The door closed, and Savannah called, “At least it’s not the coat closet.”
Dallas’s voice came through the door. “Make sure you think about how your words affect the other person.”
Austin was one part amused, one part angry, and two parts tempted to kiss the woman whose body pressed against his. Her heavenly perfume wove a web around him, drawing him in—tempting and heady.
Stop it. Debbie overstepped the bounds. You’re angry with her, remember?
He gave her a gentle shove and grabbed the doorknob. It twisted, but the door didn’t move.
Dallas and Cody giggled on the other side.
“Very funny, guys. Let us out now.” Austin shoved the door with his shoulder.
It didn’t budge.
“I put a chair under the knob, Dad,” Savannah said. “So be careful or you’ll damage the door.”
“You guys open this door!”
“You can come out when you’re ready to communicate with each other respectfully,” Dallas called.
“Agh.” Austin slapped the door with his palm. He spun around and pointed a finger at Debbie. “This is all your fault!”
“My fault? You’re the one who walked into my house shouting.” She folded her arms over her chest. “What is this, anyway? Why did they lock us in here?”
Austin paced the cramped confines. He couldn’t escape the scent of Debbie’s perfume. “When my boys argue, I make them sit together in the coat closet—”
“You lock your kids in a closet?” Debbie’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.
“I don’tlockthem in. I don’t even close the door. But I do make them stay there until they’ve worked out their differences.”
Debbie snorted. “Fat chance of that ever happening. At least we won’t starve in here.” She grabbed a bag of pretzels and opened it.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Austin. I know you hate me.” She pointed a pretzel at him.
“I don’t hate you.”
“Yes, you do. Or at least you hate ‘people like me.’” She shoved the pretzel in her mouth so she could make air quotes with her fingers.
Austin let out a deep sigh. Hehadlumped her in with all other rich people he’d known. And he’d made it clear he didn’t care for wealthy people.
Yes, she’d been out of line buying his boys such expensive toys without consulting him first. But he’d also learned from her brothers how selfless and generous she was. He hated that she could so easily give his kids what he couldn’t. And he especially hated that he was so attracted to a woman that made him feel like an impoverished deadbeat.
He pulled a bucket labeled flour from under the bottom shelf and dropped down to sit on it, rubbing his hands over his face. “I don’t hate you, Debbie. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.” He probably shouldn’t have admitted that last part.
She pulled out the sugar bucket and sat beside him, facing him. “What do you mean?” Her thigh brushed against his, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
She really has no personal bubble.
It probably wasn’t a good thing that he liked that about her.
“I find you very attractive, but I refuse to get mixed up with another wealthy woman.”
“Another?”
Austin propped his elbows on his knees and stared at a stack of red and white striped popcorn buckets. “Cheyenne and I went to high school together. She was popular—head cheerleader, homecoming queen, and extremely wealthy. For most of our junior and senior years, she dated Tucker James. He was exactly the kind of guy people expected a girl like Cheyenne to date—all-star quarterback, the mayor’s son, also very wealthy.”
