Chapter eleven. After spending a miserable Friday trying to paint in a house whose air conditioning was not working

After spending a miserable Friday trying to paint in a house whose air conditioning was not working, and where there was no sign of Drew or any of her crews, Jay gave up at two o'clock.

" Let's call it a day. I'm sweltering."

" We've been sweltering since nine this morning."

" Mr. Kline promised the AC would be working by Monday. Let's pick it up then."

" Great. I'm going home, slipping into my bikini, and hitting the pool."

Bikini. Oh, to be twenty-two again. The only time Jay braved a bikini was in her own backyard. " I'll clean up, Connie. Go jump in your pool. Have a good weekend."

" Fabulous. You do the same."

She was gone without another word, and Jay moved silently around the room, closing up paint and gathering their drop cloth. She picked up the bucket where they'd tossed the used brushes. She would clean them later with mineral spirits. Now, she just wanted to get out of the heat.

After one last check through the house, she locked up. She stood on the driveway, looking at the dirt surrounding the house, wondering why Drew hadn't shown up today.

Of course, they were probably finishing up at the other house. And then, well, Drew had a date this evening. She would probably make it an early day.

Jay sighed, hating the way she was feeling. She suspected Drew had stayed away intentionally, trying to let Jay know that she was no threat.

But she could have at least called.

Jay looked at her watch. It wouldn't hurt for her to call, she supposed. Just to tell her to have a good time tonight. So, after stowing all her gear and supplies in the van, she did what she abhorred in other people. She sat in the van with the motor running, AC on high, and pulled out her cell.

And after four rings, when she suspected voice mail, Drew's out-of-breath voice was heard.

" Where'd I run you from? "

" The pool."

" Again? "

" Mine this time."

Jay heard water splash. " And you're back in it? "

" It's hot as Hades today."

" Tell me. We were at the new house. No AC."

" Oh, you're kidding. I'm thankful I didn't come around then."

Jay paused. " And why was that? "

" Well, we finished up the other house this morning. And it was so hot—and a Friday—I told the guys to take off."

" Aren't you the good boss."

" What about you? Closing down early? "

" Yes. I sent Connie home. It's just too hot to work." There was a silence on the phone, something they'd never had before. Jay leaned her head back, wondering what to say.

" Jay? "

" Hmm? "

" I stayed away on purpose, you know."

Jay nodded. " Yes, I know."

" And I really hope you guys have a good weekend. I mean that."

Jay bit her lip. " And I hope you have a great blind date tonight."

" We'll catch up next week, okay? "

" Right."

Jay tossed her phone on the seat like she always did, leaning her head back, staring at nothing. They were both lying. And they both knew it.

/ hope she has a horrible time tonight.

Drew placed her phone on the flat surface of the limestone rock, then ducked back under the water. It was hot as Hades, but that wasn't why she was whiling away the afternoon in her pool. Truth was, she was working herself into exhaustion, trying to get Jay Burns out of her mind. She'd said all the right things last night at dinner. And at the time, she'd meant them.

But when she got home and walked into her empty house, she realized she'd been lying. Finally, after all these years, she'd met the one woman who captivated her, who held her attention, who made her laugh, who was bright and intelligent... and who was honest and loyal. But loyal to someone else. And honest enough to admit her feelings.

But at least they'd talked about it. At least they admitted that there was something between them. At least it was out in the open now.

Not that anything would come of it. Because they were going to befriends.

And so she had stayed away. They could have started on the new house, should have started. They'd be busting their asses next week to get it finished. But she just couldn't bring herself to see Jay, to look at her, knowing she'd lied last night. Yes, she undressed Jay with her eyes. Yes, she longed for Jay to be single and available, and no, she wasn't perfectly content being only friends with her.

So that's why, with luck, her blind date would turn out to be fantastic. Maybe so fantastic that it turned into a second date. And a second date might involve sex. And maybe, just maybe, she could get Jay out of her mind.