Page 17 of The House on Blueberry Lane

At least, none of them but Webb Crawford, who thought he was the hottest bachelor around. Granted, he wasn’t bad-looking, but Webb seemed to feel entitled to have any woman who suited his fancy. She believed the only reason for his persistence in wanting to date her was because he saw her as a challenge. He couldn’t figure out why any woman wouldn’t want to date one of the wealthiest men in town.

Pulling into the driveway, she noticed Jaye had finished painting the storage shed. Since his car was in the driveway that meant he was probably home, upstairs, tackling some other kind of handy work.

The moment she opened her car door the aroma hit her. She breathed in deep and licked her lips. There was nothing like the taste of Colfax barbeque ribs. It wasn’t just his family’s own special blend of ingredients that could get to you but knowing the ribs bathed in the sauce would practically fall off the bone.

As if in a trance, she followed the aroma and rounded the corner to the back of the house. Jaye was using the freestanding grill Delisa kept stored in the shack. He was standing in front of it, turning over the meat.

As if he sensed her presence, he turned around and smiled. “Hello, Velvet.”

The sound of her name off his lips made a stirring in the pit of her stomach. Instead of returning the greeting, she said, “You’re grilling?”

His smile widened. “Yes, I’m grilling. I also cooked corn, potatoes, and I made a salad.”

Velvet felt her mouth water. He was so wrong for this. So completely wrong. She of all people knew how well those Colfaxes—Daddy Jack, Jaye and his brothers, Dean and Franklin—could grill and prepare all the delicious side fixings. “It smells good.”

“It is good and, of course, you’re welcome to join me, Velvet.”

CHAPTER SIX

JAYE’S INSIDES TIGHTENED, hoping Velvet would accept his invitation. He knew he wasn’t playing fair but there were times when a man had to do what a man had to do. After realizing his mistakes, he was working like hell to correct them. She was eyeing the ribs and the ones on the grill were juicy, well-done, but not tough. Just the way she liked them.

She moved her gaze from the meat back to him. “Are you sure you have enough to share?” she asked.

He chuckled. “Trust me, I have enough to share. I also have a few beers in that cooler over there.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment and then said, “In that case, yes, I’ll join you.”

He forced the smile from spreading over his face. “Okay.”

She looked at the picnic table he was using and since he had covered it neatly with a tablecloth, the last thing he wanted her to do was get ideas that he was expecting someone, namely some woman, to join him later. “I found that table in the shed and tried making it look decent by covering it with a tablecloth.”

“You did a good job.” She switched her gaze from the table to him. “What made you decide to grill today?”

He had expected her question. “You know how much I like using my hands and had decided earlier in the week to paint this shed. When I finished painting, I looked inside and saw the grill, picnic table and a few other things that would be perfect for a cookout or a day at the beach since the weather is so nice today. You know how much I enjoy grilling, so the cookout won over the beach.”

He flipped over the meat and said, “Of course that meant going grocery shopping but that didn’t take long. Besides, it was nice getting out and meeting some of the locals. It seems a number of people do their grocery shopping on Saturdays.”

She nodded. “Yes, they do. That’s why I avoid grocery shopping on Saturdays.”

Without looking, he knew that her eyes were glued to the meat when he began removing some pieces from the grill. “How did you find out about this town?” he asked.

He handed her a plate and a fork, knowing she knew the drill. He cooked and she served herself. Velvet was not a finicky eater. She took the plate from him and grabbed the piece of meat he knew she’d been eyeing—the one he’d cooked just for her.

“Reid Lacroix. He and my father were on the rowing team together at Yale. When Reid attended my parents’ memorial service, he said if I ever needed to get away, this would be the place to come.”

“I see.” And he actually did see. Thanks to him, she hadn’t just felt the need to get away, she’d been driven to do a full escape. “He was right. In the month I’ve been here, I’ve discovered Catalina Cove is a pretty nice place.”

“It can grow on you, that’s for sure,” she said. “How did you find out about it?”

He didn’t say anything for a minute as he filled his own plate with food. There was no way he would tell her he’d hired a private investigator to find her and relocated here to win her back. He would confess everything to her one day, but not now.

“You know how it is in the banking industry. We’re always looking for expansion and a way to grow our brand. When the Barrows Bank came up on my radar, I knew taking it over would be a good investment and moved on it quickly.”

When she walked over to the table to sit down, he joined her. “How are you adjusting, Jaye? Colfax National Bank offers a number of services that Barrows Bank didn’t. You’re bringing everyone into the technology age.”

He chuckled. “I might as well since that’s the way things will be moving forward. Most people have smartphones and they’re getting smarter by the day. A week ago, we held a class at the bank on how deposits can be made from home or just about anywhere using your cell phone.”

She lifted a brow. “You actually held a class?”

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