Page 9 of Loved By Tandy

Once the flooringis all down, I rub my back. There aren’t many people in the world I would do this for at my age. But Tandy holds a special place in my heart. I guess first loves are like that.

Before leaving for the day, I grab my bag of candy from the truck and set a Sugar Daddy in the kitchen along with a few chocolate kisses. This way, she’ll think about me when I’m no longer at the house.

The marker board is still in the dining room, so I leave her a message.

I enjoyed hanging out with you today. Tomorrow, I’ll be here bright and early with donuts. If you have any special requests, text me.

Below the note, I write my number.

She won’t text me, but at least she’ll have my number.

CHAPTER 5

TANDY

I’m hosting ladies’ night, and they’ll be here any minute. We don’t usually meet on Monday nights, but Steph insisted. I think she just wants an update on what’s happening with Matthew. And that’s an easy answer. Nothing.

But I need to get his number off the board before anyone sees it. I save the number in my phone but list the contact under the name Twinkle. It’s been years and years since I spent any time with the man, but one thing for sure has not changed at all. He still has a twinkle in his green eyes.

As I’m wiping off the board, someone knocks.

“Be right there.” I tuck the board in the guest room because I don’t want to explain how it got here. Neither do I want to tell the ladies how ridiculously stubborn I’m being with Matthew.

It’s just a game at this point.

Stephanie grins when I open the door. “I really want to hear how the renovations are going, but I can wait until the other ladies arrive.”

“Is everyone coming?”

“Mindy isn’t going to make it, but I think Lilith, Ava, and Joji will be here.”

I pull wineglasses out of the buffet and set them on the coffee table. “Did you and Blake get your big project finished?”

“What project?” She uncorks the wine.

“The project that you needed his help with that prevented him from coming to the house today.” I’m starting to think my day alone with Matthew was a setup.

“Oh, that. Yeah. We were out picking until really late, and then I had a piece of machinery break. It was a series of frustrations. But thankfully, thanks to Blake’s help, everything got done in time. I appreciate that you aren’t breathing down his neck on this project. Did things go okay with Matthew here?” A message pops up on her phone, and she smiles. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve Blake. He dropped me off and said just to text him when I was ready for my carriage to whisk me on home.”

“So he really was helping you today. I figured that y’all were just trying to get me alone with Matthew.”

Her head wags from side to side. “Not at all. But how did it go? Are y’all on speaking terms?”

“One of us is, but it isn’t me. And today was fine. Matthew did a great job with the flooring.”

She crosses her arms and leans forward. “I’m so curious about why you don’t speak to Matthew.”

I smile. She’s not going to hear the story from me.

Lilith knocks as the door swings open. “We’re here! And we brought goodies.”

Stephanie pours the wine as Ava and I set out the food.

Lilith waits until I sit down, then says, “You stopped working at the venue and at the winery. I’ve heard rumors that you bought a ranch and hired a wrangler. You need to update us. We’re dying of curiosity.”

“And we want to know about Matthew. I hear he’s working here at the house.” Joji sips her wine, her smile peeking out around the rim of the glass.

“There is nothing to tell about Matthew. He’s helping Blake with the renovations. I am still not speaking to him, so there is no update to give about that. But I have lots to tell you about…” I spring up and grab my notebook off the table. Holding up a sketch of a possible design for the main gate, I announce. “My new project is Matchmaker Ranch.”

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