Every Kind of Heaven by Jillian Hart Page A

not. The same way she wasn’t going to notice how wonderfully tall he was. Solid. Substantial. How he looked like a man who could shoulder any burden. Solve any problem.
    Okay, she was starting to notice, but only just a little. Really.
    Rex, the perfect gentleman, was sitting there with his big innocent eyes showing just how good and deserving he was of a scone. Ava turned her attention to the dog because there was no reason why she shouldn’t fall in love with Rex. She grabbed one of the cheerful iced treats. “Here you go, handsome.”
    Rex delicately took the scone from her fingertips, gave her a totally adoring look and sucked the sweet down in one gulp.
    â€œHe seems to like your baking,” Brice said with a grin. “Can you stay for a while? I can pour you a cup of coffee if you want to look over the—”
    â€œOh.” She was already looking at the drawings, and it was her turn to be utterly adoring. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Could she talk? No. The penciled images had stolen every word from her brain. Her mind was a total blank except for a single thought.
    Perfect.
    He’d taken the photos she’d showed him yesterday and transformed them into her vision. Into exactly what she’d imagined. There it was. Curlicuescrollwork and rosebud-patterned moldings and carvings framing the wood and glass bakery case. “There’s no way I can afford this.”
    â€œCustom woodwork is built into the estimate you signed. This would be for the same price. We’ve agreed to it.”
    â€œHow can that be? I love this, don’t get me wrong, but this can’t be what was on the estimate. I know it’s not.”
    â€œRafe doesn’t do woodwork, so pricing it is a mystery to him. Trust me. I can do this for the same price as he quoted you.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œPositive. There’s no hidden costs and no hidden agendas. With me, what you see is what you get.”
    â€œBusiness-wise, right?”
    â€œAlways.”
    She loved the sincerity in his words. The honesty he projected was totally irresistible. Now she had to like him. But just a pinch. A smidgeon. But not a drop more.
    â€œI love this.” She traced the drawn image of the bakery case with her fingertips. “This is my dream.”
    â€œThat was the idea.” He leaned closer to study the drawing, too, and to set a coffee cup in front of her. The steely curve of his upper arm brushed against her shoulder and stayed.
    The trouble was, she noticed. She liked being close to him. She felt safe and secure and peaceful, as if everything was right in the world.
    â€œIf I have your approval, then I’ll get started in the wood shop today. On one condition.”
    â€œName it.”
    â€œSend two dozen of these scones to my office along with the bill.” He moved away to take another treat from the box and broke it in half. Tossed one piece to the dog, who caught it like a pro ballplayer, and kept the other for himself. “Do you deliver?”
    â€œFor you, I could make an exception.”
    â€œExcellent. It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Miss McKaslin.”
    â€œAnytime, Mr. Donovan.” It was a good thing she had her priorities straight in life. Because otherwise, she could completely fall for him. Talk about doom!
    She pushed away from the table, away from his presence and away from the wish of what could be. She grabbed her cup of coffee. “Later, Donovan.”
    â€œLater, McKaslin.”
    She gave Rex a pat and sauntered out of her shop like a businesswoman totally in charge of her life and her heart.
    It was a complete facade.
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    Rex’s high yelping rose above the grind of the radial saw. Brice slipped down his protective glasses and glanced over his shoulder toward the open workshop door.
    Maura, his secretary, had walked the twenty or so yards from the front office and stood staring at him, her arms crossed over