let’s not go there.”
“Let’s do. Tell me about bathroom counter guy.”
“Levon? He was . . . high maintenance.”
“In what way?”
“His clothes had to be impeccably pressed. I’m pretty sure the only things that ever went into the washing machine were his underwear, and even that is suspect. Everything else went to the dry cleaner’s. His house was spotless. He had cleaning people come in three times a week.”
Barrett raised a brow. “A bit of a neat freak, huh?”
She cut into another piece of chicken, then waved her fork at Barrett. “That’s an understatement. He yelled at me once because I forgot to take my shoes off at the front door. He didn’t want his precious mahogany floors scratched. And I was wearing tennis shoes at the time.”
“What an asshole.”
She laughed. “Yeah, kind of. At least not the kind of man I wanted in my life long-term. I like a neat and orderly house, but if I want to toss my purse on the dining room table, I’d like to know the man in my life isn’t going to have a nuclear meltdown over it.”
“Definitely the wrong guy for you.”
“I agree.”
They finished dinner, carted their plates into the kitchen and loaded them into the dishwasher. Barrett picked up the bottle of wine from the dining room table and they settled into the living room.
What he should be doing is making a fast exit. But he didn’t want to be rude by eating and running, so he’d stay a few minutes longer. Then he’d make a clean getaway, having fulfilled his obligation.
She kicked off her sandals and pulled her legs up on the sofa, then picked up her glass. “You got the contracts?”
“I did. Already signed them. They’re in my car. I meant to bring those inside with me.”
“No hurry. But the sooner we get those executed, the sooner we can get started and finished. I know you’d like to move into your house.”
He nodded. “The condo’s a little tight for me. I’m on the road a lot during the season, but off-season it gets claustrophobic.”
“I’m sure it does, big guy like you in a condo.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t exactly my best move. I should have leased a town house, kind of like what you have here. You have more space than I do.”
“I wanted more room than a traditional condo. The town house affords me that. I would have preferred a house, but then there’s all that lawn maintenance.”
His lips curved. “Not a fan of mowing?”
“I don’t mind it, but my business has taken off, and I often have evening and weekend meetings. I’d like a bigger place with spacefor an office. Maybe sometime down the road I’ll opt for the house. Right now, letting the homeowner’s association deal with it works for me.”
He studied her in her cute little dress and her perfectly manicured turquoise toenails and matching fingernails. She had tiny feet, too, her heels smooth as polished stone.
“I can’t imagine you pushing a lawnmower.”
She cocked a brow. “Is that right? Who do you think mows the lawn at Mama’s house in late summer when you and Drake are out of town at some road game?”
“Don’t you have a lawn service?”
She laughed. “Mama would never allow a lawn service. She thinks it’s a frivolous expense.”
“That sounds like her.”
“And with her bad back, she can’t handle the mower anymore. So I do it. Which is another reason I didn’t buy a house. I have to make the time to do the yard work at Mama’s. No way I could find the time to do that at her house and mine.”
He made a mental note to mention that to Drake. If Drake could convince Mama Diane to move into a new house, he could wear her down on a lawn service, too.
“You’re just a tough girl, aren’t you?”
“It’s not that hard to mow the lawn, Barrett. Or run a weed whacker. Mama did it for years until her back issues. We Evans girls are made of strong stuff.”
“And yet you look tiny and fragile.”
She snorted out a laugh. “I also take kickboxing classes, so
“Let’s do. Tell me about bathroom counter guy.”
“Levon? He was . . . high maintenance.”
“In what way?”
“His clothes had to be impeccably pressed. I’m pretty sure the only things that ever went into the washing machine were his underwear, and even that is suspect. Everything else went to the dry cleaner’s. His house was spotless. He had cleaning people come in three times a week.”
Barrett raised a brow. “A bit of a neat freak, huh?”
She cut into another piece of chicken, then waved her fork at Barrett. “That’s an understatement. He yelled at me once because I forgot to take my shoes off at the front door. He didn’t want his precious mahogany floors scratched. And I was wearing tennis shoes at the time.”
“What an asshole.”
She laughed. “Yeah, kind of. At least not the kind of man I wanted in my life long-term. I like a neat and orderly house, but if I want to toss my purse on the dining room table, I’d like to know the man in my life isn’t going to have a nuclear meltdown over it.”
“Definitely the wrong guy for you.”
“I agree.”
They finished dinner, carted their plates into the kitchen and loaded them into the dishwasher. Barrett picked up the bottle of wine from the dining room table and they settled into the living room.
What he should be doing is making a fast exit. But he didn’t want to be rude by eating and running, so he’d stay a few minutes longer. Then he’d make a clean getaway, having fulfilled his obligation.
She kicked off her sandals and pulled her legs up on the sofa, then picked up her glass. “You got the contracts?”
“I did. Already signed them. They’re in my car. I meant to bring those inside with me.”
“No hurry. But the sooner we get those executed, the sooner we can get started and finished. I know you’d like to move into your house.”
He nodded. “The condo’s a little tight for me. I’m on the road a lot during the season, but off-season it gets claustrophobic.”
“I’m sure it does, big guy like you in a condo.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t exactly my best move. I should have leased a town house, kind of like what you have here. You have more space than I do.”
“I wanted more room than a traditional condo. The town house affords me that. I would have preferred a house, but then there’s all that lawn maintenance.”
His lips curved. “Not a fan of mowing?”
“I don’t mind it, but my business has taken off, and I often have evening and weekend meetings. I’d like a bigger place with spacefor an office. Maybe sometime down the road I’ll opt for the house. Right now, letting the homeowner’s association deal with it works for me.”
He studied her in her cute little dress and her perfectly manicured turquoise toenails and matching fingernails. She had tiny feet, too, her heels smooth as polished stone.
“I can’t imagine you pushing a lawnmower.”
She cocked a brow. “Is that right? Who do you think mows the lawn at Mama’s house in late summer when you and Drake are out of town at some road game?”
“Don’t you have a lawn service?”
She laughed. “Mama would never allow a lawn service. She thinks it’s a frivolous expense.”
“That sounds like her.”
“And with her bad back, she can’t handle the mower anymore. So I do it. Which is another reason I didn’t buy a house. I have to make the time to do the yard work at Mama’s. No way I could find the time to do that at her house and mine.”
He made a mental note to mention that to Drake. If Drake could convince Mama Diane to move into a new house, he could wear her down on a lawn service, too.
“You’re just a tough girl, aren’t you?”
“It’s not that hard to mow the lawn, Barrett. Or run a weed whacker. Mama did it for years until her back issues. We Evans girls are made of strong stuff.”
“And yet you look tiny and fragile.”
She snorted out a laugh. “I also take kickboxing classes, so
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