her dog watching old black-and-white movies, or browsing thrift stores for treasures nobody wanted. But none of these things would seem particularly interesting to someone who looked like he roamed the halls of enchanted castles and slayed dragons in his spare time.

  Instead, she just shrugged. “I don’t know. Watching movies. Shopping.”

  His expression faded to a look of mild boredom. “Of course.”

  Kat bristled. His dismissive tone bothered her. He bothered her. She lifted her chin. “Oh, is that not exciting enough for you?”

  He shrugged. “Hey, whatever floats your boat. Not everyone has the same idea of fun, that’s all. You are who you are.”

  She pressed her lips together. He had no idea who she was. “Well, what’s your idea of a fun afternoon? Swimming with sharks? Jumping off cliffs in a wingsuit?”

  His lips twitched. He ran a hand through his hair and looked away.

  Kat couldn’t help noticing his muscular arms, and how broad his shoulders were in comparison to his lean hips. He was built like a professional athlete. Maybe he really did do extreme sports.

  “Nothing that complicated,” he said, turning back to her. A soft smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Sometimes I just like to hang out and enjoy lunch with friends, or . . .” His gaze flicked to her costume, then back up to her face. “A hot chick.”

  Kat rolled her eyes. She grabbed her basket and marched away, tail feathers bouncing with each step.

  A deep, masculine chuckle followed her until she lost herself in the crowd.

  She was on the other side of the farmer’s market before she looked in her basket. On the bottom was a folded twenty-dollar bill.

  * * *

  By six o’clock that evening, the farmer’s market vendors were packing up for the day. Kat stood in the Daisy Meadows Pet Rescue booth and unzipped her chicken costume with a tortured sigh. The cool air felt like heaven on her sweaty skin. It was good to finally be free.

  Smitty sucked on a cigarette and dug through the donation basket with her free hand. She held up the twenty-dollar bill. “Who’s the big tipper?”

  “I didn’t catch his name,” Kat said. In fact, she didn’t see Mr. Tall, Dark, and Bothersome again after their first encounter.

  Smitty shoved the donations into a glass jar and screwed the lid shut. “Well, old man Winthrop didn’t donate twenty bucks, that’s for sure. Bessie never got more than a quarter out of him.”

  Kat glanced up from tying her shoes. “Bessie?”

  Smitty’s expression curdled. “The gal who normally works the fair. She up and quit yesterday, which is why we needed a stand-in. And good riddance to her, if you ask me.” She opened a metal box on the table and pulled out several bills. “Here’s your pay. You did all right today.”

  “Thanks.” Kat took the money and stuffed it in her pocket. Not a bad haul for an under-the-table gig.

  Hank crawled out from his sleeping spot behind the tablecloth, tail spinning in joy to see her.

  She scooped him up and kissed him on the head.

  Smitty eyed her closely. “You good with animals?”

  “I’m excellent with animals,” Kat said. “It’s kind of my thing.” And by “thing,” she meant super power. At least, that’s what she liked to call it. By some freak of nature, she just al
ways knew what animals were feeling, and she could communicate with them. But that’s not something she could come right out and say. That was the kind of thing that got you beat up on the playground, or kicked out of a house.

  “I need to hire another receptionist,” Smitty said. “You good with paperwork and office stuff?”

  “Sure.” Kat pasted an extra big smile on her face, hoping it would make up for the lie. Organization was not a close friend of hers, but work was money. And money was security. And security was everything. “I’m good with animals, and office stuff.”

  Smitty reached into her bedazzled denim purse, pulled out a business card, and handed it to her. “Come by Monday morning. Eight o’clock sharp. It’s a full-time position, if you want it.”

  Kat glanced at the card with the words DAISY MEADOWS PET RESCUE across the top. This time, her smile was genuine. “Sounds perfect.”

  Chapter Two

  “Room for Rent,” Kat read aloud from her laptop screen later that evening. She was leaning against the headboard of her motel room, scrolling through the Pine Cove Island classified ads. “Looking for someone to share light chores.”

