Page 28 of Inked Persuasion

“I was just trying to pester you since I saw you coming. Anyway, I’m headed over to work with Builders for Humanity. We’re building some homes on the other side of 25.”

I nodded, remembering the sign for the project site when I’d moved here. “I saw that when I drove up. It looks like a worthwhile effort.”

“Should be. I thought you were working on it today,” Hotch mentioned, and Annabelle shook her head.

“No, we were on it last weekend. I’ll be working on it in another two weeks, I think.” She looked over at me. “My family and I regularly donate where we can, and we alternate who can work on the main project. It’s my day off today, so I’m trying to catch up on my household chores, but I think Clay is down there, representing the family.”

She smiled as she said it, and I found it nice that she considered someone who worked with her family like I did with my staff.

“Well, we’re going to miss you. Have a great day. Nice to meet you, Jacob.”

Hotch waved and then headed back to his house, taking the sidewalk so as not to walk on our lawns.

“Nice guy,” I said, frowning.

“You said that, yet you’re practically scowling. Hotch’s a good guy. He’s just friendly.”

“Why did you snarl when you saidfriendly?”

“I have no idea. I’m friendly. I like people. But Hotch has like…an emphasis on friendly. I once thought about setting him and Paige up because I felt like their energies would match, but then she met Colton, and I figured if it didn’t work out, I didn’t want my neighbor and my sister to have dated.”

“Yeah, that would probably be a bad idea. Plus, I’m pretty sure he has the hots for you, and that would be awkward.”

“I’m not dating him either. You think having a sister dating your neighbor’s bad? I am never going to date my neighbor.” She winced and then beamed at me. “Sorry.”

“Ouch,” I said. I wondered why that dig hurt. I didn’t want her to date me. Maybe I needed to start adding Bailey’s Irish cream to my coffee in the morning on the weekends. I was losing my damn mind.

“Okay, let’s get to work.”

“You do not have to help me.”

“I’m in the mood, and I’m being nice. It’s a neighborly thing. You can make me lunch.”

I laughed. “I was just telling my dad that I can’t cook. I can probably make you a pasta salad from a box. Will that work?”

“That sounds lovely. I love pasta. Even though I probably shouldn’t have it.”

My gaze traveled down her curves, and I cleared my throat and then met her eyes. Her pupils dilated, and she licked her lips.

Hell, she’d caught me looking. And it seemed she liked it.

Again, what was wrong with me?

“You can eat as much pasta as you want,” I muttered and shook my head. “Anyway, let’s get to gardening.”

“And you can tell me how your parents are doing, I was going to call them earlier, but I hate bugging them.”

We both went down to our hands and knees again and worked on the garden. I shook my head. “I don’t think you could ever be a bother to them, Annabelle.”

She froze for a second before tilting her head at me. “That is a sudden change of heart,” she said carefully.

“I’m trying, Annabelle. Not doing a perfect job of it, but I’m trying.”

She smiled, swallowed hard, and we both went back to work.

By the time we were done gardening, we were covered in dirt, laughing, and we had done her backyard, mine, and my front yard—she had already worked on her front yard by the time I came outside. And now I knew way too much about gardening.

I hated it.

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