Driftwood Lane (Nantucket #4)(15)

“I bought the doors already, but if you don’t like them, you can pick out different ones.”

“They’re steel? With dead bolts?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She was sure there was sarcasm in the drawled word. Or maybe it was that twitch of his lips again.

“Then they’ll be just fine.” She loaded the forks and started the machine. It whirred loudly into motion.

She decided to start the laundry, as much to put some space between them as anything. Between the kids’ clothes and the bedding, it seemed she was always running a load. She started the washer, then vacuumed the guest suite and fluffed the pillows. Satisfied the room was perfection, she returned to the kitchen to check the dough.

She lifted the cloth and frowned. It was the same smooth ball it had been before. Maybe it needed more time.

She re-covered it and forced herself to check on Jake, stifling the inner voice that was coaxing her to hide in her bedroom the rest of the day.

The new door unit leaned against the wall, so big and heavy-looking it was hard to believe he’d managed it by himself. Her eyes scanned the length of his arms, the width of his shoulders. Okay, maybe not so hard.

She forced an image of Stephen into her mind, the one from the photo on her nightstand upstairs. Wearing a jacket and tie, hair nicely clipped, jaw freshly shaven. The picture of an ideal man.

Feeling reassured, she turned her attention to the doorway. The framing looked sturdy, but the opening seemed wider than the door unit. Or maybe it was the angle.

He held a nail in place and gave three hard taps, driving it home.

“Are you sure it’ll fit?” she asked.

He pulled a nail from between his teeth and set it in place. “I’m sure.” Thwack, thwack, thwack.

“How do you know?”

“I measured.”

She pursed her lips. Well, of course he measured, she just hoped he’d measured right. “I didn’t know the door would come with the frame thing already attached.”

“It’s pre-hung.”

Meridith stepped closer to the new unit and ran her hand over the smooth surface; then she knocked, getting a feel for the door’s sturdiness. It seemed solid.

When she turned, Jake was standing over her. His nearness startled her. “Oh!”

“Need my level.”

Did the man not understand personal space? She stepped back.

His lips twitched as he retrieved the tool. Not just the corner, but his whole lips. Not that she was looking.

“Is something funny?”

He reached toward her, his caramel eyes holding her captive.

Her breath caught in her throat as his hand brushed the side of her face. The touch was nothing but a whisper, but it left a trail of fire. She couldn’t move if she tried. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

He held up his finger, and she pulled her eyes from his. “Flour,” he said.

Her scrambled brain took two full seconds, then she turned, wiping her cheek, hating the blush she knew was flooding her face as she exited the room.





Nine

Jake checked his watch, then set down the hammer and took a deep drink of Coke. The kids would be there soon. His ears were tuned for the screeching bus brakes. If he were smart, he’d have told Meridith he had to leave at three o’clock each day so he wouldn’t run the risk of them giving him away.

But then he wouldn’t get to see them, make sure they were safe. Besides, how was he supposed to gather evidence if he didn’t see Meridith with them? So far she seemed relatively normal, but time would tell.

The downstairs partition was complete except for drywall and paint touch-up, but this upstairs doorway was wider, required more framing. He thought the whole concept was ridiculous anyway. What did Meridith think, a serial murderer was coming to stay at a B-and-B on Nantucket? But maybe paranoia was a part of the illness.

He couldn’t help but wonder, though, why she was having the other work done. Was she fixing up the place so she could stay, or fixing it up so she could sell? He couldn’t imagine her fiancé leaving his job and home to come care for someone else’s kids.

The phone rang, and he heard Meridith answer at the base of the stairs. She’d been busy all day, though she made time to stand over his shoulder plenty.

However, he’d discovered the key to getting rid of her. Just a few personal questions, and she ran for cover. He smothered a grin. Might be kind of entertaining.

The screeching bus brakes drew his attention. He hoped Noelle had reminded Ben and Max to be careful. They’d see his truck. At least, he hoped they would. Meridith was still on the phone—good that she was distracted.

The door clicked open, followed by the shuffles of three kids and the rustling of jackets. Had they seen his truck?

They clomped up the stairs, arguing about something someone said on the bus. He heard a smack.

“Stop it! I’m telling!” Ben said.

“Who you going to tell?” Max said.

“Meridith!”

“Shhhhh!” Meridith called. “Children, I’m on the phone with a guest.”

“She’s on the phone with a guest,” Noelle mimicked quietly.

They were nearly to the top now. They hadn’t seen his truck. He had to warn them.

They rounded the corner and he drew his finger to his lips. But not soon enough.