None of the furniture was in place yet. The supplier planned to deliver it in a week. The materials and colors he used to complete the remodel matched the rest of the library in polished woods and earth tones, done with a slightly more modern flair.
Mandy gave him a high five. “Great job, Dad.”
“Make her library pretty and have an awesome daughter…the ways to Zoe’s heart are pretty simple.” He smiled as Zoe ran her fingers over the built-in shelves in the kitchen. “It takes so little to make her happy.”
For a long moment, Mandy was quiet. Then she said, “It doesn’t hurt that you’recuteeither. She notices.”
“Yeah?”
Grinning, she nodded. “Yeah.”
Zoe joined them, signing rapidly, “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am. It’s incredible. You and your people are so skilled, Nate.”
“I’m glad you like it. I wanted it to be exactly right, the way you imagined it.”
“It is.” Then Zoe stepped close and hugged him tightly.
Reining in the desire to crush her to him and never let her go, Nate returned it carefully and wondered if she could feel his tension.
His entire body felt coiled to explode.
Chapter Six
Leaning back, Zoe looked up and mouthed, “Thank you, Nate.”
Smiling with his heart in his throat, he mouthed, “You’re welcome, Zoe. I’m so glad it makes you happy.” A small strand of her hair had come loose from her bun and he tucked it behind her ear. The softness made him want to bury both hands in it. “Hungry?”
Stepping back to sign, she replied, “You feed me a lot.”
“I eat a lot. It makes me feel like less of a glutton if I have company.” She grinned and he bounced his palm off the top of Mandy’s head. “This girl’s stomach was inherited. It’s been growling non-stop for a full fifteen minutes.”
The girl pretended to swoon. “Starvation…help.”
Zoe snorted. With an arched brow, she replied, “I happen to know you were both eating donuts when I pulled up. Still, you look positively weak so let’s get you fed.”
“Those donuts were such asmallsnack, Zoe. I’m stillgrowing.” Mandy clasped her hands together in supplication. “I need food!”
“I’ll turn on the attic fan and we can go.”
Nate checked the wiring and breaker since the system was old. When he gave the all clear, Zoe flipped the switch. By the time she turned off the lights, set the alarm, and locked up, the fan was already making a difference to the lingering fumes.
The moment they were settled in their regular booth at the diner, Mandy said excitedly, “I can’t wait to meet your cat and then take you out to our place!” For the first time, she didn’t delay eating.
Zoe gave her a half-smile when she was done in much less time than usual. “You know, I’m happy to sit and talk to you without the excuse of food. You don’t have to eat slowly for my benefit.”
“Good because eating slow makes my brain want to pop.”
They laughed and Nate got up to pay the check.
Back at the library, they watched as she got in her Smart Car. He tossed Mandy into his truck while she giggled madly. They drove less than a mile when Zoe pulled into the driveway of a small rental house.
She hadn’t opened her car door yet when Mandy jumped from his cab and raced over to wait for her. Nate walked more slowly, always conscious of his size and the possibility of startling Zoe.
“Ineverhave company. I apologize in advance.”
Leading the way up the walk, she unlocked the front door, walked inside, and held the door wide for them to enter. The space was neat and pretty, exactly like the woman who lived there. Clean lines, few frills, and nice colors.
“Iloveyour house, Zoe! It’s just like I imagined!” Tilting her head, Mandy stared at a painting hanging over Zoe’s fireplace. “Dad…”