Page 18 of Dangerous December (Northern Pines Suspense #8)
Beth pushed open a door and blindly patted the inner wall until she flipped on a light switch. The bedroom was packed with a jumble of battered furniture, with a stained mattress leaning against the far wall.
“Here you go, Dev. There’s even a bedroom set in here.” She laughed. “Mostly.”
Mesmerized by her pretty gray eyes and her silvery laugh, the mistakes of the past faded, and his focus narrowed to only her.
“It’s not too late,” she added with a grin.
It’s not too late. She meant it wasn’t too late to save some of these awful furnishings from the growing pile outside, but her words jerked him back to the present.
It was too late, no matter what kind of persistent and unwanted attraction he still felt for her. He knew it. Her own mother knew it.
And Beth probably hadn’t given it a second thought, because she’d already written him out of her life. Given what she’d been through, it was no wonder.
He cleared his throat. “Like I said, a tent is sounding better all the time. But I guess I’d better get back to work.”
Twenty minutes later, a car pulled up and three women dressed in faded jeans and old T-shirts piled out. When they headed straight for the cottage, he stared at them in surprise until the one with silver hair veered off to where he was loading junk into a rental trailer.
It took a moment for Dev to place her, given her casual clothes. “Olivia?”
“Ready for duty.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Hannah is still out of town, but the rest of us figured we ought to help out for a few hours. We can’t let Beth have all the fun.” She fished a business card from the back pocket of her jeans. “And while I’m here, Frank asked me to give you this.”
He studied the familiar logo of an outfitter with stores throughout the Upper Midwest. “Great store.”
“I totally agree. It belongs to my brother.”
“The whole chain? ”
She shrugged. “He started small, without having the right connections, and struggled for years. If you have questions about suppliers, stock, advertising—anything, just give him a shout. He likes helping newcomers to outdoor retail, so I’ll let him know that you’ll be calling.”
“This is great. Thanks.”
A smile touched her lips. “He owes me, so I know he’ll be very happy to help you. How is it going otherwise? Have you made any progress?”
“I’ve been sketching plans for displays and shelving, and for the overall floor plan.” Dev shrugged. “I stopped at the lumberyard for some materials yesterday morning. The assistant manager helped me place an order for almost everything I need.”
“I hear you’re aiming for an open house during the Fall Harvest Festival.”
Dev nodded. “He had some great ideas for how I can take advantage of all the foot traffic in town that weekend. Just a half- dozen merchandise shelving units and some posters on the walls will be enough to get the point across. There isn’t enough time to do much more right now.”
“Good luck. I know Frank thinks you’ve got a great opportunity there, and he’s really looking forward to helping you out.”
At eight o’clock that evening, Beth blew the flyaway strands of hair out of her eyes and looked around at the amazing transformation.
Refuse from the cabin had filled a rented trailer parked outside, with even more towering heaps waiting to be hauled away.
The Sloane House tenants and her book club had helped Dev and Beth scour every inch of the walls and floors until the place sparkled.
Once it dried, they’d repainted the living room with soft taupe, the bedroom in an inviting shade of silvery aspen, and the kitchen a pale, buttery yellow.
The hardwood floors needed refinishing, but a good buffing tomorrow would bring out the rich amber and gold shades of the oak.
Keeley tamped the lid onto the last gallon of paint. “Wow. Remind me to call you guys when I start fixing up my house. You’re amazing!”
“This didn’t take long at all,” Olivia agreed. She glanced at her watch. “And now, I have to run. Anyone want a ride home?”
“I would,” Sophie said, peeling off her rubber gloves. “I planned to walk home, but it’s getting late and I’m beat.”
Keeley nodded. “Me, too.”
Beth hugged each of her friends as they headed for the door. “You guys are the greatest. Thanks so much.”
As soon as they were gone, she flopped down on the only usable chair in the cottage and closed her eyes. “What a job.”
“It wouldn’t have gotten done if not for you.”
“And all of the others who helped,” she said drily. “Don’t forget about them.”
“But you got them to come. I would still be looking at five tons of garbage in here and thinking it was a lost cause.”
“Don’t forget that you have to vacate the premises tomorrow afternoon, while we get the place set up.”
“That thought is just plain terrifying.”
“Ruffles, lace, and chintz, all the way. Count on it.”
She smiled to herself as she sorted through her memories of the day.
Frank had tentatively flirted with Reva while she worked on the kitchen cupboards, insisting that she needed help.
She’d staunchly refused, though there’d been a bit of pink in her cheeks, so maybe she wasn’t entirely immune to his old-fashioned courtly charm.
Cody and Elana had come by midafternoon, and the way the boy had watched Dev’s every move had been so sweet.
“It was good of you to let Cody help with the painting. He was very proud of himself.”
“He’s a good kid.”
“He’s had a lot of tough breaks. I’m glad he could spend time with you.” You would have made a good father, she added silently, but she didn’t say the words aloud.
Some things were better left unsaid.