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I managed to make it out of the bath without passing out and then back to the van. My final coherent thoughts before I fell asleep were of Lacey and how she’d made me laugh.

Chapter Eight

Hey, I can drop those books by later today, if that’s okay with Lacey? Kai sent me as I was getting out of my car the next morning. I was ready to juggle everything in my arms, but Lacey was right there to help me.

“Thanks.” I tried to ignore the way my heart had started beating faster in her presence.

“Good morning,” she said, and she didn’t smile, but she seemed lighter somehow. Like she wasn’t as weighed down by everything. “How was your night?”

“Good. I didn’t fall asleep in the tub. How was your book?” I asked as we headed into the house and I was hit with the sharp smell of the paint and primer.

She flexed her left hand and wiggled her fingers. “Reading one-handed isn’t as easy as you’d think.”

For a second, I didn’t know what she meant, but then she glanced at me and I got it.

“Oh,” I said.

“Have I scandalized you, princess?” she asked, and my mouth dropped open. Was she flirting with me?

Lacey laughed and plunked herself down on the steps and started drinking her iced coffee as I tried to get myself together.

Following an instinct, I grabbed her hat off her head and put it on mine.

“Hey!” she said, reaching to take it from me.

I slammed both hands on top of my head and grinned at her.

“Does it look good on me?” I asked and she stopped trying to steal the hat. She leaned back and studied me for a second and I struck a little pose.

“It does look good on you,” she said and then yanked it off my head before I could do anything.

“Rude!” I said, reaching up to undo my bun and redo it before we started painting for the day.

“You stole it first,” she said, adjusting her hat to get it back on her head again. Fuck, it looked good on her.

“And I’ll probably steal it again,” I said, taking a risk and bumping her shoulder with mine.

Lacey narrowed her eyes. “I’m keeping my eye on you, Gwen.”

I winked at her and grabbed the bag of pastries. “Wise idea.”

* * *

Lacey was still quiet as usual, but I caught her humming a few times and she did say a few things to me. The difference from when I first started working with her was night and day.

“My sister found your social media,” I told her when we stopped for lunch.

“Did she?” Lacey asked. “Should I be worried?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. She showed me some of your jewelry, though.”

“And?” she asked. “What did you think?”

“Your work is amazing. I can’t even wrap my mind around how you make such intricate designs with metal.” I hoped that wasn’t too much.

Lacey didn’t say anything for a while, and I was worried I’d offended her.

“Thank you,” she finally said. “That means a lot.”