didn’t want to work for a woman.
They’d spent their first morning at Jillian’s removing the appliances and starting to tear out the countertops and cabinets. Now they scattered across Jillian’s front porch with their lunches spread out in front of them. Wil sat on the top step with her back pressed against the railing and her legs stretched out in front of her.
A few feet away, Andy’s cousin, Tracy, sat cross-legged in the shade. The two women looked alike, with dark hair and skin, but their resemblance ended there. Andy’s brown eyes were warm and friendly, whereas Tracy’s, a shade deeper, were usually shadowed and secretive. Six months ago, when they’d lost a member of their crew, Wil had hired Tracy as a favor to Andy, but Tracy’s quiet nature made her hard to get to know. Over time, Tracy had begun to open up, even smiling once in a while. Her grin transformed her face, lighting up her features and bringing out matching dimples.
Andy’s partner, Patti, sat on the bottom step mirroring Wil’s position. Patti was knowledgeable and hardworking, but most of all, her patience tempered Andy’s excitable nature.
Andy stepped over Wil’s legs and settled on the floor between them.
“Jillian Sealy sure is hot,” Andy said as she unwrapped her sandwich. Patti gave her a sharp look. “What? You know you have my heart, but, come on, she is. I wonder what her deal is.”
Wil ignored her, pretending to be engrossed in her potato chips.
“Wil, what do you think?”
“Huh?” Wil stalled.
“What do you know about Jillian?”
“Nothing, really.” Wil and Andy had been friends for a long time, ever since they mutually decided they were incompatible as a couple. She knew Andy better than anyone else, which was probably why she hesitated to talk about Jillian. Andy loved good gossip, even when she herself was involved. It had taken only a day for word of Wil and Andy’s split to spread around town. And Wil didn’t want what had transpired between her and Jillian taking the same route.
“Come on, Wil. I heard you’ve been over to Rose Beam’s with her and down to the hardware store. What did you two talk about?”
“About her plans for the house.” Wil let her displeasure with Andy’s prying seep into her voice.
“Andy, leave her alone,” Patti warned, but Andy persisted.
“But is she a lesbian? Single?”
Wil balled her napkin and shoved it into her lunch bag. She stood and scowled down at Andy. “How about less talking and more eating, so we can get back to work.” Wil strode down the steps toward her truck before Andy could respond, and she couldn’t hear what she muttered to Patti.
Wil had just stowed her empty bag in her truck when she spotted Jillian walking up the sidewalk toward her. She slipped her sunglasses from her pocket and put them on before allowing her eyes to roam the length of Jillian’s body. Pressed khaki slacks covered her long legs, but they would feel lean and strong wrapped around Wil. A sudden breeze molded Jillian’s light cotton blouse to her torso, and the sensation of her breasts seemed to be burned into Wil’s palms. She curled her fingers into fists and deliberately tried to replace her awareness with indifference.
“Did you have a nice walk?” Already losing her fight, she stepped closer.
“Yes. I met Rose at the diner for lunch.”
Wil shook her head. “I don’t know how you can eat there every day.”
Jillian laughed and patted her stomach. “I’m going to gain thirty pounds before the house is ready.”
“Oh, now, I know better than to say something like that to a woman.”
“You didn’t have to say it. I did.” Jillian had never been a creature of habit, but the familiar faces and the heavy cooking smells as she walked in the diner were oddly comforting. She glanced toward the house. “Are you making progress?”
“Yeah. We’re on track. What are you going to do this afternoon?” Wil raised her hand as if she wanted to touch
They’d spent their first morning at Jillian’s removing the appliances and starting to tear out the countertops and cabinets. Now they scattered across Jillian’s front porch with their lunches spread out in front of them. Wil sat on the top step with her back pressed against the railing and her legs stretched out in front of her.
A few feet away, Andy’s cousin, Tracy, sat cross-legged in the shade. The two women looked alike, with dark hair and skin, but their resemblance ended there. Andy’s brown eyes were warm and friendly, whereas Tracy’s, a shade deeper, were usually shadowed and secretive. Six months ago, when they’d lost a member of their crew, Wil had hired Tracy as a favor to Andy, but Tracy’s quiet nature made her hard to get to know. Over time, Tracy had begun to open up, even smiling once in a while. Her grin transformed her face, lighting up her features and bringing out matching dimples.
Andy’s partner, Patti, sat on the bottom step mirroring Wil’s position. Patti was knowledgeable and hardworking, but most of all, her patience tempered Andy’s excitable nature.
Andy stepped over Wil’s legs and settled on the floor between them.
“Jillian Sealy sure is hot,” Andy said as she unwrapped her sandwich. Patti gave her a sharp look. “What? You know you have my heart, but, come on, she is. I wonder what her deal is.”
Wil ignored her, pretending to be engrossed in her potato chips.
“Wil, what do you think?”
“Huh?” Wil stalled.
“What do you know about Jillian?”
“Nothing, really.” Wil and Andy had been friends for a long time, ever since they mutually decided they were incompatible as a couple. She knew Andy better than anyone else, which was probably why she hesitated to talk about Jillian. Andy loved good gossip, even when she herself was involved. It had taken only a day for word of Wil and Andy’s split to spread around town. And Wil didn’t want what had transpired between her and Jillian taking the same route.
“Come on, Wil. I heard you’ve been over to Rose Beam’s with her and down to the hardware store. What did you two talk about?”
“About her plans for the house.” Wil let her displeasure with Andy’s prying seep into her voice.
“Andy, leave her alone,” Patti warned, but Andy persisted.
“But is she a lesbian? Single?”
Wil balled her napkin and shoved it into her lunch bag. She stood and scowled down at Andy. “How about less talking and more eating, so we can get back to work.” Wil strode down the steps toward her truck before Andy could respond, and she couldn’t hear what she muttered to Patti.
Wil had just stowed her empty bag in her truck when she spotted Jillian walking up the sidewalk toward her. She slipped her sunglasses from her pocket and put them on before allowing her eyes to roam the length of Jillian’s body. Pressed khaki slacks covered her long legs, but they would feel lean and strong wrapped around Wil. A sudden breeze molded Jillian’s light cotton blouse to her torso, and the sensation of her breasts seemed to be burned into Wil’s palms. She curled her fingers into fists and deliberately tried to replace her awareness with indifference.
“Did you have a nice walk?” Already losing her fight, she stepped closer.
“Yes. I met Rose at the diner for lunch.”
Wil shook her head. “I don’t know how you can eat there every day.”
Jillian laughed and patted her stomach. “I’m going to gain thirty pounds before the house is ready.”
“Oh, now, I know better than to say something like that to a woman.”
“You didn’t have to say it. I did.” Jillian had never been a creature of habit, but the familiar faces and the heavy cooking smells as she walked in the diner were oddly comforting. She glanced toward the house. “Are you making progress?”
“Yeah. We’re on track. What are you going to do this afternoon?” Wil raised her hand as if she wanted to touch
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