  She glanced down at her dog Hank on the coverlet beside her. “That sounds promising, right? I’m fine with light chores.”

  Hank thumped his tail in agreement.

  She grabbed a chip from a bag on the nightstand and continued reading aloud. “Cooking a plus. Daily massage a must. Big tool provided . . .” Kat began to frown and continued reading under her breath. “For more details call X.L. Dickerson.” She made a face and set the laptop aside.

  Hank whined and shook his head.

  “Yeah, that one’s a definite no,” Kat said with a sigh. She’d been searching for a cheap room to rent for the past hour. Most of the rooms available were either too expensive, or too far away from her new job. She’d purchased an ancient Ford sedan with the last of her savings, but it wasn’t the most reliable commuter vehicle.

  Hank crawled into her lap and she scratched him under the chin.

  An ad suddenly popped up at the top of the rental list. Kat glanced over at her laptop, reading aloud with hesitation. “Room for Rent. Willowbrook Lavender farm, 37 Griffin Road. Discount on rent in exchange for light help with barn animals. Prior knowledge a must. All utilities included.”

  Kat sat up straighter. The animal shelter was on Griffin Road. She leaned sideways and typed in the farm’s address on her laptop. It was less than a quarter of a mile away from the shelter. Quickly, she fired off an email asking if the room was still available. Almost immediately, she got a response from an O. Prescott, and within minutes she had a plan to meet the following day to see the room.

  “Hank, this might just work,” Kat said, shutting her laptop. She snuggled under the covers with her dog and whispered, “We live another day.”

  * * *

  On Saturday morning, Kat parked her car in front of Willowbrook Lavender farm with mixed feelings.

  The fresh, herbal scent of lavender permeated the air, and the field beyond the house was beautiful. Rows of lavender in varying shades of purple and blue stretched for an acre along the west side of the property. A red barn with white trim stood near the south field, with a trailer hitch and wheelbarrow out front.

  But the farmhouse had seen better days. It was a dingy white structure with a wraparound porch. The flower boxes on the railing were cracked and empty. The stairs leading up to the porch were sagging with age, and the turquoise front door was faded and peeling.

  Next to the house was a detached garage with an apartment above it. Her future living space, if things worked out. She eyed the single window above the garage, hoping the room was decent. For the rental price, she wasn’t expecting much.

  Kat crossed the lawn, trying to shove off the mantle of disappointment settling over her. She had hoped Willowbrook Lavender farm would be a little more cheerful. Maybe a purple farmhouse with fluffy chickens pecking around in the yard. Come to think of it, there were no barn animals anywhere. Strange, considering that was part of the rental arrangement. Even the fenced paddock beside the house was empty and overgrown with weeds. The place looked abandoned.

  She climbed the steps to the front door where a silver dragonfly knocker hung at eye-level. A mermaid wind chime beside the door danced in the breeze, its cheerful, tinkling sound eerily out of place in the somber atmosphere.

  Kat paused to gather her thoughts, smoothed her hair, then knocked three times.

  A few moments later, the door swung open and a man appeared.

  Her mouth fell open in surprise.

  Mr. Tall, Dark, and Bothersome stood on the threshold. He was younger than she’d first assumed—maybe in his late twenties or early thirties. His hair was damp and smoothed back, and he was cleanshaven, so the angles of his face were more clearly defined. He wore jeans and an unbuttoned flannel shirt, revealing a glimpse of muscled torso and tanned skin. Kat thought he’d been attractive before, but now he looked downright sinful.

  His gaze traveled over her hair, her clothes, her shoes.

  She shifted self-consciously on her feet. She was wearing an old tank top, shorts, and chunky boots. All her clothes were black, which was a requirement for her last job as part of the working crew on the houseboat. She hadn’t had the time or money to buy new clothes yet. Now, under his scrutiny, she felt inappropriately dressed, which was absurd, considering he barely had a shirt on.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she blurted.

