by Tara Randel
Heidi waved. “Hi. I’m Heidi. And yes, a hungry kitten qualifies as an emergency.”
“Oh.” Ainsley frowned and looked at Reid.
“So,” Heidi said in a brisk tone. “Emergency over. Time to mingle some more.” She shot him a look. Before she disappeared into the house she said under her breath, “Point made. Thanks, friend.”
When Heidi was gone, Ainsley asked, “Is she okay?”
“Yeah.” Although Reid wasn’t sure about himself. “Let’s get back to the party.”
He stopped at the door and turned, gazing into the dark night, wondering what would have happened if Heidi had taken his dare.
Too bad she hadn’t because he’d really wanted to find out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SEATED AT A bistro table on the sidewalk outside Sit A Spell Coffee Shop, Heidi watched Reid carry on a conversation with the very nice woman who worked at the bank. The sun shone brightly, enough that Heidi had to don sunglasses to shield against the glare. The temperature hovered in the midseventies. Tourists took advantage of the appealing spring day to meander in and out of the charming shops lining Main Street.
Taking a sip of her coffee, Heidi winced. It was still hot enough to burn her tongue.
This was the fourth time—not that she was counting—she’d come across Reid and a “date” in the last week. Since the engagement party, Mrs. M. had upped her attempt to find Reid “a considerate woman to settle down with,” as she put it. Except Mrs. M. was going a bit overboard, resulting in Reid seeking out his own dates just to annoy his grandmother.
This was a game neither of them was going to win, but it was also painful to watch.
After her almost kiss with Reid under the stars, Heidi wondered if she’d been giving off signals that made Reid look at her as more than a friend. She didn’t know for sure, but she couldn’t deny that she’d wanted to be the focus of his attention. That she wanted to give in to her attraction for Reid.
And then came a wake-up call in the form of Reid’s date showing up. So, yeah, despite his interest that night, Reid wasn’t there yet. If he ever would be. So, no kissing.
If she wanted to maintain a friendship with Reid, which was paramount, she couldn’t let silly things like feelings and emotions and longing get in her way. She had a goal, the house. She needed to act accordingly.
Friends only.
No romantic attachments.
She was a strong woman, the driver of her own destiny. No messy entanglements would give her what she really needed—security. Safety. Love would come eventually, she hoped, but not now. There was too much at stake.
She had to keep her focus.
Keep telling yourself that.
“Shut up,” she muttered under her breath.
Even though Mrs. M. had pulled out all the stops since the engagement party to find Reid a match, Heidi had to admit she was relieved the wily older woman hadn’t considered her as a potential dating candidate for her grandson.
The thought gave her pause. Why hadn’t Mrs. M. considered her? Probably because everyone knew she and Reid were just friends. If Mrs. M. received the update that Heidi’s feelings had changed, she wondered if she’d be in the dating crosshairs.
It shouldn’t really bother her that Reid was determined to outdo Mrs. M. with his frantic dating, but really, she knew her friend well enough to tell he wasn’t interested in any of the women he was hanging out with. Whether his own choice or Mrs. M.’s.
Her friend.
Heidi stifled a groan. Yes, she’d found it romantic to be alone under the stars with Reid. Her heart had raced when he’d moved in for what she’d hoped was their first kiss. She’d wanted more than anything to close that gap and feel the touch of his lips on hers. But hadn’t she decided that could never happen? That he’d shown her they were friends only by asking another woman to the party? But the night and the moment had been perfect. Had Reid been so caught up in the ambience that he’d thrown caution to the wind like she wanted to?
Thankfully, she’d come to her senses, because a split second later his date had found them. What if they had been caught kissing? What a disaster that would have been. So, no, Reid had to stay in the friend zone. No more wishing on a shooting star for her.
Too bad, her heart mocked.
Reid finally broke away from the woman and hustled over to Heidi, a storm raging in his green eyes. She tried not to notice how rumpled his usually neat hair looked, as if he’d run a hand through it a dozen times.
“Another strikeout?” she asked.
“She was nice, but we’re too different.”
“This is the fourth woman who hasn’t measured up.”
“I know, and I feel bad.”
“Why not admit defeat and go out with one of your grandmother’s picks?”
“Actually, I’m going to have a long talk with her. I can’t do this anymore. Trying to date to prove a point and work on two houses? There’s not enough time in the day.”
He’d bought another property, this one needing more interior work than the Hanover house.
“This is exactly why I ask Alveda to mind her own business. At least she listens.” Heidi pushed the additional coffee she’d ordered for Reid across the table more than ready to avoid conversation about his dating woes. “Why don’t we change the subject?”
“Please.” He sent her a grateful smile. “What did you have in mind?”
“I could help you on your new project.”
His hand, holding the cup, paused halfway to his mouth. “One, I have enough of your help, thank you.” He took a sip. “Two, this new location is going to call for a lot of specialized finishing work.”
