Page 50 of Mountain Wood

I swear she thaws even more.

Grace shoots me a genuinely sweet smile. “You’ll have her inventory sold out in no time. You know that, right?”

“You’re overestimating the power of my reels.”

“You’re underestimating the power ofmine,” she retorts.

My throat tightens. “You’ll help her, too?”

“Of course.”

“She can’t pay,” I warn. “She’s not like your big fancy companies.”

“I’m very aware of that.” Grace puts her hands on her hips. “And I never said I was charging. Just like when I post about Bear Creek Cabins once we’ve got them all glorious and perfect, I won’t charge you either.”

“We?”

“Yes,we. This is a joint project. You’re not going to have all the fun here, damnit.” Her hands are still on her hips. “I want to help.”

“Working the social media angle with me is help enough.” I don’t want her to do hard labor. “You’re not picking up a single tool.”

Grace’s eyes narrow. “Oh, yes I am.”

“No. You’re not.”

“Then the deal is off.”

I jerk back. “What?”

“That’s another condition,” she snips. “I get to help in all the ways, or I don’t help at all.”

This woman is out of her goddamn mind. “Are you threatening me?”

“Are you holding me back from living my best life?”

I prowl over to her. “Laying tile, chopping wood, mounting cabinets, and hammering nails isnotliving your best life.”

“Says who?”

“Respectfully, you’re mental.”

She shrugs and doesn’t argue. “I like the idea of working with my hands.”

“Then take a pottery class.”

“Maybe I will,” she shoots back like a brat. “And I’ll make a big fat vase just to chuck at your hard fucking head.”

A laugh blows out of me. “What is wrong with you, woman? No one wants to do this kind of work, let alone do it for free.”

“Youdo.”

Her retort shuts me right up. How dare she be right.

Grace marches over and drops her arms to her side. “What’s so wrong with this kind of work, Dean?”

My heart slams into my throat, making it hard to swallow. “It’s hard.”

“The best things usually are.”

---