The kisses, her in his bed, the scholarship. The more he got to know her, the more complicated, infuriating, passionate, enthusiastic—did he say passionate?—she was.
His sister couldn’t stop talking about her brunch with Tessa the rest of their afternoon together. And then Tessa herself had surprised him by dropping off homemade pizzas for his friends tonight. She’d made them—in between all her other work—because she knew the guys would like them.
How could he have ever thought she was an Ice Queen? Or unambitious?
And what about that scholarship?
Nothing about her could be taken at face value.
“Yeah,” Noah said, looking around the house at the pillows Tessa had put on the couches, the rug she’d bought, and the pictures Leo had helped her hang. “Everything matches. And the flowers in those pots on the patio aren’t even dead.”
“Let’s go out there and have some cigars,” Leo said, hoping to change the subject.
He was a little agitated. Not just because he was low on sleep.
It was what Juliet had said.
That’s what was bugging him. Once he and Tessa talked it out and he found out what really happened, he would be back to his normal self; he was certain. And he planned to do that as soon as he saw her. Even though he was afraid of what he might learn.
Jack trailed right behind him as he walked outside.
“Are you okay?” his friend asked. “You seem a little on edge.”
Leo gave him a death frown. “I don’t want to hear any more married jokes, okay?”
“You mean about sunshine napkins? Fruit bowls? A living room with matching pillows? And…whoa. What’s this?” Jack walked over to the garden shed, which was dark green with gingerbread trim and double barn doors, and opened them.
“Is it a she-shed?” Noah asked, a little too excitedly.
“I’m using it as a workshop.” He really didn’t want to tell them about his kitchen-island project, which he’d just started this afternoon. That would just make him more of a punching bag for their jokes about married life. He quickly reached over to close one of the doors, but Jack put out his foot to stop him.
“What are you building?” Jack swung both doors fully open and flipped on the light. There, resting on two wooden sawhorses, was a freshly sanded door. The other door leaned against a wall, along with two other smaller panels. “Are those the doors we loaded into your dad’s truck a few weeks ago? You brought them home?”
“This is beautiful,” Noah said, running his hand along the sanded surface. “What are you making?”
“The kitchen can use an island,” Leo said. “I thought it would be a fun piece of history to use the original bakery doors for Tessa. I bought some new wood for the end pieces; I just need to stain everything and get a countertop. Then I’m going to surprise her.”
“Isn’t Tessa going to see it?” Noah asked.
“She never goes in here because she hates spiders.” He smiled. “Plus I keep the door locked, and I’m the only one with a key.”
Jack put his hands on his hips. “Seems to me that you’ve been pretty busy trying to meet with farmers, plan menus, source food, try recipes… Why are you spending your time building an island?”
“Because this kitchen is really tiny and we need more work space.” He shrugged. “That’s it.”
Noah’s phone rang, and he excused himself to answer it.
“You built it for her, didn’t you?” Jack said, not letting it go. “So she could bake.”
“Well, she works downtown too late at night,” Leo said.
“I know what’s going on here,” Jack said, not unsympathetically. “And it’s not just about building a kitchen island.”
Leo shook his head in warning. “I don’t go analyzing your relationship with Shelby.” Shelby ran a dance studio. And as of last week, Jack was dating her. In all likelihood that might have changed, though.
“Shelby and I don’t have a relationship, Leo. We have sex. But spending all your spare time staining old doors to make a beautiful piece of furniture like this… Just be careful is all I’m saying.”
“If you’re saying don’t let her fall in love with me, trust me, that’s not going to happen. She doesn’t hesitate to let me have it every time I say something she doesn’t like. Which is, like, every other sentence.” He shook his head. “Besides, the marriage is just until we get the businesses going again.”
Jack shook his head. “Leo, you idiot. I’m not worried about Tessa falling in love with you. I’m worried that you’re falling in love with her.”
Leo caught himself before he showed any surprise. But then he shrugged the comment off. He didn’t fall in love with anybody. He made sure of it. “I’m going to say this one time and only one time. I’m not interested in falling in love. I’m interested in saving my dad’s restaurant. And her family’s bakery. That’s it, plain and simple.” He walked over to the outdoor table. “Let’s smoke some stogies.”
On the patio, they sat drinking beers and blowing smoke rings into the air. The cigars tended to give Leo a headache, but it was a tradition they’d been carrying on together for years.
Cosette jumped up on Leo’s lap, which shocked the heck out of him. And not only because he didn’t immediately break out into hives.
As he stroked her back, she purred and settled in, gracing him with her presence, while Noah cut pieces of the dessert Tessa left for them.
“What is this thing?” Noah asked. “It’s like blueberry pie.”
“It’s called a galette,” Leo said, trying to pronounce it like Tessa had but failing.
“Is that Spanish?” Noah asked.
How could this man be in charge of an entire design department? “It’s a French fruit thing with a crust. Just taste it.”
“You know, Leo, there are benefits to being married,” Jack said as he bit into his piece. “For some people. Not myself, of course. But this is phenomenal.”
“That pizza was pretty awesome, too,” Noah said. “I really like Tessa. You could do a lot worse.”
“Who are you texting?” Jack asked Leo.
“Tessa. She’s all alone in the bakery. It’s getting late. Time for you losers to head home.” They needed to leave, and he needed to get a few things off his chest.
…
When Tessa approached the backyard a little later that evening, she smelled the lingering scent of tobacco smoke, making her wonder if guys’ night was still going on. She sort of hoped not, because she’d had a caramel sauce spill that made her feel sticky all over, and she couldn’t wait to take a shower.