armful of dead branches. “That’s what you’ve got me for. Move your butt woman or you’re going to wear what I’ve got in my arms.”
Nicky jumped toward Erin, and they both helped Sam heave the load of branches into the back of the truck.
Jake switched off the chainsaw and Erin glanced across to where he was working. “Follow me, Nicky. Jake looks as though he’s ready for us to grab the next lot of branches.”
A groan followed her as she moved toward the back fence. Jake had been wielding his chainsaw like a knight brandishing his sword, cutting down any tree in the path of landscaping perfection.
Taking his safety glasses off, he laughed at the expression on their faces. “You both look as though you want to sabotage my chainsaw. Don’t worry, I’ve got one more tree to trim and then I’m done.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Nicky sighed.
Grabbing an armful of wood, Erin started hauling it toward the truck.
Jake grinned at Nicky’s frowning face. “Half an hour tops and then we’ll be finished.”
“That’s what you said twenty minutes ago,” Nicky groaned, “and I’m still knee deep in trash.”
Jake left the chainsaw on the ground and walked past them lugging a huge branch behind him. “Think of it as training for your next shopping spree.”
“They don’t need any training for that.” Sam laughed. “After what I saw going into Nicky’s parents’ house the other night she’s already got the gold medal in retail therapy.” He wandered back for another load, winking at Nicky on the way through.
“Christmas isn’t that far away,” Nicky said. “If you want to be on Santa’s gift list you’ve got to be nice.”
“It’s still seven months away, but you can always show me how nice you want me to be,” he yelled from the back fence.
Erin laughed at the love-sick expression on Nicky’s face. “Keep it decent, you two. I’m going inside to order pizza.”
“Make sure you order double meat lovers.” Nicky grinned. “Sam’s going to need all the energy he can get by the time I get through showing him how to be nice. Jake could probably do with a few calories too.”
It was Erin’s turn to blush. “You’re a bad influence on me.”
“Nope. I’ll leave that privilege to Jake. From the way he looks at you I’d say he’s got some pretty wild plans all of his own.”
A quick glance down the yard made Erin hotfoot it inside for the phone. Her six-months at tops man was hard at work, trimming the last tree and making her heart squeeze tight at the rightness of him being there.
Standing on the deck with the phone in her hand, she gazed at what they’d done. She could actually see the boundary fence. Apart from a large pile of branches and leaves still to be loaded onto the truck, it looked incredible. The wilderness of untamed weeds, overgrown trees, and trash, collected like treasure by her homes previous owner, had disappeared.
Jake glanced up from the fence. “What do you think?” he yelled.
“Amazing,” she yelled back. In more ways than one.
On the Friday afternoon before camp, Erin sat on her front porch waiting for Jake. She’d packed sunscreen, heaps of clothes, a book, and more than one bar of chocolate for emergencies. And the most comfortable sleeping bag she could find.
Right on cue he pulled up outside her house, grinning when he saw her suitcase. The large white bag had brown vinyl splodges all over it, and a cartoon face painted on the outside. It looked like a happy heifer and made her smile every time she packed clothes in it.
“Mighty fine bag you have there, ma’am. Mind if I round it up into the wagon?”
She laughed as he cautiously slung it under the canopy of his pickup. “Don’t worry, it’s harmless. I bought it so I could find it quickly on the conveyor belt at airports.”
“I don’t think anyone would ever mistake your bag for someone else’s.” He slid into the driver’s seat.
Nicky jumped toward Erin, and they both helped Sam heave the load of branches into the back of the truck.
Jake switched off the chainsaw and Erin glanced across to where he was working. “Follow me, Nicky. Jake looks as though he’s ready for us to grab the next lot of branches.”
A groan followed her as she moved toward the back fence. Jake had been wielding his chainsaw like a knight brandishing his sword, cutting down any tree in the path of landscaping perfection.
Taking his safety glasses off, he laughed at the expression on their faces. “You both look as though you want to sabotage my chainsaw. Don’t worry, I’ve got one more tree to trim and then I’m done.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Nicky sighed.
Grabbing an armful of wood, Erin started hauling it toward the truck.
Jake grinned at Nicky’s frowning face. “Half an hour tops and then we’ll be finished.”
“That’s what you said twenty minutes ago,” Nicky groaned, “and I’m still knee deep in trash.”
Jake left the chainsaw on the ground and walked past them lugging a huge branch behind him. “Think of it as training for your next shopping spree.”
“They don’t need any training for that.” Sam laughed. “After what I saw going into Nicky’s parents’ house the other night she’s already got the gold medal in retail therapy.” He wandered back for another load, winking at Nicky on the way through.
“Christmas isn’t that far away,” Nicky said. “If you want to be on Santa’s gift list you’ve got to be nice.”
“It’s still seven months away, but you can always show me how nice you want me to be,” he yelled from the back fence.
Erin laughed at the love-sick expression on Nicky’s face. “Keep it decent, you two. I’m going inside to order pizza.”
“Make sure you order double meat lovers.” Nicky grinned. “Sam’s going to need all the energy he can get by the time I get through showing him how to be nice. Jake could probably do with a few calories too.”
It was Erin’s turn to blush. “You’re a bad influence on me.”
“Nope. I’ll leave that privilege to Jake. From the way he looks at you I’d say he’s got some pretty wild plans all of his own.”
A quick glance down the yard made Erin hotfoot it inside for the phone. Her six-months at tops man was hard at work, trimming the last tree and making her heart squeeze tight at the rightness of him being there.
Standing on the deck with the phone in her hand, she gazed at what they’d done. She could actually see the boundary fence. Apart from a large pile of branches and leaves still to be loaded onto the truck, it looked incredible. The wilderness of untamed weeds, overgrown trees, and trash, collected like treasure by her homes previous owner, had disappeared.
Jake glanced up from the fence. “What do you think?” he yelled.
“Amazing,” she yelled back. In more ways than one.
On the Friday afternoon before camp, Erin sat on her front porch waiting for Jake. She’d packed sunscreen, heaps of clothes, a book, and more than one bar of chocolate for emergencies. And the most comfortable sleeping bag she could find.
Right on cue he pulled up outside her house, grinning when he saw her suitcase. The large white bag had brown vinyl splodges all over it, and a cartoon face painted on the outside. It looked like a happy heifer and made her smile every time she packed clothes in it.
“Mighty fine bag you have there, ma’am. Mind if I round it up into the wagon?”
She laughed as he cautiously slung it under the canopy of his pickup. “Don’t worry, it’s harmless. I bought it so I could find it quickly on the conveyor belt at airports.”
“I don’t think anyone would ever mistake your bag for someone else’s.” He slid into the driver’s seat.
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