He laughed. “I won’t make my final-final decision until I meet her and actually see inside the place. If I get a good feeling about the whole deal, I’ll pull the trigger.”
“Okay.” I took a sip of coffee, then considered. “You’re going to need a hard hat for the tour.”
With a grin he asked, “You got one I can borrow?”
“I might have one or two hanging around.”
“Great.” Then his eyes narrowed. “Are they pink?”
I was well known for using pink tools on my construction sites, along with pink hard hats and tool belts. My pink tools were just as rugged and strong as the usual ones, but for some reason my guys never mistook them for their own.
“I do have a pink hat,” I said, “but you can use the manly blue one if you prefer.”
“Definitely,” he said, his voice going deeper than normal.
I chuckled. “I’ll get it for you.” At the back door, I turned. “Hey, you should see if Rachel will give you a tour of Jane’s hotel space. Then we can compare notes.”
He shot me an appreciative look. “Great idea.”
As I walked out to the garage, I wondered if one building inside the Gables was pretty much the same as another. Since I had only seen inside Building Seven, I didn’t know if it was in worse or better condition than the others. It didn’t matter, I thought, but I was hoping Mac would be able to tour a couple of the buildings and give me his impressions.
* * *
* * *
An hour later I stood in the driveway and waved good-bye to Mac, just as Jane pulled up in front of my house. The two of them waved to each other and Jane walked up the drive.
“Hey, kiddo,” I said. “What are you doing here?”
“I just got home from the conference last night so I thought I’d come by and say hello. And also talk to you about the Gables project.”
“Well then, hello.” I gave her a hug. “Let’s go inside.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “How’s Mac?”
“He’s wonderful. He’s going up to tour the Gables this morning.”
“Really? With Rachel?”
“Yeah. He’s thinking of investing.”
“That would be fantastic.”
“I think he’s almost convinced. I’m hoping Rachel does a good job of selling it to him.”
“Oh, she will. She’s gaga over the place.”
“Good.” I pushed open the kitchen door. “Come on in.”
We were greeted at the door by Robbie, who barked joyfully. I shook my head. “You’d think I’d been gone for a year.”
“Oh, but he’s such a good boy,” Jane said, and knelt down to play with the frisky dog. “Yes, you are.”
Tiger was her usual aloof self, although she did finally stroll over to rub up against Jane’s legs. Jane reached down and gave the cat’s soft furry back a few long strokes.
“Do you want coffee?” I asked.
She stood. “Sure. Thanks.”
I poured two mugs and set them on the table. Jane sat down and I joined her.
“So, Mac spent the night.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.”
She looked at me through narrowed eyes. “Is he moving in?”
“No.” I smiled at her and placed a pitcher of half-and-half on the table. “He just likes to spend time with me and it makes me happy to have him here.”
Jane gave me a cockeyed look. “Why doesn’t he just move in?”
“Because he has his own beautiful home just up the highway. And I should know how beautiful it is because I did the full rehab, remember?”
“You’re skirting the issue, Shannon.”
“Maybe.” I gave a light shrug.
“He’s here most of the time and he wants to be with you. So why haven’t you invited him to move in?”
“I’ve told him he’s welcome to stay with me anytime he wants.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
I sighed. “Do you want sugar?”
“Yes, please.”
I jumped up and grabbed the sugar bowl from the counter. “I just don’t want to push it.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” she murmured. “But you should because you deserve to be happy.”
“I am happy,” I insisted, sitting down and sliding the sugar bowl over to her. “Heck, most days I’m practically ecstatic.”
She eyed me with suspicion. “The fact that you don’t want to push it makes me think you’re afraid to push it.”
Up to this point, the conversation was a familiar one, but I was about to delve into new territory.
“I’m not afraid,” I insisted. “Well, not exactly. Okay, maybe I’m a little afraid, but it’s not the kind of fear that has me shrieking at a bug or freaking out in a dark basement.”
“Of course not. You’re the bravest person I know.” She grimaced. “I’m the one who’s afraid of bugs.”
I smiled at her. It was true. “It’s just that I feel like Mac and I have gotten to the point in our relationship where I just want to know what the next step is. But it’s hard to ask that question without sounding pathetic.”
“I totally get that.” She clutched her collar and whined, “Don’t you want to marry me?”
I laughed. “Yeah. Sounds pretty lame.”
“But you still want to know.”
I sighed. “I guess I’m worried that things between us will change if I go there.”
Jane nodded slowly, then shrugged. “So for now, don’t go there. And maybe one of these days when you least expect it, he’ll go there.”
“So just wait for him to make the move.” I winced. “Does that make me a complete chicken?”
“Not at all,” she said stoutly, then thought about it. “Well, maybe half a chicken.”
I chuckled. “Your unflinching support makes me feel all warm and snuggly.”
She smacked my arm. “You know I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She took a sip of coffee. “I actually stopped by to see you for another reason.”