Page 51 of The Magic of Sea Glass
“Yes, please.” Trying to avoid the prying lens, she focused on scooting the coffee table out of the way, praying the flush in her face wasn’t noticeable.
“I’ll help for a few minutes or so and then I’ve got a family booked for the fishing charter.”
“Any help will do. You’re the best.” She flashed him a wide smile. “The painter’s coming this afternoon, and he’s starting on this room, so I’m frantically trying to clear it out.”
“Stephanie said she’s coming over today too. You’re a busy lady.”
“Yes. I think I’m starting to find my rhythm.” She stepped aside, avoiding the crew’s prying lens in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing normally when everything inside her wanted to close up. But Dave gritted his teeth and widened his eyes from behind the crew, pointing down to the camera and reminding her that this was a show she’d signed up for.
“It didn’t take you long.” Brody moved his ladder to detach the last curtain rod and then climbed down, placing the last bit of hardware onto the table next her. “Hey, it’s my birthday tomorrow—”
The camera moved closer.
“Oh my gosh,” she said, surprised. “Happy almost birthday. Why didn’t you say anything last night?”
Despite the camera that was nearly in their faces, the corner of his mouth turned up, revealing his amusement. “What did you want me to say—‘Hi, thanks for coming out to the bonfire. It’s my birthday the day after tomorrow. Want to wish me an early happy birthday?’”
His flirty expression and the assembled film crew filling the room had suddenly made her hot. She brushed a runaway tendril from her face and wiped her forehead with her wrist as one of the team rolled their light to the right of her face. “Well, you said it just now. Why didn’t you say it then?”
He laughed, the sight of it lifting her mood without warning, despite their audience. “I don’t know! But you didn’t let me finish.” He placed his drill into his toolbox and faced her. “Mom wants to come here to the inn and have a drink tomorrow to celebrate, if you’d like to come.”
She inwardly debated letting him down if she said no, with the relief of retreating to her room, away from the cameras. But she enjoyed being with him. And it was hisbirthday.How could she decline?
“Mom and Mary will be there, and Stephanie and Mitchell are coming, too, so you won’t have to be the center of conversation,” he added, as if he were reading her mind.
“I’d actually love to go.” Given the kindness he’d shown her since she’d gotten there, she couldn’tnotcelebrate his birthday.
“Excellent.” He folded his ladder. “I’m so sorry—I’ve gotta go.” He surveyed the rest of the furniture she had yet to move before looking at his watch.
“I’ll be fine. You’ve done the hard part. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll set the boxes on the porch.”
“Thank you again for bringing them over.”
“Of course. See ya later.” He picked up his toolbox, tucked his ladder under his arm, and headed out, leaving her in silence with the film crew once again.
“Cut! The chemistry between you two is fantastic!” Dave said with a devious sparkle in his eye. “I didn’t see that coming!”
“Dave.” She put her hands on her hips. “This is a show about planning a wedding on a time crunch, correct?”
“Yes, but people will eat this up.”
“Eat what up? There’s nothing to eat up.”
“Don’t try to hide it. The two of you are amazing together. You just light up the screen with sexual tension.”
“Dave!” Lauren rubbed her eyes in a mixture of frustration and mortification. “He’s just a friend.”
“Yeah, okay,” Dave said with a chuckle.
The familiar guilt swam through her. Diane rushed over and tapped some foundation under her eyes where she’d just rubbed them; this whole ordeal was proving to be exhausting.
“Just focus on the wedding,” Lauren warned.
While the film crew got a few filler shots for editing, she worked to finish the main room and then went on to the office to clear it out and finalize timings for the rest of the renovations.
* * *
