Page 15 of V is for Valentine
“It didn’t sound heavy enough to crush you, so yeah,” he shouted back before lifting his abandoned wallboard back into place. Felicity was good. And efficient. And driving him crazy.
This might just be a long two weeks.
*
By the timeFelicity untied her heavy work apron, her back and shoulders were aching, but she was satisfied with their progress. Two more days, she figured, and they’d be done hanging drywall.
Despite her hogging the lift, Danny had managed to mount more wallboard than she had, but he did have the height, weight, and reach advantage. When they’d been ten, they’d been more equally matched.
She hung her apron on the nail where she’d found it that morning and rubbed her aching bicep.
“Are you okay?”
She quickly dropped her hand, turning toward Danny, whose shoulders flexed as he reached behind his back to untie the work apron without showing any sign of stiffness.
“Fine. Sore,” she added in the name of honesty. She wasn’t there to prove that she was superwoman.
“I’m sure you’ll feel worse tomorrow.”
“Thank you, ray of sunshine.”
“Always happy to send my beam your way.”
He smiled, but his gaze was watchful, as if he were reading her or…something. Felicity couldn’t put her finger on it, but whatever it was that caused him to study her as if he were figuring her out made her edgy—not in a threatened way, but in a what’s-going-on? way.
What was going on?
She shook off the odd feeling. “Do you want to keep your time, or shall I?”
“You do it.”
“You have overtime hours today.” It was nearly seven o’clock, a time when she normally started to feel a surge of energy, but right now she was nothing short of drained.
“We’ll discuss when we settle up.”
“Dad will handle that part.”
His expression cleared, but if he thought he was going to have more luck with Pete than with her, he was wrong. Her dad was a stickler about an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. He, like her, had issues with owing people.
“We’ll sweep up tomorrow.” Her dad was also a stickler for keeping the worksite clean and clear of debris, scraps of wood, loose nails. But her dad wasn’t here fighting time. It might be a day or two before she slowed down enough to sweep. “I’ve got to go home and see how Dad’s doing. Stevie is bringing dinner, so we don’t have to eat frozen dinners.”
It was then that she realized that he lived next door, and he was getting home as late as she was. “You can join us if you like. There’s always plenty when Stevie brings.”
He gave a considering nod, then reached for his jacket. Felicity would have liked an answer then and there, but he appeared to be taking the invitation under advisement. She held her tongue as they headed for the door.
“There’s something you should know.”
She frowned at him as she pulled the bandanna off her head. “What?”
“It has to do with Sandra, my business associate.”
“What about her?”
“Her dog slammed into Pete.”
Felicity’s mouth fell open, and she instantly closed it again.
“She’s from Everly and is just getting to know who’s who in Holly. She made the connection yesterday.”
