Page 36 of Unexpected Entanglement

Rowan looked at the three expectant faces and gave a short laugh. “We have basically ten days, people.”

“Look, it’s Tuesday. I think I can get them here within the week,” Chris claimed. “Early next week at the latest.”

“How?” Rowan questioned.

“I’ll figure it out.”

“It’ll be beautiful, Ro,” Meera reiterated with a smile. “If we can pull it off.”

“We can.” Chris nodded confidently.

Rowan ran her hand through her hair as she considered and absently realized she didn’t have a hat on.

“See, this barn has character, but a little change can bring out more of its beauty,” Chris reasoned. “Like as simple as letting someone’s hair down.”

Rowan looked at Chris, smiling innocently while his eyes were on her hair.

“You never know when a slight alteration can be quite drastic,” he finished.

Is he still talking about the barn?

Rowan glanced at their companions to see if they understood what he was saying. The two women just fawned over him, nodding in agreement.

Shaking off her stray thought, she refocused on the discussion. “If you can get me that quote ASAP and delivery time confirmation, I’ll suggest it to the clients.”

“Yes!” Lily high-fived Meera and Chris.

“You better deliver now, Chris,” said Meera.

“I’ll make the call now.” He pulled out his phone. “Excuse me, ladies.”

The three watched him walk out of the barn with his phone to his ear, already talking to somebody he called Walt.

“Where did you and Kieran find him?” Meera asked in a fascinated tone.

Rowan glanced at the women and had to do a double take as she caught both Meera and Lily eyeing Chris’ ass intently. Her jaw dropped, aghast at their behavior.

“Are you guys serious right now?” Rowan warned them in a lower voice.

“What? We’re just enjoying the view.” Lily grinned at her. “They look good in jeans and shorts.”

Rowan rolled her eyes.Are these girls for real?

“Don’t you have other things to show me?” she reminded them.

“Right.” They smiled sheepishly and handed Rowan a list of flowers and detailed costs.

Rowan could only shake her head at Meera and Lily as they returned to the pressing agenda. But she couldn’t help but steala glance at Chris standing at the barn door opening. With his hip cocked and one hand in his fitted shorts’ pocket, he presented a pretty pleasing silhouette.

Out of the bushes, Felix approached Chris and sniffed around his legs, investigating the newcomer. Rowan watched Chris look down, then squat and hold out his hand for the cat to sniff. Only after the cat rubbed his face against his fingers did Chris give the cat a rub.

Rowan involuntarily smiled at the interaction.

Well, he passes the Felix test, too.

Chris had just responded to Walter, his assistant, on the phone when he spied Meera and Lily taking off on their cart and waved a salutation to them.

“So Jane connected me to event rentals in Portland. None of them can get you what you want in a week. They’re booked months ahead, and to send props out to Vinalhaven, it was unheard of,” Walter said without a preamble. “But she thinks she can buy them and have them ship to you within a week.”

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