I had gone to the real estate office that day after Elias and I had confessed our feelings for each other in my kitchen. Teddy had put on boots and a jacket, as I’d suggested. His face had been blank, and he hadn’t said a word to me as he signed on the dotted line to cancel our lease before he walked out the door, and didn’t look back.
I hadn’t asked about him when I saw my parents, and they hadn’t talked about him. He was in the past, and my future was here. No more heels and luxury cars. Now it was all aboutsawdust and true love.
Normally there would have been chainsaws running in the yard, but there had been a materials delay on the Beast project, so we were all waiting patiently for what we needed to do more of the finishing work.
That kept me busy with planning and Jace busy with worrying.
The door opened and a woman came bustling through. She looked harried and was juggling a file of papers in her hand. Her hair was falling out of a ponytail and her purse slid off her shoulder as she came in.
“Can I help you?”
It was odd for a customer to come into the office without calling or emailing, but not unheard of. She dropped everything she was holding onto my desk and sank into the chair. She pushed a stray strand of hair from her mouth.
“Please tell me you have a carpenter who can help me design a nightstand.”
I blinked at her. “Well, we build log homes, but we do some side work here and there. What did you have in mind?”
She set her purse aside. “Picture this,” she raised her hands as if she were actually drawing it. “You have family over for dinner and your toddler wanders off, then suddenly they return to the kitchen with your vibrator in their hands. How embarrassing.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “I’m not sure how a home-building company can help with that.”
She deflated. “I want to design a nightstand with a hidden compartment for sex toys. A way to keep your fun stuff handy, but not so handy that your kids can get their hands on them. See what I mean?”
I nodded, still confused. “But?”
“But I need to see it, you know. I haven’t figured out how to have the hidden compartment work. I need a carpenter who is used to thinking outside the box. Do you have someone who can help?”
I bit my lip to keep from smiling. My mind flicked to Wyatt who loved to stir up trouble and had been teasing Elias and I non stop since we got together.
“I have just the guy for the job.”
I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and handed it to her. “Give me your name and contact info and I’ll get him to call you.”
“You’re a life saver,” she said, beaming.
She handed me the paper and bustled back out of the office.
A while later Elias and Wyatt came through. I flashed them both a grin. “What’s that look for?” Wyatt asked, “not more changes?”
I shook my head. “Nope, a side project for you. Customer wanting to build a custom nightstand. Should be easy. Keep you out of trouble until more materials arrive.” He took the paper from my hands and shrugged. “Cool, thanks, can always use the extra cash.”
Elias came around the desk and leaned down to kiss me, sawdust stuck in the stubble on his chin and I wiped it away. “Ready to go home?”
I nodded and grabbed my things.
We walked out the door with his arm around my shoulders.
It was spring now. The ground was thawing, and mud squished under my boots as we walked away from the office.
“Do I want to know what that was about?”
I laughed. “Just a little payback.” I explained the situation, and Elias laughed and pulled me closer to his side.
The cabin I had moved into after I’d called off my wedding was one that Jace had built with the intention of selling. He’d insisted I move into it while I sorted out my life, but once Elias and I were together, I moved in with him. It freed up Jace’s cabin so he could sell it, and it meant I could wake up to the man I loved every day.
He started up the truck, and we drove out of the yard in the direction of home. He rested his hand on my knee, as he always did when he was driving, and I let the warmth sink into my skin.
“So you’ve lived it, an entire season in Wildrose Bend?” he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.
