A Reunion And A Ring (Proposals & Promises Book 1) by Gina Wilkins Page B

before she’d taken more than a couple of steps. Looking as though he’d pretty much rolled in mud, Gavin entered alone.
    She’d have thought the sight of him would have grown more familiar, that the impact of seeing him would have lessened. Yet, still her heart gave a hard thump when his eyes met and held hers across the room. She cleared her throat. “The power just came on,” she said unnecessarily.
    Gavin strode across the room and flipped a switch at the entertainment center. The music was abruptly silenced. Had he, too, been carried back to a more innocent time by the sound of a familiar voice? Or did he just want the music off?
    “Where are the other guys?” she asked, her voice sounding loud in the sudden silence.
    “They left. Avery wanted to get home, so I thanked them for their help and sent them on their way. All of them said for me to tell you goodbye and that they enjoyed meeting you today.”
    She doubted that Avery had sent quite those words, but she let it go. “How’s the flooding?”
    “It’s going down fast,” he assured her. “We dredged out the ditches again and pulled out some debris that was acting as a little dam. I’d give it another fifteen, twenty minutes, maybe, and then the road should be passable if you’re careful.”
    A check of the time told her that in just over an hour, Thad would call. She’d like to be on the road by then. She could always pull over somewhere and take the call. She’d just rather not be here at the time.
    Gavin pushed a hand through his hair. “I’m filthy. I’m going to try to scrape off some of this mud.”
    “Okay. I’ll be carrying my things out to my car.”
    “Need any help with that?”
    “No, thanks. I didn’t bring in much last night.”
    He nodded, then disappeared into the back room. Moments later, she heard the shower running. She swallowed hard, deliberately cleared her mind of any unbidden images and started gathering her possessions.
    His hair was still wet when he emerged again, but he wore a clean T-shirt and jeans and looked as though the shower had revived some of his energy.
    “You didn’t need help with the bandage?” she asked, glancing toward his covered shoulder.
    He shook his head. “I managed. Thanks.”
    Lacing her hands, she glanced around the now cheerily lit room, trying to think of anything else to say. Coming up blank, she gave him a strained smile. “I guess I should try to make it out, then. Unless there’s anything else I can do for you before I go?”
    As she’d expected, he declined the offer. “No, it’s all good.”
    She nodded. “Then I should go before it starts getting dark.”
    “I’ll follow you down the hill in my truck, make sure you get across okay. I need to put my truck away for the night, anyway.”
    She’d be wasting her breath to tell him it wasn’t necessary to see her off, so she merely nodded again. She took a step toward the door, then stopped when he moved to block her way. “What?”
    His gaze was so intent on her face that she almost felt as though he could see her thoughts. “Just one more question before you go.”
    Suddenly nervous, she smoothed the hem of her shirt. “What is it?”
    “Why did you really come here this weekend?”
    She moistened her lips before answering. “I told you. I had work to do.”
    “Yeah, that’s what you told me. And it’s probably true. To an extent. But there’s something more you haven’t told me. Something that’s been nagging at you. Probably none of my business, but you can always tell me to butt out, if you want.”
    “What makes you think I haven’t told you everything?” she challenged, not quite meeting his eyes.
    “Jen.” He reached out and lifted her chin with a surprisingly gentle hand, so that their eyes met fully again. “I know it’s been a decade since we’ve seen each other, but there was a time I knew you as well as I knew myself. There’s a reason other than work that you came here, isn’t there?”
    She