I smiled. “Okay.”
I busied myself putting a few last-minute items in a bag, trying not to stare as Jacob jogged to his cottage. Ten minutes later, he came out dressed in different clothes, and his hair was wet. Had he taken a shower and gotten dressed that quickly?
He knocked once on the French doors before walking into the kitchen. “I’m ready. Anything else need to go out?”
I picked up one bag then pointed to another. “You can carry that one.”
“I’ll take my truck and follow you,” he said. “This way you don’t have to drive me back.”
I made sure to watch for him in my rear-view mirror as I drove to This and That. Motioning to him out my window, I drove around to the back alley because it would be easier for me to unload. He parked next to me and got out.
“What I saw of the front was nice,” he said. “I like your sign.”
It had taken me ages to decide on the font and design. I was glad he’d noticed. With his help, I cut my unload time in half. I needed to be careful…I could get used to that.
He walked around the space, running his hands over the small stationary countertops where couples worked on their creations, then he headed to the front of the store where the painting classes were held.
“Did you do all these paintings?” he asked.
The walls were covered with examples of the paintings I offered. “Some were done by me, some by Kieran. She helps out a lot on nights when she’s not doing her own artwork. She’s arealartist.”
He looked at the paintings and then back at me. “I’d sayyou’rea real artist.”
I jerked back as though I’d been shocked. It was strange hearing another man compliment me. My heart and throat ached with a sudden pain…like someone had physically squeezed me.
“Thank you, Jacob.”
He reached out, and for a second I thought he was going to touch my face. But at the last minute he let his hand drop. “You’re welcome, Monica.”
We stood like that, staring at each other, not saying anything for a few more seconds. It wasn’t until a car horn blasted outside that we broke the contact.
“Thanks for your help,” I said.
He grinned. “Anytime. I really like your place. You’ve done a great thing here.”
I smiled. “I love it.”
“Well, I guess I better be going. I told Daniel I’d swing by his place later for a beer.”
“You like working with him and his family?”
“Yes. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, building things. That’s why I’m going over tonight. Daniel is thinking of branching out, and he wants me to look over his idea.”
My eyes widened. “You mean he wouldn’t work in construction anymore?”
Jacob shook his head. “Nothing like that. But Daniel is like me, he likes to build things. It’s no secret, his family knows, and they’re one hundred percent behind him.”
“What would he do?”
“Furniture, cabinets, whatever.”
“And that’s more your speed?”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah. Before I left on my last tour, I gifted my mom with two outdoor chairs I made for her.”
Once again emotions flooded me. I could relate both as a womanandas a mother at what that gift must have truly encompassed.
“I bet she loved them.”
