Page 39 of The Promise Of Rain

I shook my head.“I know what happened.”

He nodded, eyes steady on mine.“You believe her?”

I growled and pinned him with my glare.“Any reason why I shouldn’t?”

His mouth firmed as he stared right back at me.“None at all, but folks around here tend to think the worst of her.”

“Good thing I’m not from around here,” I snapped.

“Nothing ever happened between Jenny and me,” he advised softly.“She only had eyes for you, and I only ever wanted Maggie.”

My heart thundered in my chest.

Over a decade of hatred for this man and what I thought he’d done wouldn’t shift overnight.I gave him a sharp nod.

“We good?”he asked.

I swallowed, my throat tightening because when it came to Jenny, I was a possessive bastard.

“We’re good.”I stuck out my hand.

He shook it and smiled.“What are you doing here?”

“Jenny needs a few things fixed at the bakery,” I grunted.

He nodded thoughtfully.“I planned to get over there tomorrow.”

“I got it,” I grit out.

He coughed but it sounded like a laugh.“Measurements are inside along with her chosen paint colour.”A knowing smirk teased his lips.“Good luck.She deserves to be happy.”

At least we agreed on that.I nodded my thanks, collected the supplies, and headed back to Jenny.

She didn’t say anything when I set the supplies down on the floor.

At three o’clock, she locked the door and headed back into the kitchen.

Quietly feisty.

That, I remembered and hoped to see more of it.

And soon.

With the door closed, I spread out and got back to work.

“Deacon?”Her pale face appeared through the kitchen doorway.“Can you check the stairs for me?I don’t want to go outside to get upstairs right now.”

Check the stairs?

“Do you usually go outside to go home?”

She shrugged.“It’s easier.”

“Sure.”It didn’t make sense, but I didn’t want to question her and I sure as hell wasn’t going to say no.

I followed her back through the kitchen to the locked door.“What am I checking for?”

“Uh, just checking,” she mumbled, swinging the door open and seeming to freeze in place.