to the challenger’s place. That will help keep the designs a secret as well.”
“Secret designs. Now it sounds like a spy show and not sewing. This could be fun.”
Hope glanced at Len. “He’s getting you into trouble.”
Len grinned back. “Does it all the time. I’m used to it.”
“Go on, blame me. But hell, if the fire crew can do it, so can we.” Clay nodded. “I have to double-check with the rest of the guys, but I’m pretty sure they’ll agree.”
“Really?” She’d only begun setting up the challenge, but having two solidly male teams involved was exactly what she needed to get interest going. “Sponsoring teams pay for materials at cost, we’ll have the quilts displayed during the fair, then all the proceeds from the raffle go to the club.”
Clay glanced around the shop. “I figure you can find us a manly enough design, right?”
“Sure. Moose and rifles? Beer cans and barbecues?”
Len laughed. “We’ll talk about it more after New Year’s. I’m heading back to the shop. You coming, Clay?”
“In a minute.”
Hope waved Len off and stared at Clay as he shifted to the side of the display unit, grinning down at her. There was a flicker of interest—he was a handsome fellow. Having Matt Coleman under her roof might have revved her up, but Clay was sexy enough on his own to get a rise out of her without even trying. “You need something?”
“Yeah, an answer to when I get to see you again. When I asked you out in August, you said you were swamped with fall preparations, what with getting classes going. And then you were hard at it in October getting ready for the holiday rush. Now you’re going to tell me that after Christmas you’ll be busy with something else like this fundraiser?”
Hope took a deep breath and pulled a fabric bolt from the pile on the floor, refolding it to give her something to do with her hands. “Well, it is hectic running the shop.”
“It’s demanding working on cars and pulling people out of trouble. I still make time for fun. ”
Oh boy. Fun. She could go for some of that. Hope stopped her fidgeting and leaned forward on the table, glancing over his tall frame. Good looking, a decent dancer—she’d enjoyed his company in the past. “I have been busy.”
Clay shrugged. “That’s why I haven’t been bothering you more. You ended up with a shop to run on your own. Just figured that you could use a little time away from being completely grown-up. Come and play for a while.”
She was tempted. Not only would she enjoy some adult company, it might be what she needed to knock Matt Coleman permanently out of her system.
Guilt at making Clay almost a rebound date, when he didn’t deserve that, held her back. But only a little.
“Okay.” His face brightened and she held up a hand. “But not right away.”
“Hope…”
“I’m not putting you off, really. Just give me a few days to finish dealing with the extra orders from the ladies who need help finishing projects in a rush for Christmas. I could end up with—” Clay crossed his arms and she stopped, partly because of his expression, partly because she was distracted by the sheer size of his biceps in that position. “Maybe instead of the quilts I should organize a beefcake calendar or something. Good God, you’re making me drool.”
He rolled his eyes. “Way to change the topic. I’m holding you to calling me when you have time.”
“I will.” Hope let her appreciation show. “Honest, I will.”
Clay stepped into her personal space. Close enough she had to look up at him. Close enough she wasn’t sure if the heat she felt was from his body or hers.
He tilted her chin with a finger. “And Hope? If you don’t call before we start working on the quilts, I’m going to think you’re just after me for my sewing skills.”
Hope laughed. “I’ll call.”
Someone entered the shop and Clay made a quick getaway. Hope switched her focus, but there was a different feel to her
“Secret designs. Now it sounds like a spy show and not sewing. This could be fun.”
Hope glanced at Len. “He’s getting you into trouble.”
Len grinned back. “Does it all the time. I’m used to it.”
“Go on, blame me. But hell, if the fire crew can do it, so can we.” Clay nodded. “I have to double-check with the rest of the guys, but I’m pretty sure they’ll agree.”
“Really?” She’d only begun setting up the challenge, but having two solidly male teams involved was exactly what she needed to get interest going. “Sponsoring teams pay for materials at cost, we’ll have the quilts displayed during the fair, then all the proceeds from the raffle go to the club.”
Clay glanced around the shop. “I figure you can find us a manly enough design, right?”
“Sure. Moose and rifles? Beer cans and barbecues?”
Len laughed. “We’ll talk about it more after New Year’s. I’m heading back to the shop. You coming, Clay?”
“In a minute.”
Hope waved Len off and stared at Clay as he shifted to the side of the display unit, grinning down at her. There was a flicker of interest—he was a handsome fellow. Having Matt Coleman under her roof might have revved her up, but Clay was sexy enough on his own to get a rise out of her without even trying. “You need something?”
“Yeah, an answer to when I get to see you again. When I asked you out in August, you said you were swamped with fall preparations, what with getting classes going. And then you were hard at it in October getting ready for the holiday rush. Now you’re going to tell me that after Christmas you’ll be busy with something else like this fundraiser?”
Hope took a deep breath and pulled a fabric bolt from the pile on the floor, refolding it to give her something to do with her hands. “Well, it is hectic running the shop.”
“It’s demanding working on cars and pulling people out of trouble. I still make time for fun. ”
Oh boy. Fun. She could go for some of that. Hope stopped her fidgeting and leaned forward on the table, glancing over his tall frame. Good looking, a decent dancer—she’d enjoyed his company in the past. “I have been busy.”
Clay shrugged. “That’s why I haven’t been bothering you more. You ended up with a shop to run on your own. Just figured that you could use a little time away from being completely grown-up. Come and play for a while.”
She was tempted. Not only would she enjoy some adult company, it might be what she needed to knock Matt Coleman permanently out of her system.
Guilt at making Clay almost a rebound date, when he didn’t deserve that, held her back. But only a little.
“Okay.” His face brightened and she held up a hand. “But not right away.”
“Hope…”
“I’m not putting you off, really. Just give me a few days to finish dealing with the extra orders from the ladies who need help finishing projects in a rush for Christmas. I could end up with—” Clay crossed his arms and she stopped, partly because of his expression, partly because she was distracted by the sheer size of his biceps in that position. “Maybe instead of the quilts I should organize a beefcake calendar or something. Good God, you’re making me drool.”
He rolled his eyes. “Way to change the topic. I’m holding you to calling me when you have time.”
“I will.” Hope let her appreciation show. “Honest, I will.”
Clay stepped into her personal space. Close enough she had to look up at him. Close enough she wasn’t sure if the heat she felt was from his body or hers.
He tilted her chin with a finger. “And Hope? If you don’t call before we start working on the quilts, I’m going to think you’re just after me for my sewing skills.”
Hope laughed. “I’ll call.”
Someone entered the shop and Clay made a quick getaway. Hope switched her focus, but there was a different feel to her