The Perfect Hope

did.

“Jesus, D.A., what is it about her? What the hell is it?”

A little uneasy he might just find out, he walked his dog back toward the house.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EVERYTHING TOOK LONGER THAN HE’D EXPECTED, BUT that was nothing new. Rehabs ran on their own schedule, and when you bounced between two major jobs, schedules went to hell.

Unless you were Owen.

Still, one job had a roof ready to shingle, and the other was about to move into drywall and brick veneer. He glanced back across the lot, beyond the huge crane to the building. The new roofline changed everything, the shape, the sense of space and balance. He imagined even the untrained eye could see the potential now.

Then he put it out of his mind. He didn’t want to think about shingles and drywall. He wanted to think about taking Hope Beaumont to bed.

Actually, he didn’t want to think about it. He just wanted to act on it.

He let himself in Reception, took a quick glance around. Everything in place, as always. For a moment, he imagined himself as a guest, walking in for the first time. Yeah, he decided, he’d want to stay here, wouldn’t have a problem with that.

Even as he walked to the kitchen, she turned out of her office to meet him.

Everything in place there, too, from the short summer dress and the sexy stilts to the thick, shiny swing of her hair.

She pulled up short when his dog wagged his way over to her.

“Where I go, so goes the Dumbass,” Ryder told her.

“Oh. Well.” She gave the dog an absent pat. “I tried calling your cell.”

“I forgot to charge it.” And the fact that it hadn’t rung a thousand times to interrupt his work didn’t hurt his feelings. “If you needed me to bring something, I can go get it, as long as I can get it fast.”

“No, it’s not that. I—”

But he grabbed her, pulled her in. If she was going to go around looking the way she looked, she had to expect the man she’d agreed to sleep with would want a sample.

Sample hell, he decided in two seconds flat. They should head straight upstairs. If she wanted conversation, they could talk later.

A whole lot later.

“Let’s go upstairs. Pick a room. Grab a key.”

“Ryder, wait.”

“I’ll shower first.” He remembered belatedly he had a day’s worth of sweat and dirt all over him. “Better yet, you can shower with me.”

“Oh boy.” She let out a breath, holding up a hand as she eased back. “That sounds really good. Exceptionally good. But I have guests.”

What language was she speaking? “You have what?”

“Guests. Up in W&B. Walks-ins. They came to the door a couple hours ago. I tried to call you, but—”

“You’re not supposed to have anybody here.”

“I know. We were clear, but they came to the door and wanted a room. I can’t turn people away when we have room. You wouldn’t want me to turn guests away, would you?”

He stared at her. Short summer dress, endless legs, twist-your-guts-into-knots brown eyes. “Is that a serious question?”

“Ryder, it’s my job. Believe me, I wanted to say no, but I can’t do that.”

“You’re awful damn responsible.”

“Yes, I am. That’s one of the reasons your mother hired me. They eloped, or they’re in the process. They’re going to the courthouse to get married tomorrow, and they’d been driving for hours.”

“What’s wrong with a motel? I’ll take them to a motel. I’ll pay for the room.”

“Ryder.” Her laugh bubbled out, with frustration around the edges. “He wanted to give her something special since she’s not getting a real wedding. He found us on his iPad when they were at a rest stop, but he didn’t call ahead because he wanted to surprise her. They booked two nights so they can have what passes for a honeymoon because they both have to go back to work—and face their families.”

“Why did they tell you all this?”

“You’d be surprised what people tell the innkeeper. Added to it, they’re young, excited, in love, and maybe he was afraid I’d say no without a reservation without some romantic backstory. Even if it wasn’t my job, I wouldn’t have had the heart. Her father doesn’t like him.”

“I don’t like him either.”

“Yes, you do. Or you would. I’m really sorry, but—”

“What is that?” he interrupted, moving back toward the door. “Was that somebody screaming?”

“They’re at it again.” When he glanced back at her, frowned, she lifted her shoulders. “They really wanted a room.”

“That’s … wow.” Head tilted, he listened another minute. “We double insulated—floors, ceilings, walls. Do you always get an audio show?”

“No. No! Thank God. It’s an anomaly. I think it’s the frequency.”

“How many times can he bang her in a couple hours?”

“Not that kind of frequency,” she began, then saw him grin. “Although, ha-ha, there’s that, too. I meant like radio frequency. Plus they have the windows open.”

“Yeah?” He moved to the door, stepped out. He listened to the cries, moans, squeals while Hope tugged on his hands.

“Stop!” She struggled with another laugh. “It’s rude. It’s intrusive. Come back inside.”

“I’m not the one banging with the windows open. I deserve to get off vicariously.”

“No, you don’t. In fact …” She managed to get him back inside, then hurried to the counter, turned on her iPod.

“What did you do that for?”

“Eavesdropping Tom.”

“Like you didn’t listen.”

“Only until I realized what it was. And maybe for a short period thereafter. I’m really sorry, Ryder, but—”

“We can work around them.”

“Excuse me?”

“They’re busy.” He jerked a thumb at the ceiling. “Really busy doing what they’re doing, so they’re not worried about what you’re doing.”

“I can’t. It’s not only awkward—and unprofessional—but I have to be available for them. They’re going to come out eventually, want food.”

“Burning a lot of calories.”

“I imagine so. I need to be available when they do come out.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I bet you were a Girl Scout.”

“You’d lose. I didn’t have time for scouts. Listen, I have all this food. Avery made this wonderful food so I’d just have to warm it up. You could at least have a drink and a meal.”

Damned if he wanted to go home and scrounge something up. “I need a shower.”

She smiled at him. “Pick a room—except for W&B.”

“I’ll just take the one down here—it’s the farthest away from … guests.”

“Good choice. I’ll get the key.”

“I’ve got a change of clothes in the truck.”

He walked out before she could tell him to take the dog. “Stay right there,” she ordered D.A., then went to her office for the key. Hoping the dog listened, she went to Marguerite and Percy, opening the door, turning on the lights, giving the room a quick innkeeper’s scan.