The following weekend was moving day.
“You really don’t have to be in a rush about this. You and Dani are welcome to stay as long as you need to,” her mother said, blocking Abigail’s path to the front door.
They’d had this discussion a million times since she’d told her parents the house was ready to move into. “This is getting heavy, Mom.” Her grip started to slip, and she readjusted the box in her arms. Her forearms burned, and she suspected she would be feeling this the next morning. She didn’t care, the thought of sleeping in their own place that evening fueling her strength.
Her mother sighed, moving aside. “Okay.”
“Mom, it’s just a few blocks. I’m not leaving Glenwood Falls again.” She meant it. Moving home may have felt like admitting failure or defeat in the beginning, but now that she was back, creating a new life for herself and Dani, it seemed like the best place to be. She had a job, a new place, and best of all the support of her family and friends nearby. Glenwood Falls may not be as exciting and fast paced as L.A., but that was a good thing. She’d never entirely fit in with that world anyway. She’d been happy there, but that was because of Dean and Dani, and she’d made the best of the lifestyle options she’d had. But this, this felt right. This felt like home.
She carried the box outside just as her father pulled into the driveway with the U-Haul loaded up with their furniture from the storage locker, where she’d stored the bigger items until she’d found a place. She’d been on her way over there to help him load everything. He must have gotten help from Mr. Kelsie, the owner. Abigail smiled. One less thing to worry about. “Perfect timing,” she said, accepting the keys from him. “I just finished filling the car, and Mom is driving me crazy.”
He laughed. “You have to be patient with her. This is the first time she’s had you and Dani living so close. Neither of us want to lose that again. We’ve just missed having you home the last nine years.”
“I know, Dad. And as I just told Mom, I’m not going anywhere. Just six blocks away.” She shot a glance toward the house, where her mother stood, looking out the living room window, a tissue clutched in her hand, her eyes red and puffy. “Is she going to be okay?” she asked, suddenly feeling bad. One day, Dani would leave home, and she suspected she’d be the one standing in the window with tissues. She blew her a kiss and her mom smiled, returning it.
“She’ll be fine. Just maybe invite her over to help you unpack once you get settled,” he said. “Are you sure you can handle this thing?” He nodded toward the U-Haul.
“I drove one all the way from L.A. Six blocks should be easy.” Somehow driving her belongings to her new place made her feel more independent. “But thanks, Dad,” she said, giving him a hug.
“Okay, I’ll meet you at the house to help unload everything,” he said, taking her car keys.
* * *
Jackson climbed out of his truck when he saw the U-Haul turn the corner onto the street. Abby was behind the wheel, and he did a quick glance around to make sure the neighborhood kids weren’t playing anywhere near the street.
The woman he remembered couldn’t park a Smart car, let alone a ten-ton cube van.
But as he watched her slowly, carefully back the van into the unpaved driveway, his this-should-be-good look changed to one of admiration.
Impressive.
Great, just something else to love about her.
Her SUV pulled up behind his truck and he waved to her father as the man got out.
“Gotta admit, I nearly had a heart attack just now watching Abby back that thing in,” Jackson said.
“Me too. I wasn’t sure there would be a house left to move into,” he said with a laugh.
“I heard that,” she said walking toward them.
His eyes did a once-over on her body and immediately he was both grateful and annoyed her father was standing right next to him. Dressed in a pair of tight black capri leggings and an oversized T-shirt that hung off one shoulder, exposing a pale blue bra strap, she looked amazing. Her long hair tied back in a high ponytail and her face free of makeup, she rivaled a Cover Girl model for best fresh face to the world.
“Hi,” she said, stopping in front of him.
“Hey. That was impressive,” he said.
“Odd how that comment strikes me as almost more offensive than the ones I just overheard,” she said with one eyebrow raised.
“I just meant those trucks aren’t easy to drive.”
“For a girl?”
