guess it’s not hard for people to add up one plus one.” And frequently come up with three or four or more.
Kerri nodded and stared down at her cup for a long moment, clearly uncomfortable about something. Not wanting to hear any more troubling gossip, Jessica didn’t encourage her.
“Um…” Kerri finally said, looking up. “The thing is, I heard about Topher’s plans because I went to Annie’s place with Colton last night, and—”
“You did?” Jessica sat up straighter in her chair, a ray of sunshine leaking through the cloud that had been hanging over her all morning.
Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Maybe the answer to her problem was to find Colton a gorgeous and successful girlfriend. Someone exactly like Kerri Eaton.
“I feel so guilty about it,” Kerri continued. “I mean, I’m sure you’re going to hear gossip, and I just wanted you to know that it was completely innocent. And really, I felt like I needed to come up here and let you know because…” She didn’t finish the sentence.
“You think we’ve got a thing?” Jessica asked.
“Don’t you? I mean, didn’t you have some kind of lover’s quarrel last night?”
Oh, good grief. When would people stop?
“We did have an argument last night, but it wasn’t a lover’s quarrel. We don’t have a thing.” Jessica didn’t explain further because anything she said would be fed into the grapevine and come out garbled on the other end. Sometimes it felt as if she could stand on a mountaintop and shout the truth and not a soul would believe her.
“Really? Because, you know, he spent a lot of time telling me how worried he is about you.”
“Worried? D—” She swallowed back the cuss word and gripped the arms of her chair.
“Well, maybe not worried. Concerned about things.”
“What things?” Jessica leaned forward, irritation flaring into real anger at Colton for running his mouth about her. He knew better.
“I guess he’s concerned about this City Hall design competition. He told me that you’re going up against some really big firms.”
“So what? Everyone has to start somewhere.”
The corner of Kerri’s mouth twitched. “I guess that’s true.”
“I’m fine. I know it’s a long shot, but you have to take risks to gain rewards, right? And besides, he knows good and well that I just landed the Martin project.”
“Whoa, wait,” Kerri said, putting her hands out palms forward. “I think you misunderstood. Colton is rooting for you. He just—”
“Spent the whole night talking about me?” Jessica met Kerri’s stare.
“Well, not the entire time,” Kerri said. “We did talk a little about the chamber of commerce and the general business climate. But otherwise.” Kerri’s normally straight shoulders slumped. It was clear that her landlady had an unrequited crush on Colton.
Because Colton was an idiot.
“Good grief.” Jessica looked away, studying the morning sunshine pouring through her front windows. If she had any skills at matchmaking, this would be the time to whip them out. But alas, she was a dolt when it came to relationships.
“You know, Jess, I’d give my right arm to have a man like that worry about me,” Kerri said.
That was probably true. But Jessica liked her right arm a lot and didn’t want to give it away for anyone, not even Colton. She turned back toward Kerri. “You’re right,” she said. “Colton is a great guy. But he’s my friend, and that’s it. So if you want to make a play for him, go right ahead. You have my blessing.”
Kerri put her empty cup on the desk and met Jessica’s stare. “Really? You’re not ticked off that I had dinner with him?”
“I’m not his keeper,” Jessica said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m super busy. I’ve got that City Hall project to finish.”
And by golly, just like that, she had found a way to push Colton out of her mind. If the man was running around town talking about her, then her anger was entirely justified.
Chapter Four
Late Tuesday afternoon, after prowling around Rose Cottage like a caged beast, Topher screwed up his courage and limped his way down the crushed-shell pathway that bisected Howland House’s broad lawn. The path led past an ancient live oak that overlooked Moonlight Bay and a small swimming beach, which would be abandoned this time of day.
Ashley didn’t have that many guests this week. So he had a reasonable chance of being left alone while he floundered around in the water. But maybe, if he came out here and swam every day, he’d get stronger. And maybe, by the