Page 15 of Once Upon a Holidate
The dryer buzzed. Wynn left Hunter unpacking the rest of their purchases. She walked into the laundry room and put the clean sheets into the basket and moved the towels from the washer to the dryer.
Once she’d started the dryer, she went into what would be Joylyn’s room and started making the bed. The sheets were soft and the pillows fluffy. Wynn smoothed the blanket into place, then tucked in the edges and reached for the comforter. She’d just flipped it onto the bed when Garrick walked into the bedroom.
“Hi,” he said, smiling at her.
He looked good, she thought, taking in the dark hair, gray eyes and the perfectly fitting uniform. Really good. Swoon-worthy good.
Nerve endings started a conga line in her belly and began hopping and cheering all through her body. Heat flared, not wanting the nerves to get all the attention.
“Hi, yourself,” she managed to say, pleased that her voice didn’t crack.
“I was able to move a few things around on my calendar and get home a little earlier than I’d thought.” He smiled again. “I still can’t believe you took off work to help me with the delivery.”
She smiled. “Happy to do it. So far, no large truck has pulled into the driveway, so you haven’t missed the excitement.”
“Let me go change my clothes, and I’ll join you to finish up what needs to be done.”
She nodded, afraid that if she tried to speak she would offer to help with the whole changing thing, and that would just be embarrassing for both of them. Well, not if he didn’t say no, but what were the odds?
Once he’d left, she drew in a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, then went back to work on the bed. With the throw pillows in place, she folded a blanket across the foot and smoothed it.
The space was calming, she thought. Light came in through two large windows. The bed frame was beautiful, the bedding complementing the exquisite carving. There was plenty of storage space in the dresser, and Wynn had remembered to buy hangers on Sunday so the closet was good to go. Joylyn had a TV on her dresser and a nice desk in the corner where Wynn had placed a couple of paper turkeys along with a little fabric gourd to remind Joylyn of the season.
Across the way, the bathroom looked welcoming. There were new rugs in front of the sink and the toilet. Soap, body wash and a loofah were placed on the shelf in the walk-in shower. She still had to hang the prints they’d bought and add the towels when they were out of the dryer, but otherwise, the bathroom was practically picture perfect.
She returned to the kitchen. Hunter had finished unpacking everything.
“I’m going to take the boxes out to the recycling bin,” he said, picking up the stack.
“Thanks. After that, would you like to head home?”
He glanced longingly toward their place. “I have homework I want to do before dinner.”
“Then go do it and thank you for your help.”
He grinned at her and bolted for the back door. Wynn chuckled as she began measuring shelf paper.
“Put me to work,” Garrick told her as he walked into the kitchen.
She ignored how good he looked in jeans and a T-shirt. “Hunter and I have unpacked all the kitchen stuff.” She motioned to the stacks of dishes, pots and pans and utensils on the counter. “The first load is already in the dishwasher. Once that’s done, these have to be put through a quick wash cycle. The bed is made, the towels are in the dryer and I’m about to put shelf paper in the cupboards.”
“I was going to ask Jasper and Cade to come help with all this, but you’ve already finished it.” He gave her lopsided grin. “I’m going to owe you big time.”
“Yes, you are, but no doubt some roof or plumbing crisis is looming in my life and you can help with that.”
“I will be there.” He made an X over his heart. “Until then, what can I do? Want me to measure? Cut? Place? Sweep?”
She laughed. “No sweeping until we’re done. Why don’t you—”
She paused when she heard the sound of a big truck pulling up in front of the house.
“Why don’t you go deal with the delivery and I’ll keep doing this?” she said.
“Consider it done.”
He walked toward the front door. Wynn watched him go, thinking the more she got to know her neighbor, the more she liked him. Which was both happy news and just a little terrifying.
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