Page 12 of More Than Words
Brody nodded and grinned.“She also gives your dad a run for his money and seems to be totally immune to his charms.”
“It is entertaining,” Grayson added.“The way she gets under his skin.”
“Stop.Talking.”I pointed my fork at each of them in turn.The last thing I needed was my way-too-perceptive daughter picking up on any energy between Delaney and me that wasn’t strictly neighborly.
Especially when I still wasn’t sure myself what that energy was.
Well, on her end, it was pure annoyance.
“You can’t blame her for being annoyed, really,” Brody said.“That wasa lotof dust.”
“Dad!”
I blew out a sigh and pushed back from the table, my appetite suddenly gone.“Fine.I’ll apologize.”
“Tomorrow?”Reid asked, his eyebrows raised.
“Yes,” I said with a grunt.“Tomorrow.”
I really was going to have to speak to my brothers about minding their own business.
ChapterFour
Delaney
It had already been a long day.Half of my latest shipment of trade paperbacks I’d ordered had arrived damaged.My part-time girl had called in sick, and to top it all off, I wasstillfinding plaster dust on every single surface in the shop.
By some miracle, I’d managed to clean the chairs and tables in my reading and meeting nook in time for the writing group to meet the day before, but the rest of the shop had taken way longer.I’d been up way later than I should have been, putting things back in order.
What I really needed was to soak in a hot bath with a glass of wine.Instead, I was getting ready to settle into a plastic folding chair for the next few hours for the town meeting.
As a business owner, it was a good idea to participate in these things, especially considering the agenda was set to discuss the upcoming Fall into the Plazaevent.
The town hall smelled like old paper and lemon cleaner.The scratch of folding chairs on the old floor mingled with the happy chatter of the townspeople as I stepped inside.
I spotted Ethan before he saw me.He stood near the back, talking next to his brother, who managed the hardware store.He looked like he was scanning the room for someone and only half listening to whatever Grayson was saying.When his gaze shifted my way, I veered to the left and slipped into an empty seat next to Lauren before he could make eye contact.
“You’re avoiding him,” Lauren said, not even trying to hide the fact that she was looking at Ethan over my shoulder.
“Who?”I played dumb.
She raised her eyebrow and laughed before she asked, “Did you get the mess cleaned up?”
“It took me all day.”I let out a breath and picked up a copy of the agenda from the stack next to me.“And most of the night, too.Not that he’d care.”I looked at my friend.“Do you know that somehow he managed to make it seem like it was my fault?”
Lauren gave me a sympathetic smile.“I’m sure the construction will be over soon.”
“Right.”I tried not to groan.“And then I’ll only have to deal with the fact that there’s an entire brewery full of people drinking next door to my peaceful little shop.”I exhaled slowly and tried to clear my thoughts.“Sorry,” I said to Lauren.“I don’t mean to be so negative.I’m just exhausted.And I really need a break from…well, the mess.”I put a smile on my face.“You’re right.It will be over soon.”
Lauren squeezed my arm.“I know this isn’t your first choice, but maybe this meeting can be a little break from all?—”
“Ladies.”Brody Lyons dropped into the seat on Lauren’s other side with a flash of that smile that made him one of the most well-liked people in Trickle Creek.
The same charming smile his brother had.
I pushed the thought from my mind.Ethan’s type of charm was different.Brody was warm, affable, and easy to like.Plus, he wasn’t the brother whose construction zone was currently threatening my livelihood.
He and Lauren bumped elbows and exchanged a quiet laugh.The way they moved around each other always made me wonder why they weren’t together.We hadn’t known each other long enough for me to be comfortable asking Lauren about it, but their chemistry was obvious.
