Heath grinned.“I get to have all the fun.Is the mulcher in the gardening shed?”
“Yeah.”Ethan watched him leave.“The other guys are going to be jealous.”
Chelsea laughed and then her expression turned serious as she hugged him.“Thank you for bringing them here.”
“They offered as soon as they heard what happened,” Ethan told her.He enjoyed the feel of her body tucked into his before she stepped back.
“I’m not used to having so much support.”
His heart broke for her.“Then you’ll need to get used to it.You’ve got all of us now.”
Though doubt still showed on her face, she nodded.“Thank you.”
“Any time.”He hated that she had any doubts, but it was his fault.It would take her time to trust again.He kissed her gently.“Better give me the shopping list before the shops shut.We’ll have a riot on our hands if we don’t feed them.”
That earned him a smile as she grabbed a notepad from Aunt Maggie’s desk and jotted down ingredients.“I’ll get you some money.My purse is upstairs.”
“No, I’m good.I’ve got this.”He wouldn’t have her paying.He kissed her again to stop her protest.“See you when I get back.”
Then he left before she could argue further.
He’d show her she deserved to be cared for.
***
Later that afternoon, Chelsea glanced up from where she was weeding by the house as an unfamiliar green hatchback pulled into her driveway.She stood, stretching the aches out of her stiff muscles, and then waved and grinned as Lauren got out.
Lauren gazed wide-eyed at the burnt garden as Chelsea walked over.“What happened?”
It was surprising Lauren hadn’t heard about the fire.“Someone set the garden alight last night.”
Lauren swore.“This was arson?Why didn’t you call me?”
Chelsea blinked at the question.It had never occurred to her to call Lauren.
Lauren hugged her.“Are you all right?”
“Yeah.It looks worse than it is.”She’d never had a friend she could call when something went wrong, but it felt nice that Lauren might become that friend.“Come inside and I’ll tell you about it.”
As they walked up the front steps, Lauren murmured, “Are you aware you have several extremely hot men working in your garden?”
Chelsea grinned as she noticed Rhys and Noah nearby, keeping their eyes on her.She waved to them to let them know everything was fine.“They’re Ethan’s friends.”
Lauren walked into the house and then fanned herself.“Sign me up for helping tomorrow if they’re still going to be here.”
“They will be, but you don’t need to help.”It was getting late and probably about time they called it a day.
“Remember what I said about the lack of our generation in town?I never meet anyone.”
Chelsea chuckled.“All right.”She held up a bottle of white wine, and Lauren nodded.“Why don’t you stay for dinner and you can meet them?”
“I’d love to, but unfortunately I can’t stay long.”She leaned against the bench.“So what happened?”
“Let me just tell them they can finish.”Chelsea went outside and spotted Ethan by the barn where he’d been testing the sprinklers.“Drinks time.”
He nodded.“Be in soon.”
Chelsea returned and sank onto the sofa next to Lauren, her feet and muscles aching from trying to match Ethan and his friends’ pace.She sipped her wine and told Lauren about the fire and their suspicions.
