“Not right now.” The way he fit right in, making himself at home, should be weirder. It might be if they hadn’t spent those two weeks hanging out here in December. They’d held hands and kissed, but they hadn’t labeled themselves as friends or anything else.
But she preferred friends. That was…safer.
And she needed that.
Taryn returned to drawing leaves. After she finished the last one, she grabbed the can of light green paint and a smaller brush. Soon the leaves and vines took shape against the darker forest color.
A sharp sound split the silence.
Hammer against a nail.
She glanced over.
Garrett was adding two-by-ones to construct a frame around the sign. Sweat gleamed on his skin, and his face was flushed.
Staring, she lowered her paintbrush. “Did you eat?”
He nodded. “Loved the coffee cake. I’ll want another slice later. You were so focused on painting I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Taryn hadn’t heard him. “How did you know what to do next?”
“Your list. The frame was the next thing.”
Her heart swelled with gratitude. “Thanks.”
“Things are still in pieces, but once it’s all put together, the booth will look great.”
“It will.” It wouldn’t be precisely the same as the original, but that was okay now that she’d gotten over herself. They were doing the best they could under the circumstances, which was all they could do.
He wiped his forehead with his arm. “It’s getting hotter.”
No kidding. The guy was smokin’.
Would his whiskers scratch her fingertips or cheek?
Not that she would ever find out. “It’s almost lunchtime. Let’s have a sandwich and cool off inside.”
He brushed his hands against his shorts. “Second best offer I’ve had all day.”
“What was the first?”
“The coffee cake.”
With a grin, Taryn rinsed off her paintbrush and headed into the house. The cool air surrounded her.
A quick wash of her hands, while Garrett used the hall bathroom, and she prepared sandwiches and filled large glasses with ice cubes and tea.
As they ate, neither spoke, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
She placed cookies on a small plate. “Here’s dessert.”
He took one and bit into it. “So good. Thanks to you, Margot, and Callie, I’ll have to hit the gym every day when I get home.”
“You’re burning off the calories working in the heat.”
Garrett winked before taking another cookie. “Then I need more.”
“That was easy.”
