Saved by Love (Willow Valley Book 3)(3)

"Abby," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"You must be Jesse's sister." He glanced back at Lissa, who was watching their interaction with obvious interest, and she nodded.

"Yes, this is Jesse's sister, Abigail Stewart. Abby, Ethan Barnes." Lissa had a gleam in her eye that told Ethan all he needed to know. She was already matchmaking. He barely refrained from rolling his eyes. He could handle things just fine on his own.

Abby let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't think I'll ever get used to everyone knowing everything about me. Even complete strangers. It's like I'm on display in the circus."

The way she said it had Ethan thinking there was more to her frustration than the lack of privacy that went along with living in a small town.

Just then Braden walked up. "Here, man, you grab that end and we'll get this knocked out."

Abby must have realized she'd be better off if she just let them take care of it because she stopped resisting his efforts to help and pointed up to the second floor where she'd been standing when he first spotted her.

"Number two-oh-four." She turned to Lissa and said, "I guess I've got it from here if you need to get going."

Lissa caught his eye before answering her. "Yeah, I do think I'll be on my way. Oh, and I was going to ask you about that girls' night."

Abby sighed. "I don't know."

"Well, I know it's not because you're exhausted from moving or unpacking. I won't take no for an answer." Lissa pitched her voice louder as Ethan made his way further from where they were still standing. "Tonight at eight. It's time I introduced you to the Old Gin."

Ethan shook his head, grinning. Could she be any more obvious?

Braden caught his eye as they braced the mattress to haul it up the stairs. "Looks like we're headed to the Old Gin tonight? Show the new girl in town how we do it in Willow Valley?"

Ethan frowned, just now noticing the way Braden was eying Abby, and not liking it. "What do you know about her?"

Braden shrugged as they topped the stairs and angled the mattress through the front door and sat it down. "Probably not much more than you. Just that she's been in town for months and nobody knows hardly anything about her. She never goes out, keeps to herself except for her family. Strange, if you ask me."

He wanted to ask more, but Abby walked through the door then, glancing between the two of them and pointing toward the only other door he saw in the apartment.

"Bedroom's through here. I guess just prop it up against the wall. I have to assemble the frame first."

Ethan felt a sudden urge to help her out, to finish the job. "Let me take care of it for you. It's the least I could do."

Abby frowned. "I think you've done enough. Thanks, but I've got it. I'm sure you need to get back to work."

"Actually, this is my last stop. I'm off for the day." He turned to Braden. "You go ahead and take the truck back. I'll find my way home."

"No, really," Abby said in a rush. "Don't go to any trouble on my part. I don't want you to not have a ride home."

Braden laughed. "I wouldn't be too worried about that. He lives downstairs." He clapped Ethan on the back. "See you tonight, man?"

Ethan was too distracted by the look on Abby's face to give him much more than a nod of affirmation. She seemed uneasy to find out that he just so happened to be her new neighbor.

"You live downstairs?" she croaked out when Braden had left. Her eyes darted all around the room, landing anywhere but on him. It was obvious she was nervous to be alone with him.

"I do. Hey, if it makes you uncomfortable for me to be here, I'll go. Freaking out a woman isn't really my style." He offered her an easy grin, hoping it would set her at ease.

Taking a deep breath, Abby squared her shoulders and looked him dead in the eye, the sudden change in her demeanor startling.

"I'm not so easily freaked out. It's fine. But I am ready to be done with this, so let's get on with it."

"You got any tools?"

She walked to the kitchen and rummaged through a box, coming out with a single screwdriver.

"Will this work?" She smiled ruefully. It was the first smile she'd actually given him since he'd first messed with the delivery man, and it hit him right in the gut. Suddenly he wanted to do whatever it took to be the one to keep that smile on her face.

"Maybe. If you want to keep me in your bedroom all night." He laughed at the look of shock that crossed her face.

Abby quickly composed herself. "You have a better suggestion?"

"Of how to keep me in your bedroom?" He knew he was pushing it, but he couldn't resist. And when she burst out in incredulous laughter, he gave her a comical leer.

She was the one that surprised him this time by saying, "Oh no. I don't need any help in that department."

He was at a loss for a moment, finally saying, "Well, in that case, let me go get my tools. I'll have your new bed ready to go in ten minutes flat."

He left her gaping after him as he made his way downstairs. He was always up for an adventure, and the more challenging the better, but he wasn't quite sure what to make of Abby Stewart. Braden was right, she did keep to herself a lot, though he'd not thought much about it before, not being one to concern himself too much with town gossip. And she was also distinctly uncomfortable being alone with him. What was that about? But then she'd done a one-eighty and shown a totally different side of herself. A funny, flirty side that he'd like to see a bit more of.