The Closer He Gets

She could only pray he didn’t suspect how she felt about him.

Suddenly aware of how frighteningly vulnerable she was standing there in plain sight of anyone, Tess hastily retreated inside, closed the door and turned the dead bolt.

She didn’t exactly look forward to letting him back in.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“SO, WHAT DID you do today?” Tess asked as she spread the napkin on her lap. As conversational openers went, it wasn’t brilliant, but she was scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

It was the next day and she had come home from work to find Zach’s truck already in the garage. The moment she’d stepped in the house she’d smelled dinner cooking and saw that his hair was damp from a shower.

Zach glanced at her. “Doyle stopped by and I gave him a key. He says they can start Wednesday or Thursday.”

“Are you having him go ahead and plumb the second bathroom upstairs while he’s there?”

“Yeah. That’ll be the most time-consuming part of the job.” He shrugged. “I bought new windows. Today I replaced about half of them. Picked up paint samples, too.”

“For the exterior?”

He nodded. “I can see a few clapboards that need replacing, but most are in good shape. I might be able to do that work and paint next weekend. How was your day?”

Apparently he was going to make an effort. They were on a roll.

“Truthfully, pretty boring,” Tess said. “Greg and I have talked off and on about closing on Monday as well as Sunday. I think I’m going to push for us to do it. More often than not, we both end up working six days a week and I’m tired of it. Mondays are the slowest for us, and I have to believe people will come a different day instead of going to a competitor.” She made a face. “Anyway. I filled my day browsing manufacturer’s catalogs and chatting with a few people I know aren’t ready to actually buy yet. If ever. They just like to dream.”

And don’t we all, she thought wryly.

“So you were alone a lot.”

“More than sometimes,” she admitted, waiting for him to grumble. When he didn’t, she decided to tiptoe into what had become a delicate subject. “Did you think any today about where to go with your investigation?”

He took a bite, his expression not changing. “No.”

O-ka-ay. Tess wasn’t about to push it. She nodded and continued eating. Let him make a stab at conversation.

“Tess... About last night.”

On any topic but this one.

“Forget about it.” She pushed back from the table. “I’ll put coffee on.”

Zach hadn’t moved when she eventually returned. It didn’t look as if he’d even taken another bite. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“You already apologized. That’s enough.”

Turbulent blue eyes met hers. “It was inexcusable.”

“We all go off the rails once in a while. Now, can we not talk about it?”

He’d been gone an hour and a half last night. He had taken a long walk, he said, which she’d had no reason to doubt. And, yes, he’d had to ring the doorbell. When she’d let him in, he had been gasping for breath. “I suddenly realized—” puff, puff, puff “—that I didn’t remember locking.”

“Or mentioning that you were going out.”

“God, Tess. I’m sorry.”

“I’d have reason to complain if I were paying you for twenty-four-seven bodyguard services.” Sounding composed had taken some serious effort. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed. Please lock up behind you.”

When he had appeared in the bedroom a short while later she’d kept her back to him, hoping he couldn’t tell her whole body was rigid.

He’d been smart enough not to reach for her.

This morning they had both gone about getting ready for the day without exchanging more than a few words. “Excuse me.”

“Would you like scrambled eggs if I make some?”

“No, thank you.”

That made her, and probably him, too, feel exceedingly awkward this evening.

She went back to the kitchen to pour the coffee then cleared the table as he watched, brooding.

Once the dishwasher was loaded, she retreated to the living room and turned on the TV instead of returning to the table where he still sat. There had to be something worthwhile on, she thought desperately. She found “Antiques Roadshow” and settled down to watch—or, at least, to pretend to watch. Thank goodness the show filled the silence.