* * *
Her question was answered a few minutes later when Grady pulled up to a small cottage overlooking the water. It was a two-story older home, shaker style. It had gray shaker slates on the sides and white trim, along with a white wrap-around porch. Just to the side of the house, the Gulf of Mexico waves roared into the rocks, spraying up with white foam.
Brigid got out of the truck and looked at the adorable cottage, so perfect for Caroline. “Grady, she’ll love this.”
“Matthew hasn’t even seen it yet. So, remember, it’s a secret.” He hefted the box out of the back and headed for the porch. “I’ll be right back.”
“Not a chance in hell. I want to see it.” She slammed the truck door and strode after him and up the porch.
“Hey, Grady. Didn’t expect you back so soon,” a throaty female voice called out from the house. “Please tell me you’re not here to do any work. I don’t think we have enough time to repair any more damage.”
A genuine smile crossed Grady’s face, and he looked more relaxed since he had met Brigid at the ferry. Brigid hurried to the house to glimpse the person who might have replaced her in Grady’s affections. A curvy woman with dark curly hair, wearing overalls spattered with paint, stood in what appeared to be the living room area, a paintbrush in her hand, the other hand planted on her hip. She cocked her head and directed a teasing smile at him.
Outrage flooded Brigid, and blood rushed to her head. Dammit, that woman was flirting with Grady, right in front of her. As if she wasn’t even there. It made Brigid wonder how close they had gotten when working on the cottage. No wonder Grady wasn’t worried about her rejection. He had someone lined up in the wings, waiting for him. Bastard.
She didn’t own Grady. In fact, she had broken things off. She had no reason to be angry. An ache in her hands made her realize how tightly clenched her fists were. She forced her hands to relax and pasted a smile on her face, hoping it wasn’t too predatory and fake.
She walked into the living room and Grady stepped back from Janine—who dropped her hand from his shoulder—a guilty look on his face.
“Brigid, this is Janine Edgerton, a subcontractor on the island. She’s been doing a lot of the work for me while I was on the mainland.”
“He’s been an excellent boss.” Janine looked up at Grady out of the side of her eye, clearly flirting with him. And Grady wasn’t moving away.
Brigid resisted the urge to scratch out the eyes of the woman with her nails, but she counted to ten, then held out her hand. “I’m Brigid, a good friend of Grady’s.”
He looked startled for a moment at her words, then relaxed, but a wary look remained in his eye, as if he knew this meeting was not the best idea. He gestured to the box in the hallway.
“The lights for the dining room are in the box. Will you have time to install them?”
“The paint should be dry by tomorrow. I’ll install them then. Will you stop by to see it?”
They walked into the adjoining dining room, still talking, ignoring Brigid. She slowly followed, taking in the cottage-style colors, mainly white and blue, and basic layout, but she was more focused on Grady and the woman, still puzzled over the feeling of jealousy she had. She had no reason to be jealous, but, damn it, her gut clenched when thinking about Grady and this Janine woman. Brigid needed time to figure this out, figure out her feelings, why she was so angry and jealous.
Damn Grady.
The dining room was a soft shade of yellow with white trim. The furniture was dark wood, the perfect accent to the bright room. Painter’s tape was still up in a few spots around the glass doors to the porch and the ocean. It would be a beautiful place to have a nice dinner.
“Grady, Caroline will love this place.”
Janine tossed her hair. “You should have seen how bad it was before. This place was so rundown, even on prime real estate. But the zoning committee has so many restrictions, no one could tear it down or put on any major additions, so no one wanted it. Grady is a master at seeing the possibilities.” Janine laid a hand on Grady’s arm. “He’s brilliant.”
Brigid’s stomach turned, and she resisted the childish urge to gag at the sweetness and light of the woman and her adoration of Grady.
She had to respond, of course. Had to show this woman. She smiled sweetly. “Of course he is. You should see the work he’s doing on his own house in Houston. It’s amazing. You haven’t seen it? Maybe someday.”
Over her dead body.
As if sensing the change in tone, Grady stepped between the women, grabbing Brigid’s arm, hustling her out of the room. “Well, we have to get going, Janine. I’ll check back in later and be here tomorrow if I can. You have my cell.”
“Of course, Grady. Nice meeting you, Brigid.”
Like hell. Brigid yanked her arm out of Grady’s grasp and stalked out of the house.
“I may have wanted to see more of the house, you know.”
“We don’t have time.” He replied shortly. He hustled her into the pickup and drove out of the driveway, tires spinning, shooting pieces of loose gravel behind them.
* * *