Page 70 of To Have and to Scold

If he’s thinking anything like what I’m thinking, we could melt the polar ice caps right here, right now.

“No one, Beck,” Mary scolds. “But Shawn Hastings did just call to say he had a big box from the building supply show up at his doorstep this afternoon.”

“That’s probably the stuff to stabilize his deck. I had it shipped straight to him to save some time.” Beck’s still looking at me while he talks to Mary. Geez, with the way we’re acting, it’s no wonder Mary’s already planning our wedding, and it’s not just because she loves weddings.

I drop my gaze and look at Mary just in time to see her amused look.

“When shall I tell him a crew will be by?” she asks.

Beck sighs and scratches the back of his neck. “Tell him Monday. We’ve got to get through this weekend first.”

This weekend. When the fate of my future will be set in motion in one way or another.

Finally, he turns to Mary. “That reminds me. Dallas isn’t used to having to do this solo and even though I know she’d dojust fine, I wanted to ask you if you’d be willing to help her. I know you’re my assistant. But until these weddings are up and running, will you please help her with anything she needs?”

Mary says she will, clapping her hands in excitement.

“Wow. That would be amazing. Thanks, Beck,” I say, sure that I’m gushing but wholly unable to stop.

Hallelujah. Having Mary’s help will make a big difference.

He brightens in a smile. “You’re welcome. And I’ve got to oversee some projects this afternoon, but I’d love to meet you at the mansion at six tonight and do whatever you need me to do. Maybe that…” He motions a rainbow shape over his head.

He is so dang cute when he tries to remember wedding design terms. “The arch? I’d love that if you can.”

“Of course I can. See you at six.” He winks at me. Questions and answers, paragraphs of words in one one-second wink.

Everything about it said,We have some more kissing to do, don’t we?

Yes, Beck. Against all reason, we certainly do.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Beck

Somewhere in these crazy few weeks, I’ve gone from being mildly annoyed by the gorgeous, enthusiastic, wedding machine named Dallas to completely smitten with her and wondering how I carried on in life without her.

I want to kiss her again. Every moment I’ve spent in my kitchen since then, that’s all I can think of. I’ve taken to eatingbowls of cereal on my couch instead of the kitchen just so I can think of other things.

This attempt to distract my mind hasn’t worked very well, especially when I see Dallas at work.

She’s taken to filling in as our resident interior designer. Delivery trucks will pull up to Willow Wood with all the furniture and finishings and as soon as they’re ready to be unloaded, there she is, directing traffic, overseeing the furniture assembly, making sure that everything looks just right.

I told her we’d meet at the mansion at six tonight and I have a lot to do in the two hours before then. We’re balancing several projects at a time—necessary when you’re the only general contractor in town. The mansion has been my top priority but other projects have taken a back burner, so I need to do some catch-up.

When quarter to six rolls around, I finish one last email and start to head out the door.

Elliott’s in the reception area and when he sees me, he shakes his head, grinning. I recognize it immediately as his “Billy and Dallas like each other” smile.

“What else needs to be done in the mansion before the Dobbs wedding on Saturday?” Elliott asks.

I appreciate he’s leading with something work-related instead of teasing me about Dallas. “It’s mostly just the finishes. Furniture assembly is coming along. The white event chairs arrived this morning.”

“Has the aisle runner been set up?”

“We’ll do it day of,” I tell him. “You could install the bathroom mirror, the one just inside the back door. That hasn’t been done yet.”

Elliott nods and I can feel the shift coming before he even speaks again. “If I head over there now, would that cramp your style?”

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