3. Worth The Effort

3

WORTH THE EFFORT

“ Y ou’re starting earlier today,” Laurel said when she stepped out on her porch and saw Easton outside. “You could have come knocked on the door.”

The next morning, Laurel did some stretches and realized she wasn’t as sore as she’d thought she’d be.

That was a good thing since there was no way she was passing on helping him out again.

“I figured you’d see me,” he said. “How are you feeling today?”

“Not bad,” she said. “How about you?”

He smirked. “I’m used to this. No worries.”

“It looks good on you too,” she said without thought. She wasn’t used to flirting with anyone and was shocked those words came out of her mouth.

“I could say the same,” he said.

“Even though before I started to help you, you thought I might be a little too prissy to do it?”

“Guilty,” he said. “Glad to be proven wrong.”

She handed over a coffee for him. He’d mentioned he was out and needed to run to the store. Not to be a creepy neighbor, but she didn’t see him leave last night either.

“Thought you might need this,” she said. “Unless you already had one.”

“I had tea,” he said. “Tasted like shit, but it was caffeine. I got busy and forgot to run out. Then today I wanted to get started so figured I’d go after. Thanks.”

“Didn’t know how you took it,” she said. “You seemed like a straight up strong black coffee type of guy.”

“The best way to drink it,” he said. “Cream is for wusses.”

She burst out laughing. “Then I won’t say that Philip not only used cream but flavored cream at that.”

She caught the slight roll of his eyes as if he wanted to catch himself from doing it.

“What about you?” he asked. “Black or cream?”

“A touch of cream,” she said. “Enough to take the edge off but not take away the coffee itself. Unless it’s crappy coffee.”

He took a sip. “Nothing crappy about this,” he said.

“I grind my own beans on the weekends when I’ve got time. I’m a bit of a coffee snob. No use doing that for someone who destroys all the best qualities of it.”

“Some things are just worth the effort,” he said.

His eyes were looking her up and down and she didn’t have a problem with it now any more than she did last night. In the past she might make some snarky comment to a man sizing her up as if she did what she did each morning for their viewing pleasure.

“Yes, they are,” she said, doing it right back. Why not? This was the most fun she’d had since she’d been here.

Probably the most fun she’d had in a year. Pretty sad when she’d been planning her wedding a year ago.

That should have been clue enough if she’d been paying attention.

Just like all the times Philip worked late and she never questioned it.

Guess that was code for hooking up on a Tinder match.

“Got your gloves?” he asked.

She pulled them out of her back pocket. “Right here. You’ve already gotten the other old pavers removed. This is going to be pretty quick. Not as much ground to cover.”

“Nah,” he said. “It’s smaller, but it will be nice to get it done. Then I’ll dump the dirt in and pound it down on Monday. I’ll bring it back from the business site and do it all at once with the equipment before I return it to the garage.”

“What are you going to do with the pavers you removed?” she asked. To her, they were fine but just dated and needed to be cleaned up.

“Going to build out the firepit,” he said. “Easy enough for another day.”

“That will be nice,” she said. “I can’t wait until the weather is nice enough to spend some time outside. Even just on the screened-in porch.”

“Not much longer,” he said. “Unless we get a late winter storm. It can happen.”

“I hope not,” she said. “That one big storm in December was bad enough. Though I wasn’t living here yet, I still felt it in New Haven.”

“Did you grow up there?” he asked.

He set his coffee down and she did too, knowing they were going to start to get to work.

“Yes,” she said. “My father is from Texas. His parents moved here when he was in high school. He has an older sister who was married and stayed there at that time. But I’ve lived in this area most of my life with the exception of college. How about you? Did you grow up here?”

Her mother was long gone and her aunt moved when she was widowed to help her father raise his daughter. In her mind, she still had a mother, just not one that birthed her.

“I did,” he said. “Right in this house.”

“That’s nice,” she said. “Keeping it in the family.”

“Yep,” he said. He didn’t expand and she didn’t ask. He seemed the type to flirt but not talk or offer much information.

Nothing wrong with that. It’s not like this was a date or anything. Just one neighbor helping the other.

They got to work and after ten minutes, she said, “I’m sure you’re going to start getting busy with work, right?”

“Somewhat,” he said. “Lots of calls for quotes. There is work lined up from last year and that will be done first. Then some weekly maintenance things too. But that is what the crew is for.”

“How big of a crew?” she asked.

“To start the season about four. By mid-season there will be closer to eight. Helps to do more than one project at a time.”

Guess it was a much bigger business than she thought.

“That’s great,” she said. “And instead of relaxing on the weekend, you’re keeping busy doing things around the house.”

“Kills the time and keeps me busy,” he said.

“I know what that is like,” she said. “I try to stay busy. That seems to be me working a ton. The owners have been out having babies. Well, one came back a few months ago, but the other two will be going out soon. So I’m learning a new job, and who to go to for what.”

