get you some coffee. Lynn’s in the back cussing away at some pie dough or something. The woman may make the best pastry in two states on a bad day, but she’s a perfectionist.”
“Ah, but that’s why she has such an incredible reputation,” Adelia said, joining him at the table, which had been covered with a blue-checked cloth. He’d pushed aside a Mason jar filled with fresh daisies that added a cheerful, homey touch. “This place has been a success since the day she opened. Thank goodness, Raylene and all those Sweet Magnolias ganged up on her and convinced her this was something she could do.”
Mitch laughed as he poured her a cup of coffee. “They’re a sneaky bunch, all right.”
Adelia regarded him with amusement. “You did your own share of fast-talking, the way I understand it. Isn’t that how you wound up buying up all these vacant storefronts with Raylene? Wasn’t this downtown revitalization actually part of your plot to lure Lynn into opening a bakery and becoming a tenant?” She laughed at his guilty expression. “Just as I thought.”
“It was a sound business decision,” Mitch declared, setting the coffee in front of her. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
Just then the door opened and Gabe walked in. He was halfway through apologizing to Mitch for his tardiness when he noticed Adelia. A smile broke across his face, one that revealed dimples. They only added to his allure as a bit of a scoundrel.
“Hey, darlin’. Where have you been hiding?” he asked her.
Adelia blushed, flustered not only by his teasing, but because he’d taken note of her absence. “I’ve been right next door,” she told him. “Every day, same as usual.”
Mitch apparently noticed her reaction because he stepped in. “Adelia just bought one of those old houses in Swan Point,” he told Gabe.
“I saw it,” Gabe reminded him. “When we were looking for her daughter.”
“Of course,” Mitch said. “I doubt you had much of a chance to take a look around that day. She’s brought me a list of a few things she wants to have done.”
Gabe caught sight of the pages of notes and sketches and chuckled. “From the looks of that list, you sure you wouldn’t be better off tearing it down and starting over? It might be cheaper.”
“But then it wouldn’t have any character,” she protested defensively. “I love the house. It just has a few age-related flaws, the same as most people.” She studied him with narrowed eyes. “Or are you one of those who thinks anything past a certain age should be tossed away?”
Gabe held up both hands. “Hey, that was a comment based on financial considerations, not age.”
His glance skimmed over her, deliberately lingering until she flushed. “Some things improve with age,” he commented appreciatively.
Adelia wished she could grab her coffee and run, but she knew that would be far too revealing. She concluded the really courageous thing to do would be to stay put. She took a sip of coffee, instead, to steady her nerves.
“Let me see,” Gabe said, taking her list from his cousin. He got to page two and frowned. “Didn’t you have the roof inspected?”
“Of course I did,” she said impatiently.
“And you knew it was leaking?”
“Yes, and I got a very nice credit for that, thank you very much. Now, though, I need to get it repaired. I’ve run out of pots and pans to put under the leaks.” She turned to Mitch. “That probably should be at the top of the list.”
“No doubt about it,” Mitch agreed, then unexpectedly stood up. “Gabe, you can handle this, right? I want to check on those reinforcing beams going in down the block.”
Adelia stared at him. “But I thought you’d be doing this,” she said, then winced. “Sorry, Gabe. No offense.”
He grinned, clearly aware of exactly why she looked so rattled. “None taken.”
Mitch gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You’re in good hands. Gabe has plenty of experience, some of it in historic renovations, as a matter of fact. He knows what he’s doing, probably even better than I do. If you have any questions after he gives you an estimate, we’ll talk about them. How’s that?”
“Fine,” she said, though she couldn’t seem to hide her reluctance.
After Mitch had gone, she glanced warily toward Gabe. He was leaning back in his seat, the chair on two legs. His own denim-clad legs were stretched out in front of him. While the posture was relaxed, she sensed a coiled tension just beneath the surface.
“If you’re not okay with this, just say the word,” he said quietly.
“Of course I’m okay with it,” she said irritably. “Mitch says you’re more than qualified and I trust his judgment.”
A wicked gleam sparked in his eyes. “Then it’s me personally you’re not so sure about. I promise you I’m harmless.”
Adelia didn’t believe that for a single second, not with her heart pounding like a jackhammer. But maybe that was her problem, not his. It wasn’t as if he’d made a blatant pass at her. And despite her impression that he was single, maybe she’d been wrong about that. Maybe he was happily married. Married would be good.
“Are you married, Gabe?”
As if he’d followed her train of thought, he laughed. “Nope. Free as a bird. You?”
“Divorced,” she admitted. “Recently divorced.”
“As in not interested in taking another chance on love anytime soon,” he concluded. “Duly warned.”
Though his tone was solemn, the wicked spark in his eyes was anything but reassuring. He was going to be trouble, she concluded with a sigh. No question about it.
* * *
“How’d things go with Adelia this morning?” Mitch asked Gabe at the end of the day.
“I make her nervous,” Gabe admitted.
Mitch frowned at that. “How so?”
“She’s a beautiful woman. I can’t seem to stop myself from a little harmless flirting. I get the impression she’s not used to that.”
“She’s just getting out of a bad marriage,” Mitch told him.
“So I’ve heard. The guy was a cheater. I imagine that left her with some issues.”
“The cheating was certainly bad enough,” Mitch confirmed. “But he paraded his mistresses openly around town. The last one lived right in his neighborhood. Even his daughter knew about her. I think that’s what nobody in town will ever be able to excuse, the way he disrespected Adelia so openly in front of one of his kids.”
Gabe frowned at that. “You’ve got to be kidding me. What kind of lowlife does something like that?”
“Ernesto apparently thought his
