“That’s . . . awesome,” I say, trying to stop the image of Penn cooking with no shirt on. “What else do you like to do . . . Don’t answer that.”
He gives me another smile, this one a smidgen back from being devious, before turning around and dipping into the building.
I pause by the bucket holding the door open. The warmth of the morning encompasses me like an old friend, and I find myself excited for the day. It’s an odd feeling. My mornings used to begin with a headache, followed by coffee, followed by a pep talk to get me through whatever I had to do. I thought that was life. I figured it was just the way things were because it’s all I’d ever known. Fighting for a job, pretending the world was peaches with clients, getting berated when you don’t know something because some pampered celebrity thinks everyone exists to benefit them.
I was wrong.
This morning greeted me with possibility. There was so much adventure on the horizon that I sprang out of bed. It’s amazing what getting to do what you love all day can do for your spirit, as opposed to feeling like you get your spirit sucked out of you as the days go by.
I step inside the building and stop. It’s like a pretty-people convention in front of me, and I’m not prepared.
Penn is standing next to a pile of lumber, a pencil shoved over his ear. The addition of a carpenter’s belt makes his shoulders look even wider. The entire display is enough to make me drool. But there’s more.
Matt is standing next to him. He looks up and waves. His light-brown hair and sweet smile are enough to melt a girl. But then, standing next to Meredith, who’s wearing a pale-yellow dress with what I think are pearls, are two more hotties. With strong bodies and tanned skin, the two men wearing button-up shirts look like they walked in from a department-store magazine.
“Avery, good morning,” Meredith says. “How are you today?”
“I’m good. Ready to get started.”
“Great. I’d like you to meet my stepsons, Trevor and Jake Kelly.”
The one on the right sticks out his hand. “I’m Trevor. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m Avery,” I say, giving his hand a shake.
“And I’m Jake,” the other says. His green eyes sparkle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I say.
Penn’s stare burns into the side of my face, but I ignore him. With Meredith and these two in front of me, I can handle only one tornado at a time.
“Meredith told me you were new in town. My fiancée, Haley, is hoping to meet you,” Trevor says. “She’s lived here forever and would love to show you around.”
“Or I could do it,” Jake offers. “Haley’s a busy—”
Crash! We all jump and look to our right, where Penn and Matt stand. Matt looks at the floor while Penn looks at me. He grins, but it’s not the happy-go-lucky kind of goofy Penn grin. It’s forced.
“Whoops,” he says. “Sorry.”
His antics amuse me to no end. He had to have heard Jake’s comment. Why he cared I don’t know, since he declared us friends last night, but he apparently didn’t like something about it.
“Thanks, Jake,” I say, turning around. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I was thinking about the mural,” Meredith says. “I know we talked briefly about it, but I’d really like to incorporate Dogwood Lane into the art. Really pick up on that hometown angle, you know? Make the kids proud of where they’re from. I think that’s so important.”
“I love it,” I reply. “I had a similar vision, so this really works. I sat down with Harper last night and jotted some things down. We’re on the same page, I think.”
“What are you thinking?” she asks.
“Well, in general terms, I’m thinking about finding out what this town means to the locals and really bringing that to life. Making it grand—an in-your-face snapshot of the town through the years.”
Meredith claps her hands and almost squeals. “Yes. That’s brilliant. Run with it. Have fun with it. Tell me if you need my help or advice, but I want you to just have at it, Avery.”
My insides squish as her trust in my abilities is heaped on me. I think I might burst. “Wow. Thank you. I’m excited.”
“If you want to get the supplies you need and just bill me for it, that’s fine,” she says. “Or you can make a list, and I’ll be sure to get them.”
Jake cuts in. “Let’s rephrase that with a bit of practicality. She’ll get the list to me, and I’ll get it here as soon as possible.”
“That’s what I said,” Meredith says.
“No, it’s not,” Jake, Trevor, and I all say at the same time. It gets a round of laughs from all four of us.
As discreetly as possible, I glance toward Penn. He’s using a pencil like the one he gave me last night to make marks on a board. It makes me happy, and I’m not sure why. It’s a pencil, for heaven’s sake.
He’s so focused on what he’s doing that he doesn’t see me checking him out. I take the opportunity to study him. He’s so careful as he marks the wood, so controlled as he stops and points at something on the plans. Matt listens to what he says and nods.
“Jake,” Meredith says, drawing my attention away from Penn, “I need you to get the window company down here soon. I have big ideas for the shutters.”
“I know it’s a foreign thought,” Jake says, “but everything can’t be on Meredith Time.”
“That doesn’t work for me,” she says.
“Of course not.” Jake gives me a grin and a little wave. “Trevor and I have to be going. I’ll see you at the house later, Meredith. It was nice meeting you, Avery.”
“You too,” I call after them.
“And head by the flower shop and say hi to Haley. She’d love that,” Trevor says over his shoulder.
Once they’re gone and Penn and Matt are back to cutting lumber, Meredith and I walk toward the wall that will hold the mural.
“I’m glad you got to meet them,” Meredith says. “They’re so smart, both of them. Trevor lives here now with Haley. Jake isn’t around as much, but you’ll see him from time to time, and you can always reach out if you need anything.” She stops walking and faces me. “I know Jake was a little flirty. I haven’t mentioned that you and Penn are an item.”
“What?” I blurt out as another boom rips through the room.
We look over to Penn, whose eyebrows are shooting skyward, and to Matt, who can’t contain a chuckle.
“Penn and I aren’t a thing,” I say, keeping a side-eye on him. “I have no idea why you thought that.”
“Really?” She looks at me and then to him. “That’s surprising. There’s a lot of chemistry between the two of you.”
Penn’s features smooth out as he goes back to measuring his board. “I can’t help it. Women are always drawn to me.”
“Given your attention-seeking ways, they don’t have much of a choice, do they?” I poke.
He ignores me.
“Well, now that that’s all out and awkward,” Meredith says, “I need to go. I have brunch with the head of permitting for the city to try to get an animal license for this address. I had no idea this would be such an issue.”