didn’t say anything and Rachel felt suddenly self conscious. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bore you with all this stuff. I’ll figure it out somehow.”
He looked down at Charlie again. The baby smiled up at him and gurgled.
“Maybe I can help. I do that type of work myself.”
“You do?” Rachel wasn’t entirely surprised. She’d guessed he was in some blue collar job by the way he was dressed. If he could really take on this work, it would definitely be her lucky day.
“Could you take a look now and let me know what you think?”
He nodded. “Sure, lead the way.”
Rachel picked up Charlie and grabbed her key ring from under the counter. She led Jack out a side door at the rear of the shop, which opened at the back of the porch, and then down a few steps to the gravel drive. They walked across the sloping lawn. Jack dipped his head as he passed beneath some trees. They looked like apple or cherry, but he couldn’t be sure. He imagined they brightened the property in the spring, when they blossomed.
“It’s pretty back here,” he said.
“It’s very quiet. And private. I’m going to make a big garden over there by the fence…if I ever get a chance.”
He glanced at her and smiled. She had plans, this woman. He had to grant her that.
“I’m sure you will,” he said.
They came to the cottage at the back of the property and Jack walked around it slowly, then climbed a ladder propped against the building. He examined the roof, pushing aside a blue tarpaulin that was covering the leaky patch. He felt around with his hands and pulled off a few rotten roof shingles.
Rachel stood back in the shade and watched him work. He’d shrugged off his sweatshirt at some point en route through her backyard and the thin black fabric of his T-shirt outlined every rippling muscle in his shoulders and back. Rachel knew she was staring—and drooling, just a little—but with his back turned, she allowed herself the tiny indulgence.
The cottage was as old as the house but far more run down. It hadn’t been used for years but had loads of potential. Julia Martinelli, the Realtor who had sold Rachel the house, had promised that the space could bring in a very good rent once it was renovated. Rachel had bought the house, depending on the extra income to keep her financially afloat. Business so far had been promising, but she still wasn’t making any profit. She didn’t want to panic. But the truth was, she seemed to need the cottage income more and more each week.
Julia was the first person Rachel had met when she came to town, nearly six months ago. She’d found Rachel the house, helped her set up her business and had quickly become one of Rachel’s dearest friends, most trusted advisor and Charlie’s favorite aunt. Rachel had never had a best friend like her before and she was sure she’d have made it this far in her new life without Julia’s friendship and support. And her zany humor.
She couldn’t wait to tell Julia about Jack Sawyer. It was going to be a two latte coffee break, at least.
Jack came down the ladder and brushed his hands together to rub off the dirt. “Not so bad. Let’s see inside.”
Cheered by his diagnosis, Rachel quickly headed for the front door. With Charlie in her arms, she handed Jack the key. He twisted it around a few times but the door wouldn’t budge.
“Are sure this is the right one?”
“Here, let me try. It’s pretty temperamental. You need to sort of twist and push down. Can you hold Charlie a minute?”
Jack looked surprised at the request, then quickly nodded. He held out his arms and Rachel handed the baby over. While she fiddled with the key, she couldn’t help noticing the way Jack held Charlie, very carefully and gently, as if cradling an armload of Baccarat crystal. His face wore an amazingly tender expression, which didn’t change one bit when Charlie started climbing up his chest and tugged at his hair.
Rachel gave the door the necessary twist and jiggle and it finally popped open.
“There we go,” she said leading the way inside. “I know it doesn’t look like much. I’d just like to fix it up enough so that I can rent it out. ”
Jack carefully handed Charlie back, then walked in and looked around at the large, main room. “Okay, let’s see what we have in here.”
A small kitchen was built in one corner, separated from the rest of the lay-out by a snack bar. There was a wood-burning stove on one wall and a short hall that lead to a bedroom and bath.
After touring the layout he returned to the main room where she waited. “The walls and ceilings in the back rooms don’t seem to have any damage. A fresh coat of paint back there should do it. This room, though, is pretty bad.”
He stared up at the ceiling, then reached up to push at the tiles on the ceiling. Once again, she was treated to a view of his great body in action. Long lean legs and slim hips, broad shoulders and long, muscular arms. It had been awhile since she met a man so totally, blatantly attractive. If he really took this job, she’d have to see him every day. What a distraction that would be.
Did she really want that? She wasn’t looking for a man in her life right now. That wasn’t in her plan.
Get a grip, Rachel. A guy like that definitely has as girlfriend or a wife. Or some significant other lurking around.
He turned to her suddenly, and Rachel felt her face flush, as if he could read her thoughts.
“I have a few ideas about what we could do in here. Would you like to hear them?”
Rachel felt her mouth go dry and didn’t answer at first. Charlie grabbed her earring, and she shifted him in her arms. “Sure. Go right ahead.”
“I’d put a new roof on, of course. The building is so small, it’s worth it to do the whole roof, not just a patch job. The renovation in here could be interesting….”
He picked up a scrap of paper and a pencil from the counter and sketched out the floor space. Then showed Rachel how he would remove the damaged ceiling tile and open the space to expose the rafters and make a vaulted ceiling, with a skylights in the main room and kitchen.
“Wow, that sounds great.” Rachel looked up at him. “But what’s that all going to cost? I think it might be too expensive,” she said frankly.
“Well…let’s see. What was the other contractor charging you?”
Rachel told him the figure, sure that this job would be at least double.
Jack looked down at his sketch again. “Sure, I could do it for that much.”
“You could?” Rachel looked at him with disbelief. His ideas were the most creative she’d heard from any of the contractors she’d spoken to. George Nolan was reliable, but a real no-frills outfit. Jack Sawyer had a much more artistic perspective. How could his price be so low? Something wasn’t quite right here.
“Are you sure that’s a realistic price? I mean, there won’t be any surprises for me later when I get the final bill?”
“I
