She’d made the best decision. Zach knew it, but raged at the necessity. He’d enjoyed yesterday, seeing the progress on the house, sure, but also because he’d caught regular glimpses of Tess working her butt off, laughing at jokes or teasing someone else, blushing when he caught her stealing glances at him.
Seeing her genuine enthusiasm for what he was trying to do with the house had energized him, too. This evening, he felt...let down...even though he now had a new roof and maybe some new friends.
He’d been amazed at how many of his crew had showed up for the second day. A few had been missing because, this being Monday, they’d had to work, but two neighbors showed up ready to pitch in, including Dean Thompson from right next door. The boy had helped haul debris, too, and Karen, accompanied by her wide-eyed daughter, had brought over pitchers of lemonade.
But Tess’s absence had clouded Zach’s mood all day.
Once everyone was gone, he found himself prowling through the house, evaluating it anew. Physically exhausted, he still felt restless. He found himself trying to see it through Tess’s eyes.
She was right—the glassed-in porch had potential as a sort of sitting room or casual dining room. It occurred to him that, since it stretched all the way across the back of the house, he could divide it, keeping a small utility room while opening the rest of the space to the kitchen. Yeah, that would work.
Kid’s bedroom, he decided, and maybe a study there. Master bedroom could either be upstairs, once the second bathroom was in, or down here. If he were a parent, he’d want his bedroom on the same floor as his children’s while they were young.
Even if that sometimes wasn’t enough to protect those kids.
Just a pedestal sink and shower in the bathroom upstairs, he decided, maybe open shelves for towels, an in-wall medicine cabinet. Full vanity, sink and tub down. If he could find a claw-footed tub not too far out of his budget it would suit the house. Yeah, but then what about a shower?
In the end all his attempt to distract himself did was bring his thoughts full circle to Tess.
She triggered something in him that he didn’t recognize. Zach didn’t like it—whatever “it” was. He should be relieved that he had an excuse not to get involved with her. The very fact that he was on edge like this told him he’d be smart to stay away.
Too bad she wasn’t already married or at least involved. She wouldn’t have had to turn to Zach, then. She probably wouldn’t have looked at him the way she did in the first place.
But he didn’t like the idea of her with another man. Depending on him to keep her safe. Sleeping with him. Giving him instead of Zach that wide-eyed look and down-deep knowing.
“Crap.” The word echoed in the empty house. He yanked at his hair until it hurt.
He pulled out his phone. Nothing. That meant she was okay, right?
What if she had made the decision to quit turning to him when something happened? He hadn’t liked her tone on the phone that morning, as if she was closing a door. Damn it, she had to know how useless the Clear Creek cops were turning out to be. She wouldn’t be stupid enough to shut him out completely, would she?
Maybe he should go by her house.
Maybe he shouldn’t.
What would it hurt? He could park a block or so away again. With it dark out, no one would see him make a quick stop by her house. He could make sure she was okay and reinforce his order for her to call him if anything unsettling happened. Promise to keep her informed, too. They were in this together, after all.
He locked up his house but left on porch lights front and back. Next couple of days he’d install a motion-sensitive floodlight on the back of the house and maybe one over the detached garage. Doing some damage to his house would be a logical next step in the campaign to make him back down.
He was going to be damn careful where he parked his pickup from now on, too.
Tonight he’d left it on the same block he had the first time he’d visited Tess, and walked the block to her house knowing he was passing unseen but for the short distance under a streetlight.
Something smelled good in her garden. Inhaling, he decided it was lilac. This was the right time of year, wasn’t it? He’d have to plant one in his yard. Not, he reminded himself, that he’d be around long enough to see the new bush reach any size.