That seemed so wrong. J.T. had lived in Redbud until he graduated from high school.
He had lived here long enough to have roots and create memories. And long enough to call this town his home.
Standing, she called Rascal to follow her to the kitchen, realizing she knew why J.T.’s frigid homecoming got under her skin.
She wanted to belong, wanted a place to call home.
She wanted what some people in Redbud were denying J.T. and she wouldn’t rest until she put things right for him. At least one of them could call this town home.
Offering the dog a handful of Albert’s crunchy food, she sighed. Funny, that all three of them wanted the same thing. But so far, Rascal was the lucky one. J.T. would take care of him, even if he didn’t stay in Redbud. She knew, because that’s how she felt about Albert. But finding a home for a person was more complicated. Yet, thoughts of J.T. taking care of the dog left her longing for the same assurance.
Washing her hands, she opened the refrigerator. She was starved and the cold spring rain filled the house with a damp chill. With J.T. checking the upstairs, she couldn’t work in the office so she decided to cook. Pulling out the chicken she had bought at the grocery store earlier in the day, she turned to the sink.
After giving the chicken a thorough wash and popping it in largest pot in the kitchen, she adjusted the lid. Warm food was the perfect solution to take away the chill.
“How does it look?” Sometime later, she found J.T. in the turret sending his flashlight in a slow crawl across the ceiling.
“So far, it looks good.” J.T. kept his eyes on the beam of light.
“Do you need any help?” Edee moved to the desk, almost tripping over Albert when he darted from his hiding place underneath, and punched keys to turn off the laptop. “I left something on the stove.”
“I’m nearly done. Don’t let me bother you.” He frowned. “Where’s Rascal?”
Edee nodded toward the door. Rascal stood there watching. Then, evidently deciding it was safe, he ignored the cat perched on the window seat and made his way to J.T.’s side, his toenails tapping on the floor.
“Right where he feels safe.” Edee laughed. But the sight of the dog leaning against J.T.’s leg made her insides churn. She recognized the look on the dog’s face.
How long since she had felt safe?
That was part of the reason she avoided spending time with J.T. He made her long for roots so deep nothing could change them. But she knew that was silly. J.T. didn’t have a place to call home any more than she did.
“I’ll be in the kitchen.” She rushed down the stairs, surprised to find Rascal and Albert on her heels when she reached the bottom. Rarely did she beat her cat down the long staircase.
But she wasn’t running toward the kitchen. She was running away from the urge to throw herself on J.T.’s broad chest.
Shoving her unsettled emotions to the back of her mind, she forced her attention to preparations for their meal.
CHAPTER TEN
A few minutes later, J.T. entered the kitchen with Rascal at his heels. When she hadn’t offered more food, the dog had returned to J.T.’s side, leaving Albert to keep her company.
“Everything looks dry. I’ll start the other repairs first thing tomorrow.”
“That soon?” Edee looked up from the pot she was stirring, and glanced over her shoulder. “I thought you would be tied up with renovations on the office building.”
“Still waiting for approval,” J.T. shrugged, “but even if they called tonight, between waiting for inspectors, and having a good foreman, I’ll still have time to finish the work here. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“How about something warm to eat?” She struggled with a rush of emotion then turned to face him, the ladle in her hand. “I made chicken and dumplings.”
“You don’t have to twist my arm.” J.T. laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I had homemade dumplings.”
Disconcerted by the heat that rushed to her face, Edee shrugged. “This cold rain made me hungry for something warm and comforting.” She nodded toward the table set for two. “Have a seat.”
Some time later, J.T. looked up from his second bowl of stew and dumplings. “Are you planning to stay in Redbud?”
Edee struggled to swallow. A soft doughy dumpling lodged in her throat. Funny, a few minutes earlier, she had served the light fluffy dumplings with a sense of pride. Now she was choking on her own cooking. How was a person supposed to react when their employer seemed eager for them to leave town?
But the pain in her chest was caused by more than choking or implied words from an employer. Her efforts to clear J.T.’s name made her feel close to him, but now he sounded as if he wanted her to leave town. It was history repeating itself, only his rejection hurt more than her parents' lack of concern.
Looking at him through watery eyes she prayed he would attribute to her bout of coughing, she said. “I heard you’ve been looking at houses, but this one isn’t for sale.”
His brow wrinkled as he studied her. “Yeah, I’ve been talking to Dan Shriver. I guess everyone in town knows by now.” Lowering the spoon to his bowl, he released a loud sigh. “I told him to let me know if this house came on the market. But that doesn’t mean I want you to leave.”
Edee tried to inhale, but her lungs felt as if they were filled with dumplings, not air. Bands tightened around her chest as she tried to read the mixed signals he was sending. Either he wanted her out of the way, so he could buy the house, or he didn’t.
“Why do you want this house? Why don’t you buy a new house?”
“Truth?” His gaze held hers and he looked, serious for one of the few times since she had met him.
Breath shallow, she nodded. “Yes, the truth.”
Crossing his forearms on the edge of the table, J.T. met her gaze. “I’ve dreamed about remodeling this house for years.”
“You said that once before…but why?”
