her mistress.
A horn blared and Reece turned to find a line of four cars behind his truck. With a groan, he called out to the guys, “Go on up to the house.” He pointed to Mahoney House. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
A minute later, he turned into the driveway and parked. He sat alone in the truck, staring at his partners seated on the step. This day wasn’t starting off very well. Maybe he should just cut his losses and leave Denni Mahoney to her own devices. So he failed to crack one case in dozens. What would that matter in the grand scheme of things?
The door opened and Denni stepped out. She gave Sean and Joe a shy smile and offered her hand.
Who was he kidding? He was in this for the long haul. As long as Denni needed him—even if she didn’t think she did—he’d be there to look out for her.
Denni took mental inventory of her looks. She was going for that understated look that says, “I have class, but I’m not a girlie-girl afraid of a little hard outdoorsy work.”
Dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans, a light-blue pullover shirt with three buttons at the collar, and a pair of running shoes, she felt as though she’d accomplished her objective. A hint of mascara, powder and just a touch of lip gloss finished the look.
Fifty-percent humidity caused her hair to spring a bit at the temples, but Denni had never hated her curly hair the way her sister Keri hated hers. It was anyone’s guess why the two of them had turned out with varying shades of red curls, while their older sister, Raven had hair as black as—well—a raven. And not even a hint of wave, let alone curls.
The sight of Reece striding up her lawn carrying a toolbox brought a smile to Denni’s lips.
“Morning.” He flashed her a smile.
She returned the infectious smile. “Thank you for coming. I hope you haven’t had breakfast. I baked cinnamon rolls for you and your—um—crew.”
His face reddened. “Three capable men are better than a dozen guys who don’t know squat about what they’re doing.”
“So where’s the other nine?” Leigh’s voice shot over Denni’s shoulder from behind. Denni moved aside and let the girl step out onto the porch. She smelled of floral soap and shampoo. Denni had never known her to shower and get downstairs so quickly after her morning run. Had she developed a sudden crush on Reece? Denni frowned.
The younger of Reece’s companions chuckled. “Ithink we’ve just been insulted.” He shot Leigh an appreciative glance and a smile that Denni had a feeling was more than casual. No wonder Leigh had hurried. Relief flooded her. And she fought the urge to burst out laughing at the absurdity of her momentary suspicion.
Sean gave Leigh a lazy grin. She had definitely caught his attention. “You planning to stick around and give us a hand?”
“Ha! Me? I don’t think I could bear to be in the same environment as all that blatant masculinity,” she shot back, her pierced nose high in the air.
“I dare ya.”
Denni smiled, then clenched her lips together as Leigh glared at her. Oh, this guy definitely had Leigh’s number. Denni caught Reece staring at her. His brow was furrowed in a frown that clearly told her to call Leigh off.
Whether or not Leigh caught Reece’s scowl and decided to do it just to bug him, or whether she did it because she honestly liked Sean—and who wouldn’t?—Denni wasn’t sure, but the next words from the girl were, “You’re on. But I gotta warn you. I did Habitat for Humanity three years in a row. I can hold my own with a hammer.”
She’d helped build homes for the poor? Denni had had no idea.
“Then let’s get to work,” Joe said, obviously adept at breaking tension where Reece was concerned. And Denni had a feeling that that was often.
“Hey, I thought the lady mentioned something about homemade cinnamon rolls.” Sean’s good-natured reminder spurred Denni to action.
“That’s right. Never let it be said I sent a group of workers
A horn blared and Reece turned to find a line of four cars behind his truck. With a groan, he called out to the guys, “Go on up to the house.” He pointed to Mahoney House. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
A minute later, he turned into the driveway and parked. He sat alone in the truck, staring at his partners seated on the step. This day wasn’t starting off very well. Maybe he should just cut his losses and leave Denni Mahoney to her own devices. So he failed to crack one case in dozens. What would that matter in the grand scheme of things?
The door opened and Denni stepped out. She gave Sean and Joe a shy smile and offered her hand.
Who was he kidding? He was in this for the long haul. As long as Denni needed him—even if she didn’t think she did—he’d be there to look out for her.
Denni took mental inventory of her looks. She was going for that understated look that says, “I have class, but I’m not a girlie-girl afraid of a little hard outdoorsy work.”
Dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans, a light-blue pullover shirt with three buttons at the collar, and a pair of running shoes, she felt as though she’d accomplished her objective. A hint of mascara, powder and just a touch of lip gloss finished the look.
Fifty-percent humidity caused her hair to spring a bit at the temples, but Denni had never hated her curly hair the way her sister Keri hated hers. It was anyone’s guess why the two of them had turned out with varying shades of red curls, while their older sister, Raven had hair as black as—well—a raven. And not even a hint of wave, let alone curls.
The sight of Reece striding up her lawn carrying a toolbox brought a smile to Denni’s lips.
“Morning.” He flashed her a smile.
She returned the infectious smile. “Thank you for coming. I hope you haven’t had breakfast. I baked cinnamon rolls for you and your—um—crew.”
His face reddened. “Three capable men are better than a dozen guys who don’t know squat about what they’re doing.”
“So where’s the other nine?” Leigh’s voice shot over Denni’s shoulder from behind. Denni moved aside and let the girl step out onto the porch. She smelled of floral soap and shampoo. Denni had never known her to shower and get downstairs so quickly after her morning run. Had she developed a sudden crush on Reece? Denni frowned.
The younger of Reece’s companions chuckled. “Ithink we’ve just been insulted.” He shot Leigh an appreciative glance and a smile that Denni had a feeling was more than casual. No wonder Leigh had hurried. Relief flooded her. And she fought the urge to burst out laughing at the absurdity of her momentary suspicion.
Sean gave Leigh a lazy grin. She had definitely caught his attention. “You planning to stick around and give us a hand?”
“Ha! Me? I don’t think I could bear to be in the same environment as all that blatant masculinity,” she shot back, her pierced nose high in the air.
“I dare ya.”
Denni smiled, then clenched her lips together as Leigh glared at her. Oh, this guy definitely had Leigh’s number. Denni caught Reece staring at her. His brow was furrowed in a frown that clearly told her to call Leigh off.
Whether or not Leigh caught Reece’s scowl and decided to do it just to bug him, or whether she did it because she honestly liked Sean—and who wouldn’t?—Denni wasn’t sure, but the next words from the girl were, “You’re on. But I gotta warn you. I did Habitat for Humanity three years in a row. I can hold my own with a hammer.”
She’d helped build homes for the poor? Denni had had no idea.
“Then let’s get to work,” Joe said, obviously adept at breaking tension where Reece was concerned. And Denni had a feeling that that was often.
“Hey, I thought the lady mentioned something about homemade cinnamon rolls.” Sean’s good-natured reminder spurred Denni to action.
“That’s right. Never let it be said I sent a group of workers
Similar Books
