The Other Twin. Nan Dixon

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      “It’s not fine. My mom would have my head.” He sighed. “I thought you were trying to get Abby not to rent to me.”

      “Oh.” He was right. “I brought a peace offering.”

      He pointed at the basket, a grin lighting his face. “What did you bring me?”

      “Healthy snacks,” she said primly.

      “Healthy?” His smile faded. “Um, thanks.”

      She laughed. “And maybe cookies.”

      “Cookies.” He crouched at her feet and dug through the contents. “Sausage. Cheese. I can deal with fruit.”

      “Like I said, enjoy.” She shuffled sideways but there was nowhere to go. Nathan and the basket had her caged next to the wall.

      He looked up. “Do you want a beer?”

      She couldn’t hold back a shudder. “I don’t drink.”

      “Ever?”

      “Maybe once a year.” She’d sipped champagne at Abby’s wedding.

      He frowned. “Are you an alcoholic?”

      “No!” But based on all the empty bottles, he might be.

      This was a bad idea. She’d wanted to show him she was the better person. And, to be truthful, she was feeling guilty. She’d hoped Abby would turn him down. So sue me.

      He dug out a cookie and took a bite. His eyes closed and he gave a little moan. “What are these?” he asked, his mouth full.

      “Snickerdoodles.” Josh’s favorite.

      “Thanks for this.” He stood and his gaze caught hers.

      She’d never been this close to him. Golden sparks flickered in his coffee-colored eyes. Her fingers ached to push his unruly sun-kissed hair away from his forehead.

      Had to be a mother’s instinct and not the desire to stare into his eyes.

      She hadn’t been this close to a man since...since Levi attacked her. Now that she looked closer, his eyes were bloodshot. She inhaled and caught a whiff of the beer.

      Just like Levi.

      “I’ve got to go.” She pushed past him, brushing against his chest even though she made herself as small as possible.

      She hurried down the short hall between their doors and flipped the lock behind her. She and Josh didn’t need the kind of trouble Nathan could bring.

      * * *

      NATHAN PRESSED THE trowel against the concrete they’d poured a couple of hours ago. “It’s setting up,” he called to Jed.

      Jed wiped his arm across his face. “Amazing in this humidity.”

      While the crew built the next forms, Nathan moved to the floor next to the exterior wall. In the still-drying concrete, he sketched a steaming cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Then he added his initials below. If anyone spotted it when the job was over, they wouldn’t have a clue who NEF was, but drawing in the concrete had become a tradition on all his jobs.

      Maybe the Fitzgeralds would want to do the same thing?

      Nathan moved over to Jed. “You got this?” he asked the supervisor.

      Jed watched the chute as the concrete spilled into the next section of floor. “Yup.”

      “I’ll be right back.” Nathan headed across the courtyard.

      He knocked and stepped into the kitchen. “Anyone here?”

      “Me.” Abby moved into sight. “What’s up?”

      “We’re pouring the restaurant floor. I wondered...” Now the idea sounded stupid, like most everything that came out of his mouth.

      She wiped her hands on a towel hanging off her apron. “Wondered what?”

      “Do you want to...write something in the concrete?” He let loose a breath. “Your initials?”

      She grinned. “I’d love to!”

      Maybe his instincts had been right. “Are Bess and Dolley around?”

      “I’ll find them.” She nodded. “When do you want us?”

      “In about two hours.”

      “We’ll be there.” She touched his arm. “I’m glad you asked.” Then she frowned. “How come Daniel didn’t ask me to do the same thing when they poured the floor in my house?”

      “Because I’m the nice twin,” he lied. But the tension in his body eased.

      “That you are.” She grinned. “You just earned the crew afternoon cookies. What kind do you like?”

      He’d devoured the cookies Cheryl had given him a couple of days ago.

      The cookie name wouldn’t come. Something about laughing? No. He inhaled. Sometimes a deep breath helped his brain to sort out words. Sneaky? That described him, not a cookie.

      “Whatever you bring over would be great.” Because his stupid brain couldn’t remember the name of the best cookie he’d tasted in months.

      Tension slammed back into him. “So. Come over in...” He’d just told her how long it took to cure. Now no words would come.

      “Two hours?” She checked her watch.

      “Yeah. Yeah. Two.”

      “See you then.”

      In the courtyard he wanted to kick something. Anything. He needed an interpreter between his brain and his mouth.

      Thankfully, between pouring the floors and checking the forms, he didn’t have to say much to the crew. Two hours passed more quickly than he expected.

      “We’re here.” Abby carried a tray, Bess a thermos and Dolley her camera. Cheryl and Josh carried in a table.

      “We brought cookies. Snickerdoodles,” Josh said. “My favorite.”

      Snickerdoodles. Nathan shook his head. That was the name he couldn’t dig out of the spaghetti that was his brain.

      “We’ll set up,” Abby said.

      “There’s lemonade,” added Bess.

      The crew honed in on the table like wasps on a Coke can. That was okay. They’d worked hard today.

      “Hey, guys, look over here.” Dolley snapped pictures of the crew and space. “Okay if you end up on the website?”

      “Sure,” they agreed.

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