the harder they fall.”
“You’re not going to fall,” Lacey said before turning to Jocelyn. “He’s got the financing figured out and he’s found these amazing deals on everything we need. The subs love him.”
Clay lifted his booted feet and dropped them on his desk, grinning at Jocelyn. “My wife forgot the walking-on-water part,” he said with a self-deprecating eye roll. “And speaking of the subs, I missed my villa carpenter yesterday. Is he going to be back or are you two off gallivanting around Naples again today?”
“They weren’t gallivanting,” Lacey corrected. “Were you?”
“We looked at an assisted-living facility for my father.” And then there was a wee bit of gallivanting. “I can go on my own if you need him. I really don’t want to be the one to slow down progress on this.” She gestured toward the plans, but Lacey moved the blueprints away.
“If you need him, take him,” she said. “We’ll be fine.”
Clay made a face that said they wouldn’t be fine at all. “You’re really getting soft, Lace,” he said with a smile.
Lacey smiled back. Jocelyn had the distinct feeling that there was a serious silent conversation going on and she definitely did not speak the secret language.
“I’ll do some more work down at my father’s house today,” Jocelyn said. “I can go visit some of the other places tomorrow. It’s just that Will wants to go. He’s so…” She shook her head. “Invested.”
“He cares about your dad,” Clay said. “I’ve picked that up in things he’s said.”
Jocelyn cast her eyes toward the plans, not wanting to respond to that statement. She didn’t have to look up to know Lacey and Clay were silently communicating again.
Let them. They didn’t understand; they didn’t know the whole story. Nobody did.
Well, a few people did. Unlikely people. Charity Grambling. Coco Kirkman.
“The thing I like about Will,” Clay said slowly, taking his feet off the desk so he could lean forward to make his point, or maybe just to get Jocelyn to meet his piercing blue gaze. “Besides the fact that he is one of the most meticulous and talented carpenters I’ve ever met, is that he’s, you know, full of heart.”
The words, for some reason, stabbed at Jocelyn’s own heart. That was just so true—and so scary. Jocelyn wasn’t full of heart. Her heart was closed, firm and tight, and Will’s was wide open and giving.
He deserved someone who could love him the way he loved, and that would never, ever be her.
“Was he always that way?” Lacey asked Jocelyn. “I mean, when I knew him as a teenager, he was just that superstar baseball player who was going to be the next Derek Jeter.”
Jocelyn smiled. “I guess he’s always been an emotional guy. Played baseball with heart and now he builds villas with heart.” And kisses with heart.
“And now,” Clay added as he stood. “He does adult day care with heart.”
But that was wrong. That adult hadn’t earned Will’s heart.
“You headed out?” Lacey asked, looking up at Clay with warmth in her golden brown eyes.
“The DOT guys are coming at seven-thirty to do the embankment inspections. When the Department of Transportation shows, I’m there.” He came around the back of the table, placing his hands on Lacey’s shoulders to lean over and look at the plans. “So, Jocelyn, you like this high-end superorganic over-the-top-expensive spa and wellness center?”
Jocelyn laughed at the hint of sarcasm in his tone. “I think it’s amazing and, as an investor, I think it’s going to be quite profitable.”
“It could be,” he agreed. “But expensive as hell to build.”
“The spa isn’t important to Clay,” Lacey explained. “He’s all about the structures and design.”
He bent over and kissed her head. “Take it easy today, okay?” he whispered.
She shot him a look and nodded. “Easy as I can considering…” Her voice trailed off and they shared one more look. “Considering what we’re building here,” she finished.
“Just don’t get stressed out.” One more kiss and he straightened, giving Jocelyn a wink. “She’s the one who’s going to need a spa treatment.”
Lacey flicked away the idea with a disdainful fingertip. “I’ve had enough while I did research. I just want to get this thing done, fast. Go get the roads approved, Clay, so we can pour the asphalt and start building the privacy wall.”
He gave her shoulder a squeeze but looked at Jocelyn. “She’s a slave driver.”
“She’s in a hurry,” Lacey corrected. “And we want to stay on schedule.”
He saluted her. “Got it, boss. See ya, ladies.”
He poured another