“The plant I brought over? I deliberately got one big enough that we’d need to ask for Jason’s help.”
Wearing a slight frown, his midnight eyes unreadable, Sullivan looked down at her. “So you manipulated things, but then I stepped in and ruined your plans?”
She didn’t like the way he worded that. “It’s okay. I think this will work out even better.”
“How so?” He made no move to leave the curb.
The evening sun cast long shadows in the yard. Birds sang overhead. A fly buzzed near her ear.
And Sullivan stood there—more or less calling her manipulative.
Which, okay, was mostly true.
A little bemused, Lexie readjusted the bag in her arms. “A small group is less intimate, and that takes the pressure off her.”
Still watching her, he said, “So we’re avoiding intimacy?”
Lexie opened her mouth, closed it, then laughed. “You keep beating me at my own game.”
“Flirting?”
“I was,” she admitted. “Are you?” Something about Sullivan made it difficult to tell.
“I haven’t quite decided yet.” With his hand returned to the small of her back, he got her walking again.
Now, wait a minute! She stopped, but he didn’t, so she had to hustle to catch up. She wanted to finish this discussion before they got inside with the other two.
“What is that supposed to mean?” If he thought she’d hang around, waiting and hopeful, he could think again.
“You like games,” he stated, as if he knew her. “Me, not so much.”
Lexie caught his arm to slow him down. “You were playing along with me,” she reminded him, and then wondered if he’d admit it.
“I was.” They reached the door.
“Well, then?”
He shocked her by cupping one hand to her face. “I think you’re dangerous.”
Dangerous? Her heart tripped as she stared up at him. “To a big, strong guy like you?”
“To a serious guy like me.” His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth. “But hey. I did ask you about getting together next week. You never answered.”
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, we should get together.”
The small smile turned into a grin of satisfaction. “Let’s exchange numbers, then, and we’ll work it out.”
* * *
Lexie’s matchmaking efforts were like getting run over by a bus. If Honor could get her alone, she’d give her a cease-and-desist order. But so far, Lexie had stuck close to Sullivan.
At first, when she found herself alone with Jason, Honor had made the quick excuse of needing to change clothes. She had dye on her fingertips, and she knew she smelled like perm solution thanks to one of her older clients.
But while out of the room, she’d also brushed her hair and cleaned her teeth and freshened up the best she could without a shower. Then she’d lingered, but so had Lexie and Sullivan.
Finally she’d had no option but to reemerge.
In her absence, Jason had looked around her kitchen, pantry and living room. She’d found him examining the leaky sink, and when he came out from under the cabinet, the leak was gone.
Honor had stammered her gratitude.
Taking pity on her, Jason had mostly talked about the house. In fact, other than a few too many, too-long glances, she’d enjoyed chatting with him.
She was lucky that the furnace and air, the electrical and the plumping were all in decent working order. He’d checked the warped back door and told her what needed to be done so that it would open and close properly. He’d even offered to do the work.
She’d politely declined.
And finally Lexie and Sullivan had rejoined them. Together they chatted about the renovation of the neighborhood, local venues of interest and the endless rain.
There was a slight lull when Jason told her, “You look tired.”
Conversation died around them and Honor quickly swallowed her drink of cola, then choked.
Patiently Jason patted her on the back—and seriously that did not help. Honor didn’t know what it was about the man, but he touched her and all the oxygen sucked out of the room, leaving her breathless.
“I’m okay,” she wheezed, setting aside her drink. “Went down the wrong pipe.”
“You do look tuckered out, Honor.” Lexie gave her the critical once-over. “Have you been getting any sleep at all?”
Not much. “Of course.”
“I don’t see how,” Jason said. “Not with the strange hours you keep.”
That caught Sullivan’s interest. “Strange hours?”
Before this got out of hand, Honor pointed at Lexie and said a firm, undeniable “No.”
Full of mock innocence, Lexie blinked at her and played dumb. “What?”
“Not a word, Lex. I mean it.”
Silently agreeing, Lexie pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key.
“A mystery.” Sullivan smiled. “I don’t know about you, Jason, but now I’m twice as curious about what she’s been up to.” He pushed back his chair at the little dinette table and stood. “Too bad I need to head out or I’d try my skills at interrogation.”
Lexie unzipped her lips real quick, blast her. “You could interrogate me.” Coy, she murmured, “I’m known to cave easily.”
“Something else for me to think about.” He nodded to Honor. “Remember what I told you. If you need anything—”
“I’m right next door,” Jason finished for him.
At that, Sullivan almost laughed but instead turned it into a cough. “Right.”
“I’ll walk you out.” As Lexie followed Sullivan, she used both hands to make a squeezing gesture in the air near his rear, then looked over her shoulder at Honor and Jason to mouth, Oh my God!
Jason laughed. “How does she know I won’t tell him?”
“She’s nuts and probably wouldn’t care.” Honor stared after them, even when the front door opened and
