The Cowboy's Twins (20 page)
Read The Cowboy's Twins Online
Authors: Deb Kastner
“Grady. And you're welcome.”
But she didn't depart. Instead, she stood looking at him almost expectantly.
“Was there something else?”
An unexpected smile surfaced. “I'm waiting for you to make the call.”
Oh, she was, was she?
A smile of his own tugged in response to the one that had made his breath catch, and he pulled out his cell phone. He wasn't used to not being trusted to do what he said he'd do. But anything to keep the peace, right? And to keep Sunshine smiling like that. On Mom's behalf, of course.
Under her watchful gaze he put some distance between them, then punched the contractor's speed-dial number. “Ted. It's Grady. I hear you've got your crew working this weekend.”
“A deadline's a deadline,” the gravelly voice responded, his tone defensive. “I've never missed one yet.”
“That work ethic is certainly why you were picked for the job.” Grady cut a look at Sunshine. “But what do you say we extend it by a week and let you and your boys knock off for the rest of the holiday weekend?”
It would be cutting it close, but an extra week wouldn't be a deal breaker, would it?
After a long pause, Ted chuckled. “That pretty artist complained to you, didn't she?”
Grady forced a smile as he nodded reassuringly in Sunshine's direction. “You're welcome, Ted.”
“Pushover.”
Was he? “Glad I could help your crew out.”
The contractor chuckled again. “Be careful there, Grady. You're playing with fire.”
“Sure thing. You have a good one, too, bud.”
Pocketing his cell phone again, Grady moved back to Sunshine. “All done.”
From the wary look in her eyes, she clearly hadn't anticipated he'd willingly accommodate her. A sense of satisfaction rose, catching her off guard, throwing a wrench in her assumptions.
“Anything else?” He needed to get back inside. They'd be cutting the cake shortly and he'd promised a toast. “I know you'd once approached Hunter Enterprises about leasing the property next door to expand the Artists' Co-op, but we've long had plans for it. We'll do our best to be a top-notch neighbor.”
“It's true we could use the additional space, but it will be nice having a bookstore in town.”
He frowned. “Bookstore?”
“You're opening a bookstore, right?”
“No.”
“I heard it was going to be a bookstore.”
“It's not.”
“Then, whatâ” her words came cautiously, reflecting a growing dread in her eyes “âwill be going in next door to us?”
Copyright © 2016 by Glynna Kaye Sirpless
ISBN-13: 9781488007217
The Cowboy's Twins
Copyright © 2016 by Debra Kastner
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