She loved everything about it other than personnel issues.

She knew coming in there would be some. Most were used to taking orders from Lily, and if Lily wasn’t around then Poppy or Rose.

There were others that had been around for a while too, but in comes someone new to run things. Not even someone that had been there for years and moved up.

Sure, there was some resentment and she’d felt the looks and comments but pushed them off as best as she could.

That was going to happen in any job when someone fresh came in.

So far it was more than tolerable though.

“They’ve grown a lot in the past few years,” he said.

“They have. They keep expanding with products and personnel. They expanded the facilities too. Thankfully that isn’t my job. They’ve got someone who oversees the machines and equipment and anything needed on the building.”

“I’m sure you could figure it out if that person isn’t around though.”

She laughed. “Thanks for that. I could but not as well or fast. Mostly I can figure out who to call if need be.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” he said. “Works just as well.”

“It does.”

They worked for another two hours, just chatting on and off, and then were done.

“It looks great,” he said. “Thanks. I got it done much faster with the help.”

“Help you weren’t expecting but glad I could keep you company.”

“It was more than company,” he said. “How about I at least feed you lunch? I feel as if it’s the least I can do for the free labor.”

She smiled. “Lunch sounds good.”

Anything to extend her time with him.

“What do you like?” he asked. “I can order some pizza or run and pick something up. Better yet, why don’t we go get something?”

“Whatever works for you,” she said.

“I need a shower,” he said. “How about I meet you in thirty minutes? Then we can figure out where to go?”

“Sounds great,” she said, picking up the empty travel mug that had held his coffee, then walking back to her place.

It gave her time to jump in the shower, clean up, put some makeup on, and brush her hair. No time to do much more than pull it back but it would be nicer than the ponytail she’d had earlier.

She used one of Poppy’s clips to hold a loose braid in place.

By the time there was a knock at her door, she had dark high-waist trouser jeans on with a teal V-neck cotton shirt tucked in and gray ankle boots covered by the wide bottoms of her pants. She had a gray thick belt on that had a variety of flowers etched in it. One of Poppy’s pieces.

There was nothing she loved more than wearing the items produced where she worked.

No reason to spritz body spray on because she’d lathered up with cherry blossom lotion after her shower.

“You get ready fast,” he said.

“Thanks,” she said. “I learned to. My father didn’t like to wait for anyone.”

“I’m not one to wait either.”

“So I guessed,” she said when she came out on the porch. She could have put a jacket on, but why bother? Might as well give him something to look at.

It appeared he was doing the same thing by the navy fitted shirt he had on. Oh yeah, he had one hell of a body on him.

Not bulky, but nice and trim. She couldn’t wait for warmer weather to get a better look at his arms.

She had a weakness for a nice set of biceps.

They went to his truck and climbed in. “I’m not that much of a hard ass,” he said.

“I didn’t say you were,” she said. “Just no reason to keep you waiting. You were out here early this morning.”

“You weren’t much further behind me,” he said.

“I’m up early,” she said. “I’ve always been. Sleep is overrated. I just lie there wondering what I could be doing.”

He snorted. “That sounds like my life even when I want to sleep.”

“Has its pros and cons,” she said.

They drove to a pub and parked. “I should have asked if this is okay?”

“I’m not fussy,” she said. “It’s all good.”

“I got the impression that you aren’t into fancy and fussy though you look it and it’s a nice sight.”

“I’ve got jeans on,” she said, grinning. She was glad that he’d noticed the little bit of effort she’d put in.

“It’s more than jeans,” he said. “But maybe it’s the person wearing them.”

That all sounded good to her.

“Must be,” she said, her eyes looking him over as they walked to the door.

He held it open for her, then they walked up to the hostess counter. “Two,” he said.

“You got it, Easton. Good to see you again. Been a while.”

“Guess you come in here often,” she said when he smiled and nodded his head.

“Now and again,” he said. “But I haven’t seen her in a long time.” He was talking quietly when they sat.

“You don’t remember her name, do you?”

She hoped he wasn’t like Philip and made the rounds. That just turned this lunch sour fast.

“Nope,” he said. “And before you think it’s because I slept with her or picked her up, we went to school together. I had a handful of friends who I did things with. I kept to myself more than not. If she wasn’t in my group, I don’t remember her name.”

She nodded. “Okay, that’s good to hear. I was somewhat the same way. The girls in my school didn’t like that I was a tomboy and wanted to go hiking and get rough playing sports.”

“Oh,” he said, laughing. “I’m willing to bet it was more that when you weren’t out getting dirty and the guys loving that you did that, that when you cleaned up, you put the rest of them to shame.”

“That’s sweet,” she said.

“And the truth,” he said. “You can admit it and I won’t think you’re being cocky.”

“Why thank you,” she said. “Because it most likely was the truth and I just didn’t see it back then.”

“Doesn’t matter when we learn the truth, just that we do,” he said.