Angel's Rest(31)

“Okay, now that’s just mean.”

“Sorry. Not.”

“One good thing about Lori growing up is that with any luck, Sarah will quit talking like a teenager.”

“Excuse me?” Sage interrupted. “Can we pause the bickering for more important matters, please? Look. There’s a time-out on the court.”

Which meant more Coach Romano camera time. The three women focused on the TV.

“OMG,” Sarah said, the slang usage obviously for Nic’s benefit. On the screen, the man in question had slipped off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and he was holding a basketball in a one-handed grip. “Look at the size of those hands.”

Sage fanned her face. “Think of what he could do with them.”

“At the risk of sounding crude, this is the first time in my life my boobs ever wished they were a basketball,” Nic observed.

Out in the hallway, something heavy thumped to the floor. Nic recognized the voice that muttered the epithet that immediately followed. Gabe Callahan.

She glanced in the wall mirror and smoothed her flyaway hair, catching Sarah’s knowing smirk as she did so. She stuck out her tongue at her best friend and sent up a little prayer that his hearing wasn’t all that sharp.

“Gabe?” Sarah called out. “Everything all right?”

Footsteps approached and he came into sight, pausing in the doorway. He wore a blue-and-gray plaid flannel shirt tucked into a snug pair of faded Levi’s. He had a stained and scruffy pair of lined leather work gloves tucked into a back pocket of his jeans, and his steel-toed boots showed plenty of wear. He might be stopping for dinner at the Bristlecone most nights these days, but he still hadn’t managed to find his way to the barbershop. His hair brushed his shoulders now, curling slightly on the ends.

And dang it, her fingers itched to play with those thick silken strands.

Until he turned a wickedly amused gaze her way and dashed her hopes about his hearing. “Sorry about the noise. That piece of lumber slipped right out of my hands. You know …” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have to tell you that, while men are often accused of thinking with body parts other than their brains, this is the first time I’ve ever heard women admit they have parts that think for themselves, too.”

He heard, all right. Nic closed her eyes and flushed with embarrassment. They not only think for themselves, they blush.

Sage saved her by laughing. “You like basketball, Gabe?”

“Not the same way you ladies do, apparently.”

“We’re just having a little fun. Would you care to join us? I promise we’ll keep all our leering to ourselves.”

“You know, I’d enjoy that, but I’m up to my gym shorts in drywall upstairs.”

“I haven’t looked beyond this room for a while,” Sarah said. “How’s the cleanup progressing?”

“Pretty good. We’ll finish up restoration this week, and we should be able to tackle the north wing rebuild right after Christmas.”

“That fast?” Sarah asked.

“Celeste was able to articulate what she wanted, and the town delivered the permits all wrapped up with a bow.” He focused on Nic as he added, “I was hoping to talk to you, Nic.”

Oh?

“You have to do something about that dog.”

Oh. “Tiger?”

“What other dog roams this town at will and always manages to get in my way? This must be the last town in America not to have leash laws on the books.”

“Actually, I agree with you about that. It’s not safe for the animals, and it’s something Eternity Springs will need to address once we have more visitors to town. What did he do now?”

“I had a breakfast meeting at the Mocha Moose this morning. He was sitting at the door when I left, and he followed me back here. He’s been hanging around all day. You were supposed to find a home for him. That was the deal, was it not?”

“Yes, and I’m still trying.” She licked her lips, then offered a smile just shy of sheepish. “Dale Parker has agreed to consider taking him.”

Gabe jerked his stare away from her mouth as he asked, “So why is he underfoot every time I turn around?”

“I explained that to you before. He’s adopted you.”

“He’s a dog. It’s not his choice!”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Sage said. “Give it up, Callahan. I saw you slip that dog a hunk of your sandwich earlier. Way to chase him away.”