Does he take all of them out to lunch, though? Does he take them out alone? I doubt it.
I hope they know it wasn’t a romantic lunch. I press my lips together to keep from blurting the words out, fighting an urge to defend myself even though no one has made an accusation.
“Right here.” Theo drives the shovel into the earth.
I jump, jolted from my thoughts by the sound of his voice. “For the tree?”
“For the first one. I hope you don’t expect us to stop after one. I’m putting you to work today, Clements, like I said.”
My last name.Really?Surely, we’re not at that level of professionalism—there’s something playful about how he says it, his eyes twinkling under a ray of sunlight.
“You put me to work every day.” I hold my shovel tighter, unsure what to do with it. “Do you know how hard it is to keep track of your schedule?”
“I wouldn’t know. You’re too good at making it look effortless.” He huffs and digs the metal shovel back into the cool ground, lifting a mound of earth.
As hard as I may work on his schedule, Iamslacking off now. What am I supposed to do? I bounce on the balls of my feet to stay warm and look around, noting what the others are doing—putting roots into the earth, patting down the soil, and digging holes.
“Should I, um… get in there?” I grimace and lift my shovel.
“Only if you want to. I don’t mind doing this part on my own.”
“I can help.” I’ve never dug a hole, but how hard can it be?
He’s helped me with my baking. I finished the croissants myself, but it still felt like his spirit was around—or maybe the energy of our first and last kiss still lingered on my lips.
Theo looks good when he’s doing things like this—no! Stop! Bad brain.
Keeping my hands busy may stop my racing thoughts.
I shove the metal shovel into the damp earth, trying to remember his lesson from the first day—not too deep or wide. Just enough.
With a grunt, I move the soil to the side.
“There you go.” He grins.
I continue the task, not letting the tiny praise get to me—but it could. If I let it, he could make me weak between the knees… and for what? I’ve never let a man make me feel this way before.
Why should Theo Roche be any different?
My next dive into the earth is more aggressive, huffing and puffing as I go. It’s almost as peaceful as kneading bread, and I can see why Theo likes it. Digging isn’t the worst way to release some aggression.
We have the perfect hole in no time, and Theo does the honor of putting the roots in the ground. Thank God. Somehow, that part feels the most stressful.
“C’mon,” he mumbles, glancing up at me from where he is—on his knees, looking at me from beneath his lashes. “Help me cover this thing up.”
“Right, right.” I drop to my knees beside him.
“Pat it down,” he says. “Just like this.”
My eyes lock onto his hands as he presses them into the earth. How he touches the ground is almost loving, and I try to mimic the effect. We are breathing new life into the world, after all. Even though it takes aggression to slap the earth into place, thereshouldbe a softness.
This is closer than we’ve been since the kiss. His fingers brush against mine—briefly, gently, with the gloves still keeping us apart. My heart leaps, and my lips part.
“Evie?” he murmurs.
“Yes?”
A sly smile dances on his lips, and I realize he’s messing with me. He’s pushing my buttons. He must be.
