Page 13 of Too Enchanting

But Jed wasn’t, and I knew it when I heard him say, “Spying. She’s been spying on me all morning.”

“No, I have not,” I lied indignantly.

I heard Jed chuckle and scowled.

Why’d he have to be such a know-it-all jerk?

“Rena, were you spying on poor Jed here?” Reardon asked with mock shock.

“Pshaw,” I spat, even though I knew it was an unattractive sound. “Poor Jed, my foot. He’s had women coming and going all morning, I was just curious as to what was going on … that’s all. It was purely concern.”

That had Jed out and out laughing.

I stuck my tongue out at the fence, then remembered Reardon was watching me, so I looked up at him with an apologetic smile.

“Why don’t you come around the fence and see what’s going on, rather than peeping over the fence like a creeper?”

I gasped at my now least favorite cousin.

“I’m not a creeper,” I protested.

Reardon laughed. “Come on, Rena, I’ll show you what Chris and I are picking up for the baby’s room.”

Unable to ignore the opportunity to assuage my curiosity, I slowly made my way through my yard and out my gate, before turning into Jed’s and walking up his driveway. I didn’t want to seem too eager, but when I caught sight of Jed’s knowing grin, I knew I wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all him.

“Come on,” Reardon said, and I walked past Jed without so much as a “hello” and followed my cousin into the building that was an exact replica of my studio.

When I stepped over the threshold, I gasped when my gaze landed on the most beautiful table I’d ever seen. I crossed to it, my hand outstretched with the need to feel the wood against my skin. I caressed it lovingly as I took in the beautifully crafted table with the embedded glass river running through it.

“It’s so gorgeous,” I cooed, then looked up to see Reardon standing there with a smile and Jed watching me with a scowl.

I didn’t care why he was scowling.

“I need it!” I exclaimed, picturing it at the art gallery.

Shoot, it was a piece that belonged on exhibit in the gallery, that’s how beautiful it was.

“No,” Jed stated, turning his back and going back to the woman with the serving tray who looked like she was ready to leave.

I gaped at Reardon, then narrowed my eyes at Jed’s back.

Oh, one way or another, this table is going to be mine.

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