Debbie smoothed down her blouse and slacks before fluffing her hair. Despite her eagerness to talk to Savannah, she’d forced herself to go home and change out of her jeans and t-shirt and put on something a little nicer. If she was going to play the part of a wealthy benefactress, she should look it.
She knocked on the faded yellow door, hoping Savannah’s parents would be willing to let her participate in what might sound like a hair-brained idea.
Shouts came from behind the door. “I’ll get it!” Followed by, “No, Imma get it!” Running feet pounded across the floor before a thud sounded against the door.
It opened, and Debbie looked down to see little Cody Reed with his brother, Dallas, right behind him.
“Hi, boys. How are you?”
“Miss Debbie?” Dallas’s nose scrunched.
“Whatcha doing here?” Cody asked.
“I came to talk to your sister and parents.” Debbie smiled down at the boys. Yep, she still wanted to stuff Cody in her pocket and take him home. Dallas too.
“Why?” Dallas asked. “Are we in trouble?”
“No, of course not.” Did people show up at the door often to complain about the boys who were obviously rambunctious if the race to open the door was anything to go by. “Will you tell you mom and dad I’m here?”
Dallas turned away and yelled. “Dad! Savvy!” as Cody said, “We don’t have a mom.”
Debbie’s heart broke for the adorable little boys. Now she wanted more than ever to take them home with her.
“Cody, why are you standing there with the door open?” A deep, semi-familiar, baritone voice sent a shiver of awareness skittering across Debbie’s skin, and she tried to recall where she’d heard it before.
The door opened wider, and Debbie launched into the spiel she’d rehearsed. “Hi, we’ve never met but—” Heat rushed up her cheeks as she took in Cody’s dad. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in flannel and denim. Her heart picked up speed at the sight of the knight who came to her rescue last week. An attractive five o’clock shadow covered his jaw again. “Oh, I guess we have met.”
It saddened Debbie that Dallas and Cody didn’t have a mother, but she couldn’t help the spark of excitement that came with knowing Flannel and Denim was single.
Stop it! Haven’t you had enough rejection lately?
Being single didn’t equal interest. No way would Debbie express interest in a man again, unless she was certain he wanted her for more than her money.
“Debbie?”
“Austin.”
“How’d you know her name, Daddy?”
Austin looked down at his son, a quizzical look on his face. “Because I met her last week.” He ruffled Cody’s hair. “How do you know Debbie, buddy?”
“She reads with me at school and gives me Smarties. She’s nice.” He gave her a toothless grin, and Debbie’s heart melted.
Could she somehow sneak him into her car when she left without his dad noticing? Maybe she could lure him in with the stash of Smarties she kept in her purse. Biting back a smile at the thought, she focused on the task she came here for.
“Mr. Reed—Austin, I have a job proposition for your daughter.”
“You know Savvy, too?” Austin’s brows rose.
Just then, the pretty strawberry blond walked into the family room. Her brow wrinkled at the sight of Debbie at the door.
“Not formally, no, but our paths crossed this afternoon at the school.” Debbie’s palms grew damp. Good thing she and Austin had already met. Otherwise she’d feel the need to shake his hand. She resisted the urge to wipe her hands on her slacks. “May I come in and present the job opportunity I have for Savannah?”
“Of course.” Austin stepped back and waved her in although his brow hovered somewhere between curiosity and confusion.
As Debbie walked past him, the scent of sawdust, sunshine, and pine hit her, and a surge of attraction swept over her. She discreetly swiped her hands down her thighs as she took a seat on the couch. She couldn’t understand where this sudden jumble of nerves had come from. It wasn’t like she’d never made business deals before. She just hadn’t done it with a man that she found so incredibly attractive. And for some reason, the prospect of him and Savannah saying no made it difficult to breathe.
Surely, she could find another artist to paint the mural that had become a sudden obsession. But she didn’t want another artist, she wanted this gifted girl who now looked at her like she’d grown a second head. And she wanted to give Savannah the opportunity to take advantage of the art camp Jessie mentioned.
