Page 28 of Trust

“Shims,” Allen finished. “That old house you got is about as even as my wife’s temper, and I bet those cabinets you installed have settled a lot more than you were planning on.”

Zane snorted. “My God, man, is there anything you don’t know?”

“If you asked my beloved bride, she’d give you an earful, but since she’s busy at the Paint and Sip, I’ll say absolutely not.” He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “Follow me, and I’ll grab the stuff you need. I’ll include some caulk since Olivia’s windows are about due.”

He followed Allen down the center of the store. “Olivia and I are…”

All six feet four inches of the town, psychic skidded to a stop and spun around. “Please tell me you’re not planning on letting an incredible opportunity pass you by.”

Staggered that Allen had any opinion about his and Olivia’s budding friendship, he tried to respond and found he couldn’t. “It’s not…”

“As the town’s occasional arbiter of love advice, it’s my job to gently remind you that being the guy on the train is not a story you want any part of.”

“What train?”

Allen lifted his eyes to the ceiling, mumbled something, and then returned his gaze to Zane. “It’s not a literal train, but one that represents opportunity.”

Unsure whether to be pissed or amused that he appeared to need metaphors, he waited for whatever bit of wisdom the man was about to lay down. “I’m listening.”

Allen leaned against a display and cleared his throat. “The man who hesitates loses. The man who finds himself in the company of a beguiling woman and does nothing will likely be haunted by that what-if for longer than anyone would like. Don’t be that guy. If you encounter a woman on a train, in the street, or just down the road from your house that makes the word irresistible run round and round in your head, for all that is good and right in the world, do something. Anything. Even if it’s only an awkward, fumbling, poorly thought out gesture.”

Not wanting to encourage more feedback, he nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Please do, because the last thing this town needs is another sad sop parking his rear on a barstool at Jaspers. We’ve got plenty of bachelors who couldn’t navigate the road to love, and believe me, that isn’t a group you want to join.”

Before he could respond, Allen turned and headed toward the back of the store. “Meet me at the counter, and I’ll bring the stuff you need.”

“Indeed.” He scraped his hand over his head and walked toward the back counter.

Running the advice over in his mind, he rejected more than half of it because he was a man who’d always acted decisively and without a trace of dithering. If he wanted something, he damn well went out and got it. And as for Olivia, he couldn’t escape the woman’s presence if he wanted to. She was everywhere.

Which meant that he needed to get his mind right because summoning the effort to avoid her and the crazy chemistry they shared was becoming more difficult by the moment.

A thing that could easily lead to disaster for both of them.

Olivia leaned against the kitchen counter and watched Zane drop his head against the steering wheel of his truck.

Should she go out and see if he was okay?

Would that be too intrusive if he were in the middle of a freak-out?

Feeling Bella lean in, she looked down. “We’re going to give him a little space. Running out there fluttering and fussing will only make him resist us that much more.”

Bella didn’t appear convinced, and she knew it was time to lead by example. How could she command her dog to have restraint if she couldn’t do the same?

Digging her toes into the rag rug under her feet, she watched the man who had parked himself squarely in the center of her very naughty dreams.

Perhaps he was having some kind of flashback?

Or worse—composing a speech about wanting just to be friends.

Could he be replaying the mind-bending make-out session they’d shared? Because she sure had. Resting her chin on her clasped hands, she closed her eyes and let every delectable detail play on a loop. The man was a master and had made lust tear through her limbs like a runaway train.

His tight-fisted control had slipped for a handful of minutes the previous evening, and it had been delicious enough to make her want to dedicate all her free time to making it possible again and again.

She bit her bottom lip. “Please don’t let him end this thing before we start.” Bella barked in agreement as her cell phone rang. She saw her grandmother’s name pop up and slid her finger across the screen. “Grams, I’m very busy staring at the man who has turned my world upside down.”

“And how is that working out for you, darling?”

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