tell you that you could go home if you want to change clothes, except I know those are your typical work clothes. I’m guessing this is the stuff you punch cows in.”
“No one says punch cows anymore.”
“Pity. I always liked that phrase.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my turn to work in the office today.”
“Afraid to get your hands dirty?”
He gave her a patient look. “I work with cattle. On a ranch. There isn’t a job in this place that comes close to that kind of dirt.”
“I’ll bet you wear gloves though.”
His eyes narrowed. He cautiously said, “I do.”
She smiled. “Good.” Pulling a pair of yellow rubber gloves from the back pocket of her jeans, she added, “Then you should fit right in.”
Chapter Nine
Cade turned to see Jen watching them. He could argue, tell Piper she was crazy if she thought he’d be washing the insides of coolers, except he didn’t want word getting out that he and Piper were fighting. The tide of public opinion appeared to be turning in his favor. People seemed to be seeing him as a normal guy, most likely guessing he had a good reason to leave Lonnie at the altar. If he was getting the benefit of the doubt, it would be a shame to lose that over wiping down a cooler. Especially when making himself look like a team player might bolster his image even more.
He took the gloves and grinned at Piper. “Sure, darlin’.” He deliberately used the endearment if only to watch her face turn scarlet. “Never let it be said I don’t pull my weight.”
Her shoulders squared. “Good. Excellent. Let’s go.”
She turned and led him to the coolers in the back. He followed, watching the sway of her hips in her worn jeans, figuring if he had to scrub, he should at least take that small pleasure.
When they reached the coolers, he frowned. “How’d we end up with the first section being empty?”
“I came in early. Shoved some things into the next section down. This way, we clean a section, then move everything to the section that’s done and wash the one we emptied. We keep doing that until we get to the last section.”
She smiled and handed him a sponge before she pointed at a bucket of water. “Have at it.”
“Where’s your bucket?”
She displayed a roll of paper towels. “I’m drying.”
“Ah. So this dirty work of which you speak is actually all mine?”
“You did say you had experience with dirt on the ranch.”
“I also butchered cattle. Next week are you going to put me in the meat department?”
She considered that. “Maybe.”
Bending to put his sponge in the water, he said, “We are equals. You are not the boss. I’m only helping you this morning because I saw how Jen was looking at me.”
A thundercloud raced through her green eyes before she said, “Enjoying the rush of popularity?”
“Apparently more than you enjoy being jealous over it.”
She sputtered, “I—I’m not jealous.”
He slid the sponge over the racks and along the inside walls, as he’d done when he was a kid. It was interesting how grocery store tasks kept coming back to him as he completed them. Still, that didn’t make them any more fun—but teasing Piper did.
“Oh, come on. You’re hot for me.”
“I am not hot for you.”
But the righteous indignation that rattled through her voice couldn’t cover the little quiver that also seeped in.
He laughed. “Come on. You all but admitted it the day we talked about our meeting in the drugstore.”
She said nothing.
“Denial is a terrible thing. Not only is lying to yourself wrong, but you’re potentially missing out on something great.”
He finished the section and stepped back so she could use the paper towels to dry it. “I see someone has an inflated opinion of himself.”
“Oh, sweet cheeks, there’s nothing inflated about me except the one thing you’d want inflated. And, trust me, it does not disappoint.”
Her face flushed to the point that it almost turned purple.
His face scrunched in
“No one says punch cows anymore.”
“Pity. I always liked that phrase.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my turn to work in the office today.”
“Afraid to get your hands dirty?”
He gave her a patient look. “I work with cattle. On a ranch. There isn’t a job in this place that comes close to that kind of dirt.”
“I’ll bet you wear gloves though.”
His eyes narrowed. He cautiously said, “I do.”
She smiled. “Good.” Pulling a pair of yellow rubber gloves from the back pocket of her jeans, she added, “Then you should fit right in.”
Chapter Nine
Cade turned to see Jen watching them. He could argue, tell Piper she was crazy if she thought he’d be washing the insides of coolers, except he didn’t want word getting out that he and Piper were fighting. The tide of public opinion appeared to be turning in his favor. People seemed to be seeing him as a normal guy, most likely guessing he had a good reason to leave Lonnie at the altar. If he was getting the benefit of the doubt, it would be a shame to lose that over wiping down a cooler. Especially when making himself look like a team player might bolster his image even more.
He took the gloves and grinned at Piper. “Sure, darlin’.” He deliberately used the endearment if only to watch her face turn scarlet. “Never let it be said I don’t pull my weight.”
Her shoulders squared. “Good. Excellent. Let’s go.”
She turned and led him to the coolers in the back. He followed, watching the sway of her hips in her worn jeans, figuring if he had to scrub, he should at least take that small pleasure.
When they reached the coolers, he frowned. “How’d we end up with the first section being empty?”
“I came in early. Shoved some things into the next section down. This way, we clean a section, then move everything to the section that’s done and wash the one we emptied. We keep doing that until we get to the last section.”
She smiled and handed him a sponge before she pointed at a bucket of water. “Have at it.”
“Where’s your bucket?”
She displayed a roll of paper towels. “I’m drying.”
“Ah. So this dirty work of which you speak is actually all mine?”
“You did say you had experience with dirt on the ranch.”
“I also butchered cattle. Next week are you going to put me in the meat department?”
She considered that. “Maybe.”
Bending to put his sponge in the water, he said, “We are equals. You are not the boss. I’m only helping you this morning because I saw how Jen was looking at me.”
A thundercloud raced through her green eyes before she said, “Enjoying the rush of popularity?”
“Apparently more than you enjoy being jealous over it.”
She sputtered, “I—I’m not jealous.”
He slid the sponge over the racks and along the inside walls, as he’d done when he was a kid. It was interesting how grocery store tasks kept coming back to him as he completed them. Still, that didn’t make them any more fun—but teasing Piper did.
“Oh, come on. You’re hot for me.”
“I am not hot for you.”
But the righteous indignation that rattled through her voice couldn’t cover the little quiver that also seeped in.
He laughed. “Come on. You all but admitted it the day we talked about our meeting in the drugstore.”
She said nothing.
“Denial is a terrible thing. Not only is lying to yourself wrong, but you’re potentially missing out on something great.”
He finished the section and stepped back so she could use the paper towels to dry it. “I see someone has an inflated opinion of himself.”
“Oh, sweet cheeks, there’s nothing inflated about me except the one thing you’d want inflated. And, trust me, it does not disappoint.”
Her face flushed to the point that it almost turned purple.
His face scrunched in
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