I cleared my throat. “You were twelve years in the Army?”
Jacob nodded but offered nothing else.
“So that makes you how old?” I asked.
Jacob smiled. “I did two years of college before enlisting. So I’m thirty-two, almost thirty-three.” He winked at me. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask your age.”
I felt the flush start again, and I gave him a tight smile. Did he know I was asking because I’d been sitting here trying to justify why I lusted after him?
I had to admit, thirty-three sounded better than thirty. Well, almost thirty-three…which was close enough. Ten years didn’t seem so wide a gap.
“We won’t keep you from your dinner,” Jacob said. “It smells good.”
“Word of advice, Parkerson,” Daniel said, “if Mrs. Swanson invites you over for dinner one night, accept immediately. She’s a wonderful cook. She even teaches classes.”
Jacob frowned. “I thought you taught painting classes?”
Daniel laughed. “Mrs. Swanson does—”
“Please call me Monica,” I said.
It was beginning to grate on my nerves how old Daniel made me sound.
Daniel grinned. “You got it. Anyway, Monica does a lot of different things out of her store. That’s why it’s called This and That.”
“Interesting,” Jacob said. “I’d love to attend one of your classes some night.”
I flushed. I knew I was supposed to tell him anytime, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“Yoohoo!”
Saved by a friend.
“Back here, Kieran,” I hollered.
My best friend bounded out of the house and strolled over to where we were standing.
“Well, hellooo,” she drawled as she stared wide-eyed at Jacob. “What’s going on here?”
“Kieran, this is Jacob Parkerson.” The two shook hands. “He’s renting the cottage from me.”
I saw surprise flash in Kieran’s eyes, but she hid it quickly.
“You already know Daniel Carson,” I said.
“Hey, Daniel,” Kieran greeted.
Kieran Yarnell was a tiny woman, and even though she was almost forty-five, she still dressed like a kid. Of course, it was probably because she stilllookedlike a kid. She was barely five foot tall, just under one hundred pounds, and she wore overalls—either the shorts version or the long pants version depending on the weather—every day. And they were always splattered with paint. Her frizzy, naturally curly red hair made her look like a clown if it got too long, so she always kept it clipped short next to her head. She had pretty, expressive eyes and a cute heart-shaped face.
“What brings you over?” I asked.
Kieran snorted. “I’ve been sent over by your mom to make sure the person you showed the house to today didn’t ravage you.”
I gasped.
“Her words, not mine!” Kieran said quickly.
“Is that what you referred to earlier today but didn’t want to elaborate on?” a grinning Jacob asked.
