“I told you I was steering clear of this project.”
“I know what you said. What are you doing?”
That innocent mask returned. “Darlin’, you know I never work unless I have to.”
“That’s a bunch of bull and you know it, Kevin Daniels. I’m on to you.”
“Really? I’ll bet you haven’t figured out what I’m thinking right this second.”
With his eyes blazing pure lust, Gracie didn’t have any trouble at all guessing exactly what was on his mind. However, with two very fascinated onlookers—more if she counted the rest of the restaurant’s patrons—she couldn’t spell it out to him.
“Never mind.”
Kevin grinned. “Come on. What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”
Gracie held on to her temper with a very tight rein. “Could you excuse me, please?”
He didn’t budge.
“Kevin!”
“Let her out of there this instant, young man,” Delia ordered.
Kevin slid out of the booth and allowed Gracie to pass. She aimed straight for the restroom.
“See what you’ve done,” Abby chided. “You made her cry.”
Gracie heard the preteen’s footsteps coming after her. By the time Abby caught up with her, Gracie was already splashing cold water on her face to cover the stupid tears.
“Uncle Kevin can be a jerk sometimes,” Abby told her, watching her reflection worriedly. “He just likes to tease. He only does it ’cause he likes you.”
“I know,” Gracie said. “I can’t imagine why I let him get to me.”
“It’s because all those guys sent their bills and stuff to Uncle Kevin, like you don’t have a brain in your head. I’d be ticked, too. Mama says some men just can’t cope with a woman who’s smart. I used to ask her sometimes if that meant I ought to play dumb, but she said no. She said if they weren’t smart enough to love me the way I am, then I’d be sick of them in no time anyway.”
Gracie grinned. “Your mother is a very smart woman.”
Abby smiled back. “Yeah, she is. Too bad Daddy couldn’t cope with it. Instead, he ends up with an airhead like Sara Lynn. He only likes her because she drives him crazy. If he ever had to spend ten consecutive minutes talking to her, he’d realize she’s clueless.” Her expression turned wistful. “Do you think that’s why he’s been calling Mama more lately?”
“I suppose,” she said carefully. Gracie figured she was treading on thin ice, poking her nose into family matters, but Abby clearly wanted to talk. “Do you think he’d ever go back to your mom?”
“I used to want that, but now I’m not so sure. I mean if he doesn’t get it, if he can’t even see what he lost, who wants him, right?”
Gracie had the feeling Abby was talking about her own relationship with her father now. “He’ll always be you dad, Abby. You don’t stop loving him, just because he doesn’t know how to love you back.”
Abby sighed. “Yeah, I know, but it’s hard sometimes. Uncle Kevin is so cool. Why couldn’t my dad have been more like him?”
“Sorry, kiddo. It just doesn’t work that way.”
“You like Uncle Kevin, though, don’t you? I mean, I know he made you mad just now, but deep down you really like him, right?”
This time it was Gracie’s turn to sigh. As irritating and annoying as Kevin could be, the truth was that deep down she more than liked him. She couldn’t help wondering, though, if her dream of turning his aunt’s house into a bed-and-breakfast wasn’t clashing with some dream of his own, maybe one he hadn’t even acknowledged to himself.
“Gracie?”
“Yes, sweetie.”
“You didn’t say. Do you like Uncle Kevin?”
“When he’s not being a pest, yes, I like him very much.”
“All right!” Abby enthused just as the restroom door opened.
“What on earth is taking so long in here?” Delia demanded. She scanned Gracie’s face intently. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Well, then, get on back out here and finish your lunch. Time’s awasting.” Her expression turned innocent. “Oh, and Kevin said maybe he could spare some time this afternoon to help us pick out wallpaper.”
“Oh, did he?” Gracie muttered. “How very special of him.”
Abby and Delia exchanged another one of their knowing looks.
“I saw that,” Gracie said.
“Oh, don’t mind us,” Delia said. “We’re just a couple of fools for love.”
Love? Gracie swallowed hard. That was absurd. She didn’t love Kevin. Half the time she didn’t even like him very much, despite what she’d conceded to Abby.
She squeezed Delia’s hand. “Stick to picking out wallpaper, okay? I’ll find my own man.”
“If you say so,” Delia said, not looking the least bit daunted. “Seems to me, though, that you already have.”
Helen spread half a dozen rough sketches along the board that spanned two sawhorses in the middle of what would be the parlor of the renovated house. Right now, it looked more like a war zone.
“This was tough to do without a name for the place,” she said pointedly.
“I know,” Gracie apologized. “That has been brought to my attention more than once today. I’ll think about it overnight. I promise.”
“I could help,” Kevin offered, grinning at her. “Maybe provide a little inspiration.”
“More likely a distraction.”
“I don’t know. You want it to be romantic, don’t you? I can definitely put you on that wavelength.”
“In your dreams,” she shot back, still irritated by those bills he’d received and delivered along with a lot of unsolicited advice.
“Children, children,” Delia scolded. “This isn’t helping.”
“I’m sorry,” Gracie apologized at once. “You’re right. And Helen, these ideas of yours are wonderful. I especially like this pen-and-ink sketch. It looks old-fashioned and romantic and elegant.”
Helen seemed startled by the praise. “It’s just an idea. It’s not as if I’m artist or anything.”
“I like it just the way it is,” Gracie insisted. “There’s a simplicity and charm to it.”
Kevin peered over
