Texas Pride by Bárbara McCauley Page A

unless something happened soon, Lucas had the sinking feeling they always would be.

Five
    I t took Jessica the next four days to strip bare the hardwood floor in the hotel lobby. She was thankful for work that kept her hands and mind occupied, despite the fact that her back ached and her hands were rubbed raw from the vibration of the sander. Still, anything was better than letting her mind wander to Dylan.
    Pushing the goggles she wore onto the top of her head, she stepped back and admired the bare oak planks. There was a fine layer of sawdust on everything, including herself. Especially herself, she decided, looking down at her jeans and what had been a pink blouse.
    â€œNice job.”
    Startled, she turned abruptly at the sound of Dylan’s voice. He stood in the doorway behind her, arms folded, scanning her work with a critical eye.
    Except for meals, she’d seen very little of him for the past four days. He’d surprised her two days ago by installing an electric stove he’d bought at a secondhand store in Cactus Flat. She’d complained it disrupted the antiquity of the kitchen. He told her she could bury it if she wanted after he left, but until he was gone, the stove stayed. Needless to say, the quality of the food had improved considerably.
    â€œThanks.” She accepted his compliment, knowing how rare words of praise were from Dylan. The man was a perfectionist, she’d realized after watching him work, and expected the same from the men who worked for him. But the church was slowly taking shape, and its original beauty returning.
    â€œHave the men gone home already?” she asked.
    He nodded. “I let them go a little early. They hustled this week and we’re already ahead of schedule.”
    Jessica watched Dylan comb his hair away from his face with his hands. It’s not fair, she thought. After a hard day’s work, with dirt on his clothes and sweat on his face and arms, he still looked good. She looked like a wood-shop cat.
    She brushed some of the sawdust from her arms and tugged the goggles from her head. “Dinner’s going to be a little late tonight. The chicken wasn’t thawed.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Jessica. I forgot to tell you I won’t be here tonight. I’m going into town.”
    She felt like an idiot when disappointment shot through her. Of course he wouldn’t be here tonight. It was Friday. He’d go into town with the other guys and do what single men did on Friday night, which usually included beer and female company. Cactus Flat might be a small town, but there were plenty of women who’d be happy to keep a man like Dylan company. He probably wouldn’t come back all weekend.
    But whatever Dylan did with his leisure time was certainly his business, she told herself. She just prayed she wouldn’t have to hear about it from one of the town gossips.
    â€œNo problem.” She gave a shrug and shook sawdust from her hair. “It won’t go to waste.” Not if I have to eat the whole damn thing myself.
    â€œYou sure?” he asked.
    â€œOf course.” She’d made a chocolate cake earlier, too, to celebrate the first week of construction. She decided to eat that by herself, as well.
    â€œLook, I can go to town a little later. It’s really not—”
    â€œDylan, for heaven’s sake, don’t think about it. Go to town.”
    His jaw flexed. “All right. You need anything while I’m there?”
    She shook her head, then tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m going in tomorrow to do some Christmas shopping.”
    He frowned, then stepped in front of her. “Let me see your hands.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYour hands.” He reached out and took her wrists, then pulled her toward him. His frown deepened as he stared at her red palms. “Why weren’t you wearing gloves?”
    It was only a touch, not even an intimate one, but still her heart was