Page 26 of Don't Fall for a Grump

I realize that I’ve stopped moving, and quickly resume, pushing Ben to his usual spot. Ben throws me a glance. “It’s good to see a man hard at work, right?” He smirks.

I laugh nervously and try and think of something to say. “You’re only jealous that it’s him and not you.”

“You’re right about that. I can’t wait to get out of this darn chair.”

I spent the morning doing routine stuff; making the beds, vacuuming the rooms, a little bit of dusting. Now, I’m in the kitchen, washing the cupboards. Ben’s workshop might have been immaculately tidy, but the men in this house are definitively messy. There are splatter stains on the lower parts of the cupboard doors, and I’m hunched down on my haunches with a cloth and some disinfectant, rubbing it vigorously.

Behind me, I hear the kitchen door open.

“So, how are your pipes today?” Jackson asks.

I blush, even before I push myself to stand up and face him. When I do turn around, he has a huge grin across his face. The tank top hangs loose near his waist, but it’s tight against his chest. The hugely solid chest that I had the privilege of eyeballing yesterday.

“They’re not dripping anymore,” I quip back. Two can play this game. “Which is always a bonus.”

It’s now Jackson’s turn to beam a deeper shade of red, and I struggle to hold back a laugh.

“Yes,” he continues, clearly not willing to give up yet. “I’ve heard that’s quite serious,” he speaks through his grin. “It’s always a good idea to get a leaky pipe looked at.”

I can’t help myself any longer, and I burst into laughter, leaning back against the counter to support myself. Jackson is laughing too, and moves closer to me. So close, in fact, that his arm brushes mine, sending a tingling sensation right through my shoulder and up the back of my neck. His skin is hot, likely from all the hard work he’s been doing in the garden. It only increases the intensity brewing between us.

He looks down at me then, and I gaze up at him. Just like last night, when we gazed at each other for what felt like eternity, there’s electricity crackling between us. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

A second later, the kitchen door swings open, and Ben struggles himself through it. I feel like I should pull away from Jackson; maybe he doesn’t want his father to see us standing so close together. But he doesn’t budge. His arm is still brushing against mine. I don’t want to move either. I’m enjoying the sensation too much. Besides, it’s too late. It will look too obvious if I suddenly jerk away now. Instead, I take my cue from Jackson and stay exactly where I am.

“You do realize you’re only creating more stuff for me to fix,” Jackson says to Ben. “You can scale a mountain, create amazing pieces of art from chunks of wood, but you can’t get through a door without bringing the door frame down with you?”

I could tell that Jackson was just teasing his father. His tone made it obvious.

“Have you ever tried to drive one of these things?” Ben banters back. “It’s all power and no steering.”

“They should give you lessons in the hospital,” Jackson retorts. “Either that, or put some padding on those wheels so you don’t destroy the entire house.”

Ben snarls at Jackson playfully, and I can do nothing but smile. It’s the first time I’ve seen both father and son pulling each other’s legs. It’s testament to how close they are. I recall Jackson telling me about his mother’s death yesterday, and wonder how poor Ben had coped; losing his beloved wife, and suddenly left to look after a young child all by himself. Both Jackson and Daniel were fine young men, and therefore, no matter how hard it had been, Ben had clearly been a good father. Their witty back and forth was heartwarming to me.

Ben then looks from Jackson to me and back again. I can see that the twinkle in his eye has returned, and wonder what is going through his mind.

“Right, I need you kids to go into town for me.”

“But I still have—”

“The cleaning can wait, Bree,” Ben says. “This is more important. There’s an order waiting for me at Shilliday’s and it will be quicker if you both go.”

I look up at Jackson.

He looks down at me and shrugs. “OK, then. Let’s go.”

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