Page 18 of (La)Crosse My Heart

That sounds so strange coming from him, but it is what it is. This is my life now.

“You look busy. I’ll come back later.” I nod and turn, ready to bolt back inside the safety of my house. I should not be this flustered by a bare chest and some gorgeous ab muscles, but here we are.

“Are you Jessa?” a soft voice asks. I turn back, surprised to see an older woman sitting on the front porch of the house behind Clark.

“Yes,” I say, not sure whether I should move forward or backward at this point.

“Oh good,” she says, and pats the seat next to her on the patio furniture.

I sit next to her, and the woman pats my knee with her hand.

“I’m Nora Birchly. It’s so good to meet you.” She looks harmless, and maybe I’m a little curious about this older woman Clark used against me last night.

“How did you know my name?”

“Clark is a wealth of knowledge when I pull out my special brownies.”

I frown and look over at Clark. “Um, why are they special?”

She gives me a funny look and says, “Because I put applesauce in for part of the oil. That gives it another level of fudgy goodness.”

I breathe out a sigh and laugh. Did I think she was using something else in those brownies? Possibly.

“That’s good to know. How long have you lived here?”

“Going on forty years. The neighborhood has changed a bit since Fred and I built this house, but it’s home.” She turns in her chair the littlest bit, but it makes me feel like she’s putting her full attention on me. “So, you’re coming from Virginia. I bet this is a big change for you.”

Something about this woman makes me want to bottle her up and keep her for how mischievous she is.

“It’s definitely different. I might need to invest in some lotion because of how dry it is here.”

She pats my hand and says, “That’s a great idea. You’ve got to keep your skin looking young for as long as possible. I’m in my nineties now, but there are some people who think I’m mid-seventies at the latest. I’ll have to show you my skincare routine sometime.”

“I would love that,” I say, feeling more relaxed than I have in a while. My own routine is pretty basic, but I’m always curious about what works for people.

“Isn’t he handsome?” Nora says, changing the conversation quickly.

“Who?” I ask.

“Clark of course. He’d make a good match for some lucky girl, that’s for sure.”

I glance back out at Clark and something about his taking care of his elderly neighbor makes me see him a little differently. He’d always been the one who only cared about what served him, but maybe he’d had a few chances to learn helping people was a noble thing.

“How do you know Clark?” Nora asks, bringing me back to the present.

“He was my brother’s best friend in high school.”

“Is he older or younger?”

“My brother? Younger.”

She gives me a wicked grin and says, “Even better. I was older than my husband, too.”

I wave my hands awkwardly in front of me. “No, not the same. I mean, I’m not dating Clark. I’m still trying to get over a breakup from a few months ago.”

Six, to be exact, but I’ll use whatever excuses I need to get through this very professional relationship with Clark. Although, I don’t think I can be around him when he’s half-naked.

That’s the only reason I’ve got anything remotely close to an attraction for him. I’m a woman and can appreciate a good body.

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