I have a specific weakness for forearms. Always have. This is inconvenient.
“Hi.” I hold up my tablet. “I’m here to check on the centerpieces. The heart vases?”
He nods and gestures toward the back. “This way.”
The workbench near the back wall is covered in wooden hearts. About eight inches tall, hollow centers, some still rough and others gleaming with a smooth finish that catches the light.
“Oh, wow.” I pick one up without thinking. The wood is silky under my fingers, warm like it’s been sitting in the sun. “These are beautiful.”
“Maple.” Elijah moves closer, and his scent gets stronger. He points to a swirling pattern in the grain. “See the figuring here?”
I make myself focus on the wood instead of how close he’s standing.
“This piece had exceptional figure,” he continues, and his voice changes. Warmer. More animated. “Curly maple. The grain shifts in the light—watch.”
He tilts the heart gently in my hands, and the pattern ripples across the surface like sunlight on water.
“That’s why I chose maple for these. It’s a softer wood, easier to carve, but the figure makes it look alive.” He traces a finger along one of the whorls, his touch careful and reverent. “Three coats of oil finish, cured overnight between each one. If you rush it, it clouds. But when you do it right...”
He picks up one of the completed hearts and turns it so the light catches.
“See how it pulls the warmth out of the grain? The oil doesn’t just protect the wood. It shows you what the wood wanted to be all along.”
I stare at him.
This is more words than I’ve heard Elijah Smith say in three years. His whole face has changed—lit up from the inside, animated in a way I’ve never seen. He’s not looking at me; he’s looking at his work, and there’s a quiet joy in his expression that makes something in my chest go soft.
I don’t have time for soft.
“They’re beautiful,” I say, pulling up my spreadsheet. “Sadie’s going to lose her mind. How many are finished?”
“Twenty done. Fifteen more to go. Should be ready by the tenth.”
“That’s ahead of schedule.” I tap the screen harder than necessary. Focus. “I have you down for thirty-five.”
“Thirty-six. Made an extra.”
“In case of what?”
He shrugs. “Things break.”
I add the extra to my count. “Sadie’s coming tomorrow to check the sizes for the flower inserts?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll follow up with her after.” I scroll through my checklist, then set the tablet down. “Elijah, I wanted to ask you something. About the auction.”
His shoulders tense almost imperceptibly.
“When Levi volunteered you at the meeting, you looked like you wanted to murder him. I don’t want anyone participating who isn’t comfortable. I recruited Theo on the way over, so I have options. If you want out, tell me.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “My face always looks like that.”
I blink. “What?”
“Like I want to murder someone.” There’s a hint of amusement in his voice. “It’s just my face.”
A surprised laugh escapes me. “Okay, fair point.”
