customer to come back in for it.â
âAnd I might have lost the sale,â Dora tossed back. âIâve had these damn dishes for three years. Iâm lucky to have palmed them off on anyone.â
âNow I know somethingâs wrong.â Lea crossed her arms. âSpill it.â
âNothingâs wrong.â Except that she hadnât been able to sleep. And there was no way, absolutely no way she was going to admit that sheâd let one quick kiss tie her up into knots. âIâve just got too much to do and not enough time to do it.â
âBut you like that, Dora,â Lea pointed out.
âIâve changed.â Dora wrapped the last cup in newspaper. âWhereâs that stupid packing tape?â She turned, then stumbled back against the desk when she spotted Jed at the base of the stairs.
âSorry.â But he didnât look it. âI came down to see if you still wanted me to fix that banister.â
âBanister? Oh . . . oh, well.â She hated being flustered. The only thing she hated more was being wrong. âYou have to get wood or something?â
âOr something.â He looked over when Lea firmly cleared her throat.
âOh, Lea, this is Jed Skimmerhorn, the new tenant. Jed, my sister, Lea.â
âNice to meet you.â Lea extended a hand. âI hope youâre settling in all right.â
âNot much to settle. Do you want the banister fixed or not?â
âYes, I suppose. If youâre not too busy.â Dora found the packing tape and kept herself occupied by sealing the carton. When the idea dawned, she went with it. âActually, you could help me out. Youâve got a car, right? The Thunderbird?â
âSo?â
âI have a deliveryâin fact, I have three of them. I really canât spare my assistant.â
Jed hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. âYou want me to make deliveries?â
âIf it wouldnât be a problem. Youâd keep track of your gas and mileage.â She offered him a sunny smile. âYoumight even cop a couple of tips.â
He could have told her to go to hell. He wasnât sure why he didnât. âHow can I resist?â He eyed, with vague dislike, the box she was sealing. âWhere to?â
âItâs all written down. Those are the other two right there.â She nodded toward the corner of the room. âYou can carry them out through the side door to your car.â
Saying nothing, Jed hefted the first box and disappeared outside.
â Thatâs the new tenant?â Lea whispered. Possibilities were already racing through her mind as she hurried to the door to peek through. âWho is he? What does he do?â
âI just told you who he is. His nameâs Skimmerhorn.â
âYou know what I mean.â She watched Jed muscle the box into the backseat of the T-Bird, then quickly stepped back across the room. âHeâs coming back.â
âI hope so,â Dora said dryly. âHeâs only got one of the boxes.â She lifted the second one herself and passed it to Jed when he came to the door. âTheyâre fragile,â she told him, and got a grunt in response.
âDid you see his shoulders?â Lea hissed. âJohn doesnât have shoulders like that in my wildest fantasies.â
âOphelia Conroy Bradshaw, shame on you. Johnâs a wonderful guy.â
âI know that. Iâm nuts about him, but he doesnât have any shoulders. I mean, heâs got them, of course, but theyâre just kind of bone and . . . God!â After studying the way Jedâs Levis stretched when he leaned over the trunk of his car, she patted her heart and grinned. âItâs always reassuring to know the attraction cells still operate. So whatâs he do?â
âAbout what?â
âAbout . . . the invoices,â she said quickly.