Oh shit. He wasn’t getting out of this one. He’d learned quickly living with his sister to just apologize. “Sorry,” he said. He reached into his pocket for his keys. Removing the only house key he had from his key ring, he handed it to her. “Here you go. Welcome to your new home.”
She took it and smiled. “Thank you. And I appreciate you getting the renovations completed early.”
He nodded. “No problem.”
She turned to her father. “Dad, if you want to unlock the door, I’ll start unloading the SUV.”
“Where can I start?” Jackson asked.
She stopped and swung back in surprise. “Oh, that’s okay. You don’t need to help. We got it.”
“Who do you think helped me load the stuff from the storage unit into the U-Haul?” her dad called out as he unlocked the front door.
Her eyes widened. “You helped?”
He shrugged. “Right place at the right time to be useful. I was at the bank across the street and saw your dad drive up with the U-Haul.”
Her expression was unreadable. “Oh, well, thank you.”
“So, I’ll start unloading the truck?”
She hesitated.
“That bedframe of yours weighs about a thousand pounds,” her father said.
She sighed. “I guess that’s a yes, then.”
* * *
The sight of Jackson Westmore moving her personal items into a house he currently owned and she was now renting was too much to wrap her mind around. However, it was far too amazing a sight to look away. He’d abandoned his sweatshirt somewhere between the bedframe and the couch. Now, his bulging biceps testing the confines of the sleeves of his white T-shirt and his forearm muscles straining under the weight of an oversized box nearly caused her to drool onto the counter, where she stretched to peer out the kitchen window. She was suddenly jealous of her moving boxes. What would it be like to have his arms holding her that way?
He shifted the weight of the box and wiped sweat from his forehead onto his shoulder as he walked up the front path toward the house. He glanced toward the window, caught her staring and smiled. Her knees nearly gave way beneath her as she stepped back out of sight.
Get it together. It’s Jackson Westmore. Dean’s best friend and a man she should not be having this insane attraction to. It had to be her recent dry spell in the sex department causing it. Though admittedly no one else was making her want to pounce on them.
Hearing the door open, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. A relationship, even a casual one, was not in her plans right now.
Not even a hot, steamy, passionate one, she thought as he entered the kitchen and set the box on the counter. “Thank you,” she said.
They’d barely spoken since the night she’d practically begged him to like her on the balcony at the motel, and she still felt embarrassed by her need for acceptance. It had never bothered her before that he didn’t like her. Why was it suddenly so important?
Because he was her daughter’s hockey coach and her new landlord didn’t seem to be working as an answer.
“No problem,” he said. “Were you enjoying the view?”
She willed her cheeks not to turn red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I wanted to make sure you didn’t drop my good dishes,” she said avoiding his eyes. Her gaze fell to a vase of flowers on the table. “Where did these come from?” she asked, approaching the vase and smelling the lilies—her favorite.
“Just a small housewarming gift,” he said with a shrug.
Her eyes widened.
“Becky’s idea,” he said quickly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
A sense of disappointment overwhelmed her. “Oh.”
“I just realized I don’t have a key for the padlock on the shed door out back, so I’ll cut the lock off and get a new one. The hardware store is closed now, but I’ll swing by with one soon, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah, no rush. I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not really a puttering around out in the shed type.”
He laughed and her breath caught. Where had those incredibly sexy dimples come from? Had he always had those? He’d never smiled this much at her before…and she longed to see it again. Which was more than a little stupid. She glanced away, turning her attention back to the flowers. “Thanks again for your help.” She was eager to be alone to start unpacking, but mostly, she was eager to be away from those dimples and the dizzying effect they were having on her. Where had she packed her vibrator again?
“No problem.” He headed toward the door and she followed. “And I’ll stop by soon with the new lock and key.”
“Great. Thank you.”
He hesitated by the door.
“Everything okay?”
“I lied.”
“Huh?”
“The flowers were my idea,” he said, waving as he headed off toward his truck.