Page 42 of Two Hearts' Ploy

“I guess,” he finally said, still looking amazed.

They both began laughing.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Another thirty minutes later, Wren was acting crazy, continuously grabbing stuff off the shelves at the home store. When they’d walked inside and she’d ordered him to bring along another cart, he thought she’d been kidding.

She’d zeroed in on comforters first, finding a beautiful quilt, its colors similar to the area rug on the floor in the master.

It was even patterned with dragonflies, which Jeff got a kick out of, since that was a recurring theme with the woodwork throughout the house.

“The vintage quilts that you’ve purchased should really be hung on the walls as part of your decorating scheme,” she said absentmindedly, throwing items haphazardly into both carts.

“Okay,” he muttered, watching her zip through the store, even grabbing several throw pillows along the way.

“What you could use is a cedar chest in the master to store extra bedding for the winter,” she said. “We should do some antique shopping sometime together since I might be around for a while.”

He nodded as she continued throwing items in the cart, finally pursing her lips. “We’re going to need one more cart. You’ll need some liners for the dresser drawers—maybe some sachets for your closets so they don’t smell musty. I peeked inthe room that you’ve been sleeping in, and I’d like to get some bedding for that room too.”

“I’m still using the quilt I had as a teenager,” he admitted, appearing sheepish.

Laughing, she winked at him. “Everything’s on me, by the way. It’s the least I can do. Plus, you haven’t been letting me pay for any of our meals.”

Ready to protest, he recognized the look of stubbornness on her face and decided to give in.

As they headed home another forty-five minutes later, Jeff made a suggestion. “Instead of stopping to eat, how would you feel about having something on the grill at my place? I never expected you to want to buy all this stuff. Why don’t I make dinner while you do your thing with the quilts and throw pillows? Otherwise, I’d have to unload the truck and pile everything up for when you come back.”

“Sure,” she said. “Maybe we can even go for a quick swim before you drive me back to the Inn.”

“Great. We sure didn’t spend much time in the store, considering all the stuff you bought.”

“That’s good, because I should be back at the Inn at the exact same time I told Jake, so at least I won’t have to message him.”

After they returned to the house, Jeff and Wren carried all the purchases upstairs.

“Help me put on the mattress covers first, and then you can go downstairs while I get everything put in its place,” she said. “I’d like for you to be surprised.”

He grinned. “Alright. I guess I’ll have to have a beer while I’m waiting. Want one yourself? I’ve got some wine spritzers too that one of my sisters left.”

She grinned. “What flavor?”

“Cherry, I believe.”

“I’ll take one of those. You can get it for me while I’m pulling stuff out of its packaging. Did you say I can use anything I’d like from your furniture stash in the bedroom?”

“I did,” he replied. “How long do you suppose it’ll take you?”

“Not too long. Forty-five minutes to an hour to sort out both rooms, I suppose. I’m pretty good at this stuff. I’ve lived in several different homes, and each has a totally different look.”

“I’ll take your word on that,” he agreed, feeling slightly taken aback. He kept forgetting who she was. Multiple homes, all worth millions, he supposed.

And so was she.

Sipping his beer, he stepped outside to start the grill near the half-completed deck that overlooked the lake another twenty minutes later. The sunset was pretty spectacular tonight. He’d be glad when he had the time to finish the sunroom, but he’d already brought out the wrought iron patio set that he’d purchased last year so he could sit outside. Hopefully, he’d be able to at least continue working on the deck while Wren was staying here.

Jeff was definitely in over his head when it came to his feelings for her, he decided, resting some bacon wrapped filets on the grill another twenty minutes later once the charcoal was hot. Luckily, he’d forgotten to throw them in the freezer last night after arriving home. He’d bought some lettuce along with a couple kinds of salad dressings, since he’d noticed Wren seemed fond of the ranch at the Tap.

He'd more or less decided just to go along with whatever happened between them, although he’d have to be prepared for her eventual departure. Jeff was pretty sure that whatever he tried to do to avoid it, his heart wouldn’t remain unscathed.

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