“Which means what, exactly?”
“Highly trained carpentry skills. Which is why I hired Josie, Mike’s girlfriend. She’s really talented.”
“Which I lack. Got it.” She tapped a finger on the table. “But I have a solution for my lack of woodworking skills.”
“For the love of...”
“Reid, your crabby self is showing.”
“That’s because the people in my life are making that life difficult.”
How sweet. She was having an effect on the man who was inching his way deeper into her heart.
Taking another sip of her coffee, she waited him out because, of course, he was going to ask.
Eventually, he gave in. “Your solution?”
Victory. She sat on her free hand so as not to throw a high five.
“I read in the community center flyer that you and Josh Freeman are running another how-to seminar for beginning woodworking tomorrow.”
Reid and Josh were old friends. She’d also discovered that he’d hired Josh as a master craftsman for a number of his high-end house flips.
“That’s right. We devote the entire day to a project. It’s—” His eyes went wide as he finally realized her intent. “No way, Heidi.”
“Why not? I’m a beginner and I want to learn a new skill.”
He closed his eyes and Heidi swore he was counting to ten in his head.
“I noticed a bunch of high school girls have signed up. I want to show them that we women can do anything we put our minds to.”
“I admire that, but does it have to be now?”
“When I move into my house, I’m going to need to do odd jobs. Learning how to use tools, therefore making me more independent, suits me.”
“You could always call me.”
Wouldn’t she love that? To call Reid anytime of the day or night and know he’d show up for her? Still... It would be more like misery than assistance.
“Independence,” she repeated, firm in her stance. At his probing expression, she turned her grin into a full-fledged smile. “You know I’m going to wear you down.”
“You’re right.” He held up his cup in salute. “Welcome to the wor
kshop.”
“And just so you know, I have another reason, although it’s related to the first.”
His sigh was one of acquiescence. “Lay it on me.”
“I have a girl in my tutoring group who’s been having a hard time in math class. I saw that she signed up and thought this would be a good way to show her how math works in real life.”
Reid seemed to consider her words. “That’s a great idea.”
“See, it’s not only about me bugging you and getting under your skin.”
He grinned. “You do have that effect on me.”
Pleased by his words, and the warm regard in his eyes, she tried to control the full body shiver, but failed. Hoping her voice sounded steady, she said, “I can’t help with your dating dilemma, but this class will equip me for the responsibility of homeownership.”
Reid nodded, his brow wrinkled in concentration. “You know, the timing will be great.”
“Why’s that?”
“I have wood being delivered to the Hanover house today. I’m building a deck.”
“Oh, my gosh, that’ll be amazing.” Heidi could already envision the dinner parties she’d hold, or the evenings she’d nestle into a lounge chair, watching the sun set behind the mountains.
If Reid sold her the house, that is.
“It’s going to take most of the week to cement the posts into the ground and then start the floor since my guys are spread thin between the two projects. If you take the class, you could learn how to help me finish the job.”
“And you thought having an intern would be a bad idea.”
He sent her a grim smile. “The jury is still out.”
She laughed. “I know it’s open to the public, but you honestly don’t mind me taking the workshop?”
“I should be used to your go-for-it attitude.” He held up a finger. “Just promise not to hammer any fingers or puncture any skin with a nail.”
“I’ll be careful. I certainly don’t want to hurt myself.”
“I was talking about me.”
She tried to get angry at his teasing, but the smile on his face took away the heat. They’d been working together for just about two weeks now, and the serious man who’d let her join his crew frowned less and smiled more often. She knew things with his father continued to be awkward, but it was good to see him loosening up a bit.
He tilted his cup to drain the coffee in one swallow, then rose. “I have to get going.” He pushed his chair in. “Any other surprises I should be aware of?”
“Like the single, age-appropriate interior decorator your grandmother is sending to the new project?”
He went still.
She burst out laughing. “You are so easy.”
“That’s not funny. She mentioned introducing me to a designer she’s met.”
Heidi’s smile faded. “Really, I was just teasing.”
“You should know better, Heidi. This is getting out of control.”
She felt bad for teasing him now. “I’m sorry.”
Now it was his turn to laugh.
“What was that for?”
“Gotcha. There is no designer.”
And the competitive streak between them continued.
“See you tomorrow,” he said. He tossed his cup in the trash can and made his way down the sidewalk.
It should be against the law for a man to look so good. His broad shoulders moved with the easy sway of his stride. The man was much too hot for his own good.
She rose. “Be careful, Mr. Smarty-pants. One conversation with your grandmother and it’ll be raining interior decorators on you.”
Except she really didn’t want that.
* * *
THE HOW-TO SEMINAR went smoothly, despite Heidi’s clumsy attempt at using tools. Reid had to admit, this brilliant woman was finally getting the hang of things. She’d gotten the four sides of her tea caddy together without any disasters. He still had the use of all his fingers to show for it, so all in all, a good day.
