“It’s a wonderful place you’ve created here.”
Ember folded her arms. “She didn’t do it on her own, you know.”
“Few people can feel really good about their jobs, but I do.” Mike glanced at Ember, his gaze warming...and then he dismissed her. “If you don’t need anything else, I figured I’d head into town for a bit. Tracy and Flynn mentioned the diner’s chocolate lava cake, so I promised to bring back two slices with me.”
Guilt made her frown. “Mom and Dad shouldn’t impose on you...but wow, that does sound good.”
His smile came big and easy. “It’s not a problem. Your folks keep me entertained.”
She could guess what that meant. “Mom gave you another sculpture, didn’t she?” Her mother unintentionally made sexually suggestive sculptures that left Ember and Autumn red-faced more often than not. What should be one thing always ended up looking like something altogether different.
“I had to build a special bookcase to hold them all.” Winking, he headed for the door, and just before he stepped out, he added, “I’ll bring some cake back for you, too.”
Once the door closed behind him, Ember drifted toward it, looked out, then huffed. “He didn’t offer me cake.”
Autumn figured he wanted to offer her sister something altogether different. “Maybe if you were nicer to him...?”
“I’m nice to everyone.” Turning back with a grin, she said, “Next time we shear the sheep, I’m going to offer to give him a trim, too.”
“I like his hair longer.” It curled against his neck, but didn’t quite touch his big shoulders.
“Because you, sister dear, are into the messy look.” Giving her a critical once-over, Ember nodded. “You know, Mike is right. You do look nice without a lot of makeup.”
“Dad calls makeup war paint.”
“Dad enjoys harassing Mom.”
“And Mom enjoys the attention.”
Ember hesitated, then released a long breath. “I’m sorry about mentioning your sweaty head.”
Good God, Ember made her sound like the Niagara Falls of perspiration. “I’m often outside measuring stuff, you know.” A lot of her design work was specifically geared toward kids’ rooms and play areas, but she also created outdoor living spaces, man caves, she sheds, converted garages and more.
“I work outside, too,” Ember pointed out.
“But you would never admit to sweating.”
“Very true.” She smoothed a long hank of Autumn’s hair, then let her hand linger on her shoulder. “Anyway, I’m sorry. It was a stupid thing to say. Mike makes me... I don’t know. Mean?” Liking that word, she nodded. “He makes me mean, but I should save all my meanness for him, not you.”
Of all the ridiculous things! “He’s an amazing employee. Why would you be mean to him?”
“He ignores me.”
Autumn snorted. “No, he doesn’t.”
“He treats me the same as the animals. Or—” she wrinkled her nose “—Mom and Dad. It’s disturbing.” Ember flagged a hand. “He jokes with you, like you two are close pals, and I’m just a shadow hanging around.”
Sudden comprehension widened Autumn’s eyes. “You want him to be interested.”
Ember sniffed, doing her best to look unaffected. “Maybe a little, but I shouldn’t have insulted you to get it.”
Especially since that tactic had backfired. Still a little amazed, Autumn said, “So you—”
“At least the jeans fit you instead of being all baggy.” She tugged on a belt loop, almost pulling Autumn off her feet. “And I like your shirt. That’s a good color for you.”
Glancing down at her own chest, Autumn admired the bright tangerine hue. Personally, she thought it added color to her cheeks. “It’s nice, right?”
“Very.” With a glance at the clock, Ember urged her toward the door. “If you don’t leave now, you might be stuck behind the train and then you’ll be late.”
Since Tash was on the other side of the lake, and it didn’t make sense to take the boat then walk several blocks, she’d have to drive around and that meant crossing the railroad tracks.
“Well, shoot.” She snatched up her big satchel of design materials, her portfolio, so she could show her previous projects, and slung the strap of her loaded purse over her shoulder.
Ember surprised her by kissing her cheek. “Go get him.”
“Get the job, you mean.” This trip—nice shirt and all—wasn’t about anything else. But she had to admit, having Ember’s approval of her overall look gave her added confidence. “I’ll see what he wants first.”
Bobbing her eyebrows, Ember grinned.
“Stop that.” Fighting a laugh at her sister’s antics, Autumn shoved open the door and hurried to her truck, aware of Ember standing there smiling like a sap...and looking like she knew a secret.
Chapter Two
An-n-nd...of course, her air-conditioning died while she was stuck waiting for the train to pass.
For several minutes she vigorously fanned herself with a sheath of papers, which sort of, maybe, stirred the thick air a little.
Kentucky in July wasn’t for wimps. On top of the ninety-plus temps, humidity settled on everything, curling her papers, expanding her hair, leaving her skin dewy and gluing her clothes to her skin.
Arriving at the address Ember had given her a solid five minutes late, she hurried from the truck and started up the walk.
Sunset, Kentucky, was a small town that, like the home she shared with her sister, had a definite divide. One side of the lake boasted farms and acreage, some heavy woods and a wide creek.
On the other side, several communities—some waterfront, some not—seemed to fill up every foot of space. This was where residents did their shopping, saw doctors or dentists and enjoyed entertainment other than swimming and boating. Two movie theaters, several restaurants, a roller rink, miniature golf and one rather rinky-dink “nightclub” made this side of Sunset the happenin’ place.
Overall, Autumn preferred the quiet life on the farm, but since she did most of her regular work here, she was familiar with all the streets.
The address for Tash led her to a cozy white clapboard house with a somewhat barren yard. There were only a few trees, but since his house was in a newer section of homes, maybe landscaping was still on the agenda. Admiring the house, with its dark shutters and paned windows, she’d almost reached the porch before she realized a young girl was peeking at her through the rails.