  He lifted a dark brow. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  “I’m not,” she said quickly. But it wasn’t entirely true. She’d expected a wizened old farmer in overalls with a grandpa smile. Or maybe a little old lady in an apron with lots of cats. Someone sweet and comforting. This man was the exact opposite. He gave her that unsettling, butterflies-in-her-stomach feeling.

  Kat cleared her throat and tried to sound calm, even though she wasn’t. “I just didn’t expect . . . I mean, you don’t seem like a lavender farm type of person.”

  His expression flickered with bitter amusement. “I won’t argue with that.” He began buttoning his shirt. “You’re early.”

  Kat glanced away. Watching him dress felt almost as intimate as if she were watching him undress. “I was supposed to come at ten o’clock, right?” She pulled her phone from her pocket and checked the time. Nine forty. She must have rushed through the morning in her eagerness to see the room. “I didn’t realize how early it was. Do you want me to come back in twenty minutes?”

  “No need.” He finished buttoning his shirt and held out a hand. “I’m Jordan Prescott.”

  “Kat Davenport.” She reached out to shake his hand. It was a simple, everyday gesture, but the sudden skin-on-skin contact made her hyper aware of how big and warm he was, and how close they were standing. She quickly let go. “I thought I was meeting with an O. Prescott.”

  “My grandmother, Opal,” Jordan said. “I posted the ad for her.”

  “You live here with your grandmother?” Another oddity.

  He looked away. “Not for long.”

  Kat suddenly wondered what his story was. Everybody had a story. Some people got the happy Hallmark Channel ones with the parents and the family traditions and the fresh baked cookies after school. Other people got Les Misérables. But that’s what made them resourceful and self-sufficient and strong. That’s what made them capable of handling whatever life threw their way.

  She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Is your grandmother here?”

  “No. She’s at the community center playing Bingo. Or knitting.” He shook his head in dismissal. “Whatever it is, she’ll be back by ten o’clock.”

  Kat nodded in relief. A little old lady who knitted and played Bingo made sense. That was the kind of landlord she’d expected. A sinfully attractive, slightly annoying grandson wasn’t part of the plan, but Kat wasn’t going to let that stop her. She needed the room. It was cheap, which was her favorite price, a
nd she had no problem taking care of animals. She had to make this work. Besides, he said he wasn’t going to be there for long.

  “I’m heading out, Jordan,” a sultry female voice said from down the hall.

  A pretty woman in a red dress suit and mile-high stilettos sauntered up beside him. She had sleek, dark hair and lips painted the exact shade of her dress. “Who’s this?”

  “Kat Davenport. She’s here about the room for rent,” Jordan said. “Kat, this is Layla Gentry.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” Layla mused. “The room above the garage. I forgot about that.” She swept Kat from head to toe in an appraisal so thorough, Kat felt like she was on an auction block. Apparently, Layla decided she wasn’t worth the investment, because she gave Kat a tight smile and promptly dismissed her.

  Layla placed a hand on Jordan’s upper arm and squeezed. “I have to run. Come by my office later.” She brushed past Kat and sailed away on a river of Chanel No. 5.

  “Does she live here, too?” Kat asked.

  “No. She was just doing some work for me.”

  Kat wasn’t going to ask what kind of work. It wasn’t any of her business. He could do whatever he wanted with as many friends as he wanted. All she cared about was having a convenient place to live.

  “Come in.” Jordan stood back and waved her into the house. “I’ll show you around.”

  Kat paused in the doorway. It was dark in the hall, except for a splash of sunlight from a window on the upstairs landing. She stole a glance at Jordan Prescott. Her potential new roommate.

  He was standing half in shadow. An errant sunbeam slanted across his face, which made his eyes appear even brighter and more golden than usual.

  “Are you coming in, or . . . ?”

  She hesitated for a few heartbeats.

  His expression lit with amusement, and his mouth curved into a smile. It wasn’t the sweet, comforting kind of smile one would expect from grandpa farmers and little old cat ladies. It was an enchanted, wicked-prince smile. The kind that could lure a woman into all sorts of delicious trouble, if she were willing.