She opened her mouth, closed it again. Cleared her throat, sipped wine. "Well. Blunt. "
"Different sort of woman, I'd just go for the mattress. " At her strangled half laugh, he lifted his wine. And waited while their first course was served. "But as it is, you're a. . . since we're having this nice meal together I'll say you're a cautious sort of woman. "
"You wanted to say tight-ass. "
He grinned, appreciating her. "You'll never know. Added to that, we both work for Roz, and I wouldn't do anything to mess her up. Not intentionally. You've got two kids to worry about. And I don't know how tender you might be yet over losing your husband. So instead of my hauling you off to bed, we're having dinner conversation. "
She took a minute to think it through. At the root, she couldn't find anything wrong with his logic. In fact, she agreed with it. "All right. First Roz. I won't do anything to mess her up either. So whatever happens here, we agree to maintain a courteous working relationship. "
"Might not always be courteous, but it'll be about the work. "
"Fair enough. My boys are my priority, first and last. Not only because they have to be," she added, "but because I want them to be. Nothing will change that. "
"Anything did, I wouldn't have much respect for you. "
"Well. " She waited just a moment because his response had not only been blunt again, but was one she appreciated a great deal. "As for Kevin, I loved him very much. Losing him cut me in two, the part that just wanted to lie down and die, and the part that had to go through the grief and the anger and the motions - and live. "
"Takes courage to live. "
Her eyes stung, and she took one very careful breath. "Thank you. I had to put myself back together. For the kids, for myself. I'll never feel for another man exactly what I felt for him. I don't think I should. But that doesn't mean I can't be interested in and attracted to someone else. It doesn't mean I'm fated to live my life alone. "
He sat for a moment. "How can such a sensible woman have an emotional attachment to forms and invoices?"
"How can such a talented man be so disorganized?" More relaxed than she'd imagined, she enjoyed her salad. "I drove by the Dawson job again. "
"Oh, yeah?"
"I realize you still have a few finishing touches that have to wait until all danger of frost is over, but I wanted to tell you it's good work. No, that's wrong. It's not. It's exceptional work. "
"Thanks. You take more pictures?"
"I did. We'll be using some of them - before and after - in the landscaping section of the Web site I'm designing. "
"No shit. "
"None whatsoever. I'm going to make Roz more money, Logan. She makes more, you make more. The site's going to generate more business for the landscaping arm. I guarantee it. "
"It's hard to find a downside on that one. "
"You know what I envy you most?"
"My sparkling personality. "
/> "No, you don't sparkle in the least. Your muscle. "
"You envy my muscle? I don't think it'd look so good on you, Red. "
"Whenever I'd start a project at home - back home - I couldn't do it all myself. I have vision - not as creative as yours, maybe, but I can see what I want, and I've got considerable skill. But when it comes to the heavy, manual labor of it, I'm out. It's frustrating because with some of it, I'd really like to do it all myself. And I can't. So I envy you the muscle that means you can. "
"I imagine whether you're doing it or directing it, it's done the way you want. "
She smiled into her wine. "Goes without saying. I've heard you've got a place not far from Roz's. "
"About two miles out. " When their main courses were served, Logan cut a chunk off his catfish, laid it on her plate.
Stella stared at it. "Well. Hmmm. "
"I bet you tell your kids they don't know if they like something or not until they've tried it. "