Page 16 of New Year's Renovations

“Hey boss—” Derek, one of my crew members, swung into the library. “I just got an alert on my phone. Blizzard’s heading our way. What do you want to do?”

I sighed.So much for tracking on time…

Harper tensed next to me, her hip brushing up against mine.

“We need to tarp anything that’s open, mostly the upstairs. I’ll check down here. Then you guys should hit the road, get home before it starts.”

Derek nodded, heading out to the truck to fetch the tarps.

“Now what?” Harper asked, her eyes wide, a tiny crease of worry furrowing her brow.

“I think you should come home with me,” I said in a low voice.

“What? I can’t. I’ll be fine here,” she said, squeezing my forearm to reassure me.

It didn’t.

“I can’t let you stay here alone in a blizzard. This house is over a hundred years old. Who knows how long you’ll have electricity, heat?”

“I’m not alone. Earl Grey’s here,” Harper said, pushing back, hand on hip.

“You know what I mean.”

“I’ll stay at the Inn. I don’t want to impose.”

“Harper. You’re not imposing. And besides, the Inn will be full, trust me. C’mon, pack a bag and I’ll tarp everything up, shut the water off, and make sure we’re locked up tight.”

“Fine. But only if Earl Grey comes,” she said, scooping up the cat.

“Sure.”

“In that case, thanks.” She gave me a soft smile, then headed upstairs to pack a bag.

10

Harper

Ihadn’t counted on a blizzard when I spoke with Logan atBayfront Beans.I knew I should protest more about staying with Jackson, but honestly, I didn’t want to. The thought of hunkering down in my aunt’s house alone, mid-renovation, didn’t appeal to me. Being snowed in with Jackson, on the other hand…could you blame me?

“That’s the last bag,” Jackson said, slamming the door shut against the howling wind. We’d stopped at theMarket Basketon the way to Jackson’s house to pick up some last-minute essentials: bread, milk, a few assorted canned goods, wine.

“Thanks for letting Earl Grey and me stay with you during the storm.” I set the cat down on the wood floor and he licked his paw, eyeing me suspiciously before crossing to the rug in front of the fireplace and curling into a tight, gray ball.

“Sure, no problem. It wouldn’t be safe for you to stay in a reno during a storm like this. Besides, I have everything we need in an emergency. We’ll be good.” He shot me a grin and the butterflies in my stomach zoomed into overdrive. I should definitely play it safe and not get further involved with Jackson, but how? He was everything I never knew I wanted and I wasn’t sure I could resist.

“Are you hungry? I can make us some dinner.” Jackson loaded the last can into the pantry, then took out two wine glasses and opened the bottle of Chardonnay we’d picked up at the market.

“Thanks,” I said, accepting the glass and taking a sip. “Yes, I could eat. Let me help you.”

“Okay, you can make a salad. Cutting board’s over there, in that cabinet.” Jackson pointed at a spot to the left of the cabinet as he pulled pasta, garlic, and greens out of the fridge. He moved deftly around me in the small kitchen, perfectly at ease. Meanwhile, my heart hammered double-time in my chest and I could hardly hear anything over the thumping.

“The reno’s going well. We were on time and on budget. Now we might lose a few days, though.” Jackson shrugged, lighting the burner on the stove to boil the water.

“That’s okay, I don’t have any job prospects lined up yet.”

“Any leads?” He moved back to the counter where I was chopping tomatoes, picking up a knife to mince the garlic. We stood side-by-side, sharing the cutting board, and his clean scent mixed with the garlic made me hungry, and not necessarily for dinner.

“Um, nothing solid,” I said, biting my lip, trying to focus on the tomato and not his broad shoulder brushing against mine, so casual, but so intimate.

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