Chapter Ten
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Truly hot days in Tremont were a rarity. As in hot enough that Dizzy could slip on her bikini and head down to the lake for a cool swim. The weatherman was already saying that a cold front was coming in tonight and the temperature was going to dip again, probably for good. Since she’d had no art classes to teach today she’d decided to take advantage of the sunshine. She’d spent a few hours outside, had a picnic lunch, and now home to take a nap.
She hadn’t been sleeping all that well lately despite Leann staying with her.
As she’d loaded up her little economy car before leaving she couldn’t help but sneak a glance over at Trip’s place. He hadn’t been outside much the last few days, only getting in and out of his truck when he left the property. Normally he sat outside on his back patio and read but he hadn’t done that either. It looked like he was going to keep to himself, which was fine with her. She’d seen him be cornered by Angela Kincaid just a few houses down yesterday morning when Dizzy was headed to the grocery store. She didn’t know what Angela had talked to him about but it probably wasn’t the weather or the price of gas because he hadn’t looked happy. At least she didn’t think he did, but then she’d only caught a glance as she was driving away.
Tired and hot, Dizzy pulled her car into her driveway and cut the engine, retrieving her wet beach towel and picnic basket from the back seat. She was juggling her keys, a half-empty bottle of water, and an overflowing bag when an SUV parked right behind her. She’d managed to lock the car when Easton stepped out of the driver side of the vehicle, looking far too dressed up for such a warm day. His suit was well cut but he had to be roasting in the jacket and tie.
“Did I catch you as you’re leaving?”
“No, I just got back from the lake. I had a swim and a little picnic. What brings you by on a Wednesday afternoon? Did you quit your job?”
Normally Easton would be holed up in his climate controlled office buying and selling…well…she really didn’t know. She only knew he was really good at it. She’d heard Shane describe Easton as a financial genius.
“I’m still gainfully employed, thank you. Didn’t you call my assistant and tell her that you needed me to sign all the participation certificates for the art show? I had a business lunch so I stopped by on my way back to the office.”
Dizzy unlocked her front door and motioned Easton to follow her in. With a sigh of relief, she dumped her bag near the door and headed straight for the kitchen.
“I did but I didn’t expect you to come to me. I would have brought them to your office.” She pulled out a fresh bottle of water. “Want one? It’s unusually hot today.”
Easton accepted it gratefully. “It sure is. I think it was already snowing last year at this time. Doesn’t school start in a few weeks?”
She waved them toward the comfortable sofa and chairs in the living room. “It does but I don’t have too much to do to get ready. I just need to set up my student files and organize the new art supplies. Thank you for that, by the way. I’m told that Anderson Industries is the official sponsor of art and music classes in the Tremont school system. How did that happen?”
Drinking down half of the bottle in one go, Easton looked much cooler than he had a few minutes ago. “West is how it happened. You know how the school budgets are tight every year. He came to me and Shane with the idea and we couldn’t say no. We know how important art and music are to the curriculum and it’s good to give back to the community.”
“It is, but…”
She probably shouldn’t say what was on her mind.
“But?” he prompted, looking surprised. “You don’t think we should have?”
Sighing, Dizzy set her bottle on the coffee table. “You made it too easy for the town council and the school board. They know they can always run to your family to bail them out of whatever stupid thing they did. If art and music are important than the town needs to figure out how they are going to fund those activities. Funny thing, they never seem to have an issue funding sports.”
He finished his water and screwed the cap back on. “You know that if we hadn’t intervened some teachers might have lost their jobs? One of them could have been you, Dizzy.”
“I’m well aware but it still isn’t right. The Andersons are always coming to the rescue and you have to be getting tired of it.”
Easton shook his head. “It’s a privilege to have what we have and this town has been very good to our family. I know everyone thinks that I have a cash register for a heart but I do care about Tremont.” He leaned forward so they were eye to eye. “And there was no way I was going to let you get laid off because of budget cuts.”
He was close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. Too close for comfort. The thoughts she’d been having about Easton since dinner on Sunday were disturbing. She’d never thought of him…that way, and in one fell swoop she now couldn’t think about anyone else.
“Thank you,” she said, an awkward tension in the air that hadn’t been there a week ago. “But I know that I’m just a cog in the machine and easily replaceable. It’s never a good idea to start thinking that you’re irreplaceable.”
Easton chuckled, the sound coming from deep in his chest. Had he always laughed this way? “Is that comment directed at me, by any chance? Am I getting a little too big for my britches?”
Dammit, now her attention was pulled to the way the expensive fabric of his pants strained over his powerful thighs and across…
Dear Lord, it is hot in here.
Dizzy took another gulp of her water and then placed the cool bottle on her forehead. She was beginning to feel faint.
Great, now I’m some Victorian virgin with a case of the vapors.
“I’m sure your mother would never allow that,” Dizzy replied, her voice coming out shockingly normal despite the turmoil in her belly. “No, it was directed to the universe in general and myself in particular. I just want you to know that I don’t expect the Anderson family to rush in and save my job just because Leann and I are friends.”
“How about we save it because what you do is important?”
This conversation was going places she hadn’t expected.
“Where is Easton Andrew Anderson and what have you done with him?” she demanded in a haughty tone. “You might look like him but you don’t act like him.”
He finished off the last of his water and laughed. “I’m trying something new.”
Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Have him sign the certificates and leave. Don’t flirt.
“Such as?”
I am truly an idiot.
“It has been brought to my attention that I need to be more human, more open, if I don’t want to end up alone and bitter telling kids to get off my lawn. My own twin told me I was too much work to be around.”
Dizzy’s mouth fell open. “Noah said that? Really?”
“Really,” Easton confirmed. “So I’m thinking that maybe I need to try and be more like him. More…easygoing and less…what was the word he used? Uptight. I might as well. I was already trying to be less of an asshole.”
An image of Easton dressed casually, cutting loose in some local honkytonk with one of Carter’s floozies came unbidden into Dizzy’s brain and she couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. That was the last thing he needed to do.
“I don’t think you’re uptight.”