“You did?” Ginny’s lips curled in a smile as she placed the nail brush in the bottle and twisted it closed.
“Yes, I learned they sell kits where you can make sheds that have two-car garages out of bricks.”
“Go figure.” Shoving a pillow behind her, Ginny met Gavin’s eyes. “Are you angry? My brothers will build it.”
“We had to rent a big truck for everything you bought, load the trucks, then drive to Silas’s. We just finished unloading it. I’ll drive the truck back in morning.” Yawning, Gavin straightened from the bed.
“You’re not angry?”
“No, I’ve had more exercise today than I’ve had in a month. You want to take a shower with me?”
“No.” She wiggled her toes at him. “They’re still wet.”
Ginny pulled out a decorating magazine as Gavin took his shower. She was looking at a kitchen layout when breaking news flashed across the screen.
She was still watching it when Gavin came back in the room, drying his hair with a towel. He must have heard the newscast from the bathroom because he was already focused on the television.
When the reporter cut to another story, Gavin flicked the television off.
“It took longer to hit the news than I expected.” Slinging the towel around his neck, he moved his boots out of the way.
“The report said that he’s going in front of a judge in the morning for a bond hearing.” Ginny closed the magazine. The glow she had been feeling faded as the dark fear she had lived with most of her life returned with a vengeance. “They’re going to let him go,” she said numbly.
Gavin pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms, then hung his damp towel in the bathroom before laying down on the bed beside her. “I talked to Agent Collins this morning. Allerton won’t get out. He’s too much of a flight risk. There were three vehicles filled with men who were trying to take you yesterday, and you didn’t bat an eyelash. Why are you so worried tonight?”
Her eyes flew to his. “I’ve lost every home I’ve lived in. I’m jinxed.”
“I see, you’re worried because you bought the lumber for the house.”
“Yes. Leah and I planned what our houses would look like when we were playing in the playhouse Silas built for us. We would take turns playing mommy. Leah was never able to live out her dream, and I’m terrified Allerton won’t let me either.”
“You’re not jinxed.”
“I am.”
“Nymph, you’re not jinxed. In fact, you’re the exact opposite.”
Her heart lightened. “I am?”
“For real.” He laughed, turning the light off. “I have proof.” Pulling her into his arms, he rested his chin on top of her head. “You dodged a bullet yesterday and today. Two bullets, two days in a row; that’s pure luck.”
Ginny frowned at him in the darkness. “I didn’t dodge a bullet today.”
“You did when you didn’t go to the lumberyard with me. I backed up my truck to the loading dock, Silas backed his up, and then four sheds started coming out, then the lumber came out, then the bricks—”
Ginny gurgled in laughter. “You wouldn’t have shot me.”
“No, but damn, woman, a shed made out of bricks?”
Rubbing her hand over his smooth chest, she placed feathery kisses on the crook of his neck. “I wanted you to have a sturdy place to park your bike.”
Swinging the door open, Ginny sauntered into the kitchen. “Good morning,” she greeted the two lone men sitting at the kitchen table as she went to the stove to heat a pot of water.
“You’re up early this morning,” Puck said as he made coffee.
“I had an early night. How are you this morning?”
“Be doing better next week when it’s someone else’s turn to do kitchen detail,” Puck complained with a yawn.
“Could be worse. Wait until it’s your turn to do laundry and everyone has put their wet towels in the laundry baskets.”
Jesus made a face at him. “I could have lived without knowing that.”
“The Ohio chapter doesn’t have chore duties?”
“Yes, but so far, I’ve managed to escape that one.” Opening the refrigerator, Jesus took out a large plastic bag of bacon, while Puck started making another pot of coffee.
“Don’t forget to make one decaf,” Ginny reminded him as she went to the cabinet to open a lower door.
“I will.”
“Would you mind taking out the crockpot for me and put it on the middle island? I’m in the mood for oatmeal. You could grab the baking sheets down there, too.”
Jesus set the bacon down to get the crockpot for her. “Where do you want the baking sheets?”
“Where the crockpot is, is fine. Thank you.”
Separating the stacked baking pans, she nodded toward the bacon. “I’ve already turned the oven on, just lay the bacon out and put it in the oven.”
Going back to the cabinet, she took out the oatmeal and honey that Silas brought over, measuring the oats into the boiling water. She then efficiently organized the two men until the smell of food filled the kitchen.
Pouring the oatmeal in the crockpot to keep it warm, Puck kept glancing at the swinging door. “Reaper catches you helping us, he’ll send us packing back to Ohio.”
“Don’t worry; Gavin’s sound asleep.” Ginny went back and forth between the freezer and the counter to lay out four boxes of spinach egg cups and six boxes of frozen waffles. “Jesus, you can put the egg cups in the oven when the bacon comes out and put the waffles in the toaster oven. Everything should be ready before everyone comes in to eat.”
The men rushed around the kitchen, hurrying to cook the food, while sending wary glances toward the door.
Heating a smaller pan of water, Ginny went to the cabinet ;and did the same routine as earlier with her good hand. She took out several tumblers for The Last Riders who worked the early morning shift. Setting them out, she then took out the small basket she had bought to keep the matching lids with the tumblers. Frowning, she found one without a lid. Searching through the drawers and cabinets, she still couldn’t find the missing lid. Going to the pantry, she took out a metal bin where measuring cups were stored, rooting through the cups where she finally found the missing lid. Placing it next to the matching tumbler, she was satisfied the men would manage the rest by themselves.
Ginny used the hot water to make herself a cup of tea and made herself a bowl of oatmeal after she generously swirled honey in it and fresh fruit before adding a scoop of almonds.
Taking her bowl and her tea, she sat at the table to enjoy her breakfast.
Jesus and Puck joined her, each having a bowl of the oatmeal that she made, their guard finally relaxing.
“Thanks for your help, Ginny.”
“Yeah, thanks. Now all we have to do is get past two more meals today and tonight, and we’re home free.”
“For lunch, one of you could run to the grocery store. They sell rotisserie chickens in the deli section. Buy six different flavors. They also sell a gigantic tub of mashed potatoes, macaroni, and coleslaw. Sneak in the back door and set the food out in bowls and platters. Serve them that for lunch. Put the containers in the dumpsters; no one will know you didn’t make it. It’s Friday, so order ten pizzas, six orders of bread sticks, and ten orders of hot wings, different flavors. There you go, you’re welcome.”