“Why?” He leaned his chin on one palm. “Because this house caught my imagination when I was a kid…and made me dream.”
“But, I—”
“Because I always planned to return to this town on a blaze of success, I wanted make this house a showcase so the whole town would see I had accomplished something worthwhile.” His lips wobbled as he attempted a grin.
Releasing her breath, she admitted she hadn’t expected, this. She hadn’t expected him to say he wanted to buy the roof over her head, either. And she certainly hadn’t expected to feel dejected by his response. What had she expected? That he would go on bended knee and beg her to stay in Redbud?
Worse, he could go on bended knee and beg her to sell him this house?
In that moment, she realized she would sell him the house if she could. If she had any other options, she would turn the house over to him, and let him have a go at his dream. Then, at least one of them would have a chance at being happy.
However, her goals tied her to this house, and kept her from delving into the question of why she would be willing to give up it all up for J.T. Her first chance at having a home of her own and she considered giving it up. Why?
Why did she feel so strongly about J.T. being a success?
Was it the fact that he offered her a job and her income depended on his achievements? Not likely, she could leave town and get another job.
So, what made her consider throwing caution aside and helping J.T. achieve his dream?
Confused by her thoughts, scared by what her reaction implied, she jumped up to take her bowl to the sink. What was happening to her?
Why was she losing focus of her goal?
“Thanks for dinner.” His deep voice next to her ear sent shivers down her spine as he leaned in to put his bowl down. “I owe you one.”
“One?” Edee licked suddenly dry lips as she stared out the dark window. All this worry was turning her brain to mush. But her body was a mass of emotions, soaking energy from J.T.’s nearness. She glanced over her shoulder
, but instead of the usual twinkling look she expected, she met the dark intensity of his green gaze.
Their glances locked. Her heart pounded.
Gently, he turned her to face him and lowered his head. His lips brushed against hers. Lights exploded behind her eyelids. Her heart thumped as her lips clung to his.
J.T. raised his head. His glance, darkly intent, focused on her lips as he sighed. Then his face crinkled in the grin that yanked at her heartstrings and the sparkle returned to his eyes.
“I owe you dinner. How about collecting the night of the festival?”
Her body shuddered with longing. The roaring in her ears subsided. Her heart skipped a thump. Somehow, she managed to smile as her insides quivered like leaves coated with freezing rain.
“Since I defended your honor this evening at the committee meeting, I think I’ll collect that IOU. The night of the festival sounds perfect.”
“It’s a date.” Eyes sparkling, he laughed. Then, as if he had just registered her comment, his eyes turned the dark turbulent green of storm tossed seas. “What do you mean, you defended my honor?”
Edee gulped. If she’d had a brain in her head, she would have kept her mouth shut. But his kisses made her dizzy. Standing next to him, breathing in the scent of his aftershave and the clean male scent that was all J.T., she realized she wanted to be paired up with him for more than the festival dance. She wanted forever. In that moment, she realized she had fallen in love with the last man she should have chosen.
J.T.’s kisses made her realize lots more, but right now, the storm warnings in his eyes told her she had said too much already.
Lifting one shoulder, she met his stare. “When people asked, I said you were doing good work on my house.”
His jaw jutted at a determined angle. “And that came up because?”
Chewing on her bottom lip, realizing she had said too much, she sighed. “Does it matter? They’re just a bunch of women.”
“Oh, it matters, alright. Those women are the backbone of this town.” He snarled over his shoulder as he charged toward the door.
His quick motions startled Albert from his hiding place under the table. For a second, his stomping tread look as if it would land on the darting feline. Then, man and cat made twisting maneuvers and avoided a collision.
“J.T.—“
He whirled around, his face flushed and his eyes boring like rods of kryptonite.
She rushed to speak. “They’re really nice—”
Muscles along his jaw bunched like ping-pong balls. “Then why did you feel the need to defend me? Defend…that’s the word you used isn’t it?”
Lifting her chin, she met the turbulent expression in his eyes. “I wanted them to know—”
“Know what? They know everything. I grew up in this town, remember?” He ran a hand through his hair, releasing his breath on a noisy sigh. “They know all about me.”
Hands on hips she faced his anger with the calm of an innocent lamb going to slaughter. “They thought they knew everything, but they didn’t know the truth.” Her voice trailed off as the heat of his glare burned her skin.
“What are you talking about?”
Chin elevated, Edee faced the fury in his expression. “They didn’t know the truth about your past.”
His eyes turned to shards of green ice. “What do you know about my past?”
Okay, she had gone too far. She realized that now. But it was too late to back down. Watching muscles along his jaw bulge, she realized this meant more to J.T. than he wanted anyone to know.
That’s why she wanted to help. If she could just make him understand, her intentions were for his benefit. “Sam told me—”
Teeth grinding, he stormed toward her, stopping only when they stood toe-to-toe. His breath brushed her cheeks like fire from a dragon as he ground words through gritted teeth. “If you want to know something about my past…ask me!”
She flinched at the words hurled in her direction, but before she could think of a word to offer in her own defense, he turned on his heel and left, slamming the front door behind him.