She looked so cute, her hair pulled back, dressed in a bright red T-shirt and jeans, biting her lower lip as she concentrated. She fit in like one of the kids, except she was all woman.
They’d started the morning by measuring and cutting pieces of wood, then smoothing the rough edges. Reid had chuckled as he listened to Heidi’s running commentary about using math in daily applications. Mia, the young girl who had jumped to team up with Todd, rolled her eyes every time Heidi pointed out another facet of math use. He finally separated them just to keep the peace.
They’d taken a break for lunch, then returned to assembling their projects. Right now, Heidi was figuring out how to screw the hinges for the lid of the caddy. She was engrossed in her task, which made him smile. Once she put her mind to something, there was no stopping her. It made him kind of sad, thinking that once the house on Hanover was done, they wouldn’t see each other on a regular basis anymore.
The afternoon flew by, with all the attendees working hard.
“What’s next?” she asked.
“You stain the wood.”
She looked around. “Where’s the can?”
“Not here. You take it home to finish.”
“Oh, no. You promised me a complete product.”
“Heidi, I don’t have any stain here.”
She grabbed her purse. “Let’s go get some.”
It wasn’t like he had plans, so why not?
Eventually, the seminar wound down and they made a quick trip to the local home improvement store. Heidi talked him into a bite to eat, then they returned to the community center with stain, brushes and cleanup cloths. Josh was just signing off on the last project.
“You guys hanging around?” he asked as he packed up his tools.
“For a while,” Reid said.
“Mac comes in at about eight to clean. He can lock up after you guys.”
“Thanks.”
Grabbing the handle of his toolbox, Josh left them alone.
After the near kiss at Masterson House, Reid thought things would be awkward between himself and Heidi, especially after her reminder that they were friends. But he was pleasantly surprised. No tension ruined the workshop. He was enjoying his time with Heidi.
A pungent aroma filled the room as soon as he pried open the can of stain. After picking out a brush, Heidi started swiping the stain along the grain of the wood. The warm pecan, her choice, had been the correct color for her caddy.
“You’re right,” he complimented. “You do okay with a brush in your hands.”
“At least now you have proof that I won’t mess up the walls at the remodel when we start to paint.”
“Sometime this week.”
She looked up. “Have you picked out the color palette yet?”
“I’m going pretty neutral.”
She bit her lip, then said, “Can I make a suggestion?”
He should have known. “Why not?”
“I was thinking a sunny yellow in the living room. The windows are so big and beautiful. With all the natural light, the color will be very welcoming.”
“Usually I leave the choices up to the future homeowner.”
“Since that future homeowner will be me, try to picture the room in my color.”
He closed his eyes. It worked. He pictured the yellow walls, but also Heidi, fussing with the furnishings in the room as she made the house a home.
“As for the kitchen,” she said, evidently not noticing his silence, “I was thinking a soft gray to really showcase the white cabinets.”
“Not bad.”
She wiped her fingers on a cloth. “Interns rock.”
He chuckled.
“On a completely different topic, you’re really good with kids,” she said.
“Thanks. I get a kick out of t
heir enthusiasm. Reminds me of the hours I spent with Pops.”
Heidi used the cloth and worked the stain into the wood. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
“Does it have anything to do with sassy interns?”
She grinned. “No. It’s more personal.”
“Why not? We seem to be having a moment.”
She hesitated, as if debating the wisdom of asking her question, but clearly curiosity got the better of her. “Why did you leave Masterson Enterprises? I thought you loved it there.”
He froze. The one topic he hated discussing. “I did.” He picked up a towel he’d tossed aside and folded it. “My father and I couldn’t see eye to eye.”
“But you guys always had issues. What was different this time?”
He picked up one of the clean brushes from the package, studying it while deciding how much to reveal. “Have you ever been pushed to the edge?”
She continued wiping the stain. “I have. Not a great feeling.”
“No. Especially when I had a lot of ideas to make the company more successful.”
“Let me guess. Your ideas were ignored?”
He shot her a surprised glance, then turned his attention to the brush. “More like Dad didn’t appreciate that I had more to offer our clients. It was a sticking point between us.”
“But instead of fixing it, you just pretend life goes on?”
“It’s exhausting, trying to be relevant when you only get crumbs.”
Sure, Reid could hold his own in the business world. It was his father’s growing worry that Reid would shove him aside that had become the issue. Reid would never do that to his dad, but his father would do anything to remain in control of Masterson Enterprises, so his treatment of Reid hurt.
“So, that’s why you’re flipping houses.”
“I know I’m good at it and I can make money until...”
She met his gaze, compassion swimming in her amber eyes. “Until?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I’m not really sure.” He still toyed with the idea of leaving Golden, but hadn’t made a firm decision yet. Was he waiting to see if his father would realize that he only wanted the best for the family business? If so, a change of heart from his father might be a long time coming.