The Maverick - By Jan Hudson Page 0,46
that direction.
“It’s a possibility, but it would cost considerably more. I recommend you put it right here between these two windows.” He showed her several styles to choose from, then gave her a price for each.
“I love this one,” Cass said, pointing out a contemporary one, faced with slate. “Let’s do it.”
“Good choice,” he said. “A lot of people are putting their flat screen TVs over the fireplace. Want me to wire yours for a TV?”
“Great idea. How much will it cost?”
She was surprised at how little he quoted, and she scribbled the figure in her notebook a second before the helpers knocked on the front door. Greg instructed the two men on what to load in his truck, and while they were doing so, Cass called the owner of the new office space and told her they were on the way.
Greg drove the men and the furniture to the new site, and Cass followed behind. The furniture was moved and the office set up in less than an hour.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this, Greg,” she told him warmly.
“Consider it my donation to POAC. Want to grab a bite of lunch at the place across the street?”
Cass hesitated. She rarely ate lunch so early.
“I wanted to go over some particulars about trim work and paint.”
“Sure,” she said. “I’m always up for Chinese. What about your men?”
“Chick will pick them up. He’s on his way.”
She and Greg walked across the street and went inside. It felt a little strange to be with another man and have him opening the door and touching her back to steer her to a table. Was she picking up some subtle signals or was he just another friendly guy?
After they ordered, he did indeed go over some ideas he had for the crown molding in both houses, as well as railings for the porches to make them look different from one another. He also suggested using reclaimed lumber. They decided on granite countertops for her house and concrete ones for the rental, and discussed interior molding colors.
When their food came, they put aside their respective notes and ate.
“Tell me,” he said, “what have you been doing since high school?”
Cass briefly told him about college and law school and her stint as a lawyer in New York. “I stood it as long as I could, and then I headed back to Texas last year. I didn’t like being a lawyer, and I missed home and my sister. What about you? As I recall, you had a football scholarship somewhere.”
“I did. UCLA. I was studying architecture there, but I blew out my knee in my junior year. Surgery fixed me up to do everything except play football, and I dropped out of school. For a few years I knocked around California learning the building trades. Like you, I started missing Texas and my family, so I headed home a couple of years ago.”
“Married? Children?”
He shook his head. “Nope. How about you?”
Cass had a feeling she needed to discourage any ideas of a personal relationship between them. “Nope. Me neither, but I’ve been seeing a very special guy. This may be the one.”
“Then it wouldn’t do me any good to ask you out on date?”
She smiled. “Sorry. I’m pretty sure my guy wouldn’t approve.”
“Well, damn. A day late and a dollar short. You know, I used to have a crush on you when you were a cute little sophomore cheerleader.”
Cass laughed. “On Sunny or me?”
“Both of you, to tell the truth. I couldn’t tell one from the other. But you seemed too young for me at the time.”
“How funny. I figured you didn’t know we were alive. So you never went back to get your architecture degree?”
He shook his head. “I kept putting it off for one reason or another, and now I’m too old.”
“I don’t think you’re ever too old to go back to school.”
“Maybe you’re right, but I have people dependent on me now. My mom isn’t in the best of health, and I support her and my special-needs sister.”
While they finished lunch, Cass told him briefly about Sunny’s life, as well. Greg was easy to talk to, and she really liked him, but the zing she felt with Griff simply wasn’t there. She didn’t have the slightest urge to jump across the table and nibble his ear or kiss him senseless.
Sorry, Mom.
SHE MISSED GRIFF dreadfully. Even though he called every day, it wasn’t enough. Her days were busy and full, but