The hollow sound echoed through the house. Staring at the glass panes in the door to see if they were shattered, Edee stood there, too stunned to move.
Minutes earlier, the kitchen had echoed with their laughter and sizzled with their kisses. Then she mentioned the past, and he lashed out like the furious weather beating against the house.
Now he was gone.
His kisses still warm on her lips…and in her memory, her insides still quivering with reaction to his touch, but he’d left her without a backward glance.
She turned back to the kitchen and tried to think. Ten minutes ago, every thing she had ever wanted had been under this roof. She had dreamed of having, a place to call home.
But in the sudden emptiness of the house after the door slammed behind J.T., she realized there was more to her dream than four walls, or a friendly town.
Her heart desired more…and it all revolved around J.T.
***
“Marge not working today?” J.T. angled his head toward the secretary’s vacant desk as he leaned against the doorframe. Hands hooked in the front pockets of his jeans, he waited for Sam to look up from erasing furiously.
“It’s her day off.” Sam motioned to a chair. “You’re just the man I wanted to see.”
J.T. settled in a chair. “Sounds serious.”
Sam tossed an enormous eraser on the large sheet of paper covering his desk. “I need help building a gazebo.”
Managing to a pained look before his grin broke through J.T. couldn’t resist teasing. “I knew sooner or later I’d have to pay for the invite to your cook-out.”
“Come on, buddy!”
“Oh, man,” J.T. stretched his legs out, and laced his fingers across his middle as he lounged in the chair. “Don’t start that Buddy stuff with me. I remember what happened with Shawn.”
“What?” Sam frowned.
“Shawn would say, ‘Hey, buddy’ and you’d be in trouble.”
A slash of red tinged Sam’s cheeks as he rolled his eyes and laughed. “You’re right. But seriously, do you have some spare time? I promised to build this gazebo for Ellie.”
“That’s what you’re working on?” J.T. nodded toward the large sheets on Sam’s desk.
“Wha—no,” with a rueful laugh, Sam waved his hand, “no, this is another project.”
“Giving you trouble?”
Squinting, Sam stared past J.T. for long seconds, and then a sigh whooshed past his pinched lips. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
Arching a brow in a silent question, J.T. waited.
Sam fidgeted with the pencil, then shoved back in his chair. “I guess you could say I’m trying to follow a dream.”
“Come again?” J.T. frowned. As far back as he could remember Sam had talked about owning Oglethorpe house. What other dream was he referring too?
“I wanted to be a landscape architect.” Sam stared down at the plans. “But I’m not having much luck getting back in the game.”
“I see—”
“So, what has your butt dragging this early in the day?”
J.T. didn’t need to check the clock. It was nine-thirty, but he knew Sam referred to the fact that he was usually well into his workday by this time. He shrugged. “I lost my temper when I was over at Edee’s last night.”
“Visiting Edee at night, huh—”
“No!” Grinding his teeth, J.T. leaned forward in the chair. “I went over to check the roof for leaks.” He frowned. “Ms. Emma sure let that old place go. It’s a shame not to take care of a house like that.”
“She was up in years and alone.” Sam shrugged. “She stayed busy with other things.”
“Yeah, that brings me to the reason I dropped in—”
Sam’s laugh erupted. “All you had to do was come down the stairs from the loft.”
J.T. frowned, not willing to let their usual banter sidetrack him. “
Why did you tell Edee about that truck?”
Sam’s expression sobered. “Don’t you think it’s time you let that go?”
“Yeah, past time, but it’s mine to let go, if and when I’m ready—”
“Okay! I should have kept my mouth shut. I knew that as soon as I saw the expression on her face. But, there’s no shame in what you did.”
Shoving out of the chair, his boots clunking on the wood floor, J.T. strode to the window. Standing with his back to the room, he let out a long breath. “It’s not that—”
“What then?”
Resting an arm along the windowsill, J.T. stared sightlessly. “My mother worked so hard to keep a roof over our heads. I wanted to amount to something for her.”
“I’m sorry she died like that…but things happen.” Sam leaned his elbows on the desk. “Think how proud she would be of you now.”
J.T. glanced over his shoulder, green sparks shooting from his eyes. “She’d be proud, all right. Before she was even cold in her grave, rumors started flying around about me tearing up the principal’s truck.”
“She wouldn’t have believed a word—”
J.T. swung around. “Even if she had known the truth, those rumors would have broken her heart.”
“That’s all the more reason to set the record straight.”
“I’m not so sure it’s worth the effort.”
Sam frowned. “What are you saying?”
J.T. leaned back against the window and put his hands in his pockets, releasing a sigh. “I’m pretty sure I’ve ruined any chance with Edee.”
“You have to let the past go…think of the future.”
“What goes around comes around.” J.T. quoted, squaring his chin.
“J.T.,” Sam released an exasperated breath. “You’re harder on yourself that anyone else would be. Forget the past.”
“I came back to Redbud intending to be the best citizen I could be.”
“So, what’s changed? You’re an official business owner in town. Your contracting firm will bring jobs and business to Redbud.” Sam lifted a hand. “What more could you want?”
***
What more could you want?
A Bride For Mr. Right (Redbud Romance Book 2) Page 15