Page 31 of A Lesson for Laurel

She wouldn’t share that because she had no clue what he was going to share with her.

“Go on,” she said. “What have you let me assume?”

“That I own Cooke Landscaping.”

She pursed her lips. “That’s you’re last name, right?”

“It is,” he said. “It was my uncle’s business. When he passed away, it went to my cousin Abe.”

“Oh,” she said. “So. You don’t own it. That doesn’t mean anything to me. I don’t believe telling you about my type of man had any words in it that meant wealth or business ownership.”

He snorted. “No,” he said. “It didn’t. Which is why I didn’t think anything of it. I am doing the work for Abe right now and will be for another month or so. My Aunt Carrie had an accidentand is in a wheelchair while she recovers. Abe needed to be with her in Florida.”

“Which is nice of him to do. So you’re filling in and helping him out. Got it.” She frowned. “That’s his truck you’re driving?”

“It is,” he said. He was still standing. They hadn’t moved out of the foyer and sat. Maybe he didn’t want to get too comfortable. She wasn’t so sure she liked that, but so far he hadn’t said anything outrageous to her.

She’d assumed he owned the business, but no big deal that he didn’t.

“You’re pretty comfortable in the house and on the property. But if it’s his truck, is that his house?”

“Yes,” he said. “It’s the house I grew up in. So yeah, I’m comfortable in it and always will be.”

She pursed her lips. This was making a bit more sense. “Then you don’t live around here, I’m assuming?”

“No,” he said. “I live in Stamford.”

Which was about ninety minutes away. “You’re able to just walk away from your life for a month or so? I’m not even sure how long you’ve been here. I feel like an idiot I didn’t notice a difference between the man I was waving to before and you.”

“Abe,” he said. “Yeah, we look a lot alike. He tends to have a hat on all the time, me not so much. At least this time of year. I realized last weekend you thought we were the same person.”

“And you didn’t think to say anything?”

“Why would I?” he asked. “You came over to work off some steam. I let you. We didn’t talk much.”

“Let me?” she asked, grinding her teeth. He wasn’t saying anything that wasn’t a fact though.

“Yes,” he said. “You asked and I said sure. The same with Sunday.”

He hadn’t come to get her. She had to see him out there and join him.

Again, she took that step.

But he did ask her to lunch after.

“I’ll let that part pass. I thought it was a thank-you lunch until yesterday.”

“It felt like more to me,” he said. “I wanted to see if I was the only one feeling it. That’s why I piddled around the yard hoping to see you yesterday.”

Laurel smiled. There was part of her that was glad he admitted that much to ease her feeling like such a damn fool.

“And you asked me out,” she said. “I’m still trying to figure out why you didn’t tell me all of this last night.”

“Because we got sidetracked. We were talking about a lot of things. Everything I’ve told you is the truth. About my parents, which I tell very few, me growing up next door. Nothing was a lie.”

“In summary, the only thing that is different is that I assumed it was your business and your house and that was your full-time job rather than helping a family member out in need?”

“Yes,” he said.

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