“Zoe.” Basking in the glow of love rediscovered, Dana shook her head. “Stop being a jerk.”
“I cant help it.”Zoe lifted her hands, let them fall. “He brings out the jerk in me.” She heard him cursing under his breath as he carried the sander toward the steps, and folded her arms over her chest. “Im not going to say anything. Im not going to do anything.”
“Good plan. Why dont you grab a roller?” Malory suggested. “We can finish in here, then start upstairs.”
“Can I just say you women are doing a hell of a job with this place?”
“There, see?” Delighted,Zoe walked over and gave Jordan a loud kiss on the cheek. “Heres a secure man who has respect for a womans abilities.”
“Absolutely. Nothing sexier than a self-sufficient woman.”
“Lap it up, Hawke, lap it up.” Dana nudged him aside. “Now take your playmate and run along. Weve got work to do.”
She waited until Jordan and Brad had gone out, then dashed to the window to spy on them. “Whats he up to? Yeah, yeah, Brads asking him what gives right now. I can tell. But hes not saying. Hes not saying because he knows Im standing here watching. Damn it!”
She jerked back with a laugh as Jordan looked straight at her through the glass. “You just cant pull one over on Jordan. God, I love that about him.”
“Im so happy for you.” Malory sighed. “And if were not careful, were going to start another weep-o-rama.”
“Since Ive leaked more in this one day than I have the entire past year, lets paint.” Dana turned, gave her biceps an exaggerated flex. “Hes right, you know. Were doing a hell of a job with this place.”
THEY worked downstairs until the walls were done, then took a coffee break, sitting on the floor to admire them. “The floors in Danas section need to be damp-mopped. You need a clean surface before theyre sealed.”
“I dont know how the sealing part goes.”
“Its easy,”Zoe told her. “Ill show you. Once theyre sealed, dried good and hard, you can start moving stuff in.”
“Wow!” Since Danas stomach jumped, she pressed a hand to it. “It gets more real every day. I ordered the shelves. If they get here when theyre supposed to, along with the other stuff I ordered—and the first shipments of books—I should be setting up in a couple of weeks. Maybe less. And I have a potential employee.”
“You didnt say anything about that.”Zoe punched her lightly on the arm. “Who is it?”
“Its a woman I met when I was working in the library. I ran into her at the grocery store, and one thing led to another. Shes personable, presentable, likes to read, wants a job, and isnt looking for a big salary. Shes going to come by sometime and get a look at the place. If she doesnt run screaming, I think Ive got myself a bookseller.”
“Zoe, how soon do you think I can start moving stock in?” Malory asked.
“I think next week.”Zoe sipped coffee, glanced around the room. “Its all coming together so well, I dont want to jinx it, but I really think next week. Its going to take me a little longer. Theres more to set up in a salon. And we still have to replace some of these windows. Plus theres going to be a good, long list of punch-out work.”
“I love it when she talks the manly talk,” Dana commented. “Now lets go up and play with the sander like men.”
“First,”Zoe said in a fair imitation of Brads most clipped tone, “its not a toy.”
“Jeez.” Dana laughed her way to her feet. “You slay me.”
Chapter Seventeen
YOU sure about this?” Brad studied Jordan, and the square-cut ruby ring in his hand. “Yeah. I think. Shed like this better than the traditional diamond.”
“I dont mean the ring. I mean what youre buying the ring for.”
“Im sure. A little queasy, but sure.”
“Im not going to take offense,” Flynn decided. “I could take offense that asking my sister to marry you makes you queasy, but I wont.”
Jordan smiled a little as he turned the ring under the light. Hed wanted them both with him when he took this step. A kind of circle, he supposed, just as the ring was a circle. He couldnt say either of them had been thrilled to be hauled off to Pittsburgh and into a jewelry stone, but theyd come through.
They always did.
“I think this is the one. I know she is.” He offered the ring to Brad. “You know more about this stuff than either of us. Give me an opinion of the rock.”