Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Evan walked briskly along the aisles of Hilltop Hardware, searching for the brand of screws that he liked.
He didn’t consider himself to be all that much of a handyman, but he was decent at repairing basic things, and he owned a drill and a level and several other basic household tools.
There was a kitchen cabinet in his home that needed repairing, and he’d decided to do the work himself.
After all, it would be something else to do with his time when his work at the mayor’s office ran out.
He found the screws and grabbed a couple of the small boxes, just to be prepared for the future.
He turned around and made his way toward the front register, passing flowerpots and grass seed bags without a second glance.
His attention was already lasered back onto thoughts of the work that he needed to do at the office that day.
His brain clicked through task after task as if it were some kind of race that he was preparing himself for.
He was nearly to the register when he heard a woman’s voice talking excitedly.
He slowed down in his walking and listened, knowing that he’d heard that voice before but being unable to place it.
Then all at once he realized that it was Audrey’s voice, and he rolled his eyes, hoping that he wouldn’t have to speak with her.
He glanced over his shoulder at the numerous aisles behind him.
He could simply turn around and walk back into one of them.
It would be easy to pretend to be looking for something else until Audrey had finished paying for whatever it was she was buying.
Then he could go on his way without having to worry about bumping into her.
Don’t be ridiculous, McBride, he told himself, shaking his head. She’s not going to bite you. Just go to the register and pay for your screws. You need to get back to the office and start on your work. Besides, she probably won’t even notice you.
Squaring his shoulders, he approached the register. He could see Audrey standing and talking to the cashier about something animatedly. She appeared to be doing more than making a quick purchase.
He watched her for a few moments, telling himself that she wouldn’t look in his direction since she was so engaged in her conversation. He couldn’t help noticing how much her eyes shone as she spoke, and the way she kept tossing her attractive new hairstyle.
He was just starting to tell himself that he needed to look away in case she decided to look in his direction, when she paused in her conversation and turned toward him. As if she had some uncanny ability to read his mind and sense that he was there!
His eyes flickered away from her the moment she turned, but he had a feeling that he’d been caught and that she knew he’d been watching her. He looked back at her a moment later, wanting to know what her reaction to seeing him was.
Her eyebrows were lifted in surprise and she blinked at him for a couple of heartbeats. Then she simply gave him a nod and returned to her conversation with the cashier.
Feeling rattled and worried that he might be blushing, Evan held very still and willed her to not look back at him, at least for another few moments. As he stood there, he began to listen to the conversation she was having.
“We want good, quality hardwood,” Audrey said.
“Since the porch is going to have to withstand rain and snow and all that. I don’t know that we want to buy the most expensive type of wood either though, since we are going to have to build quite a bit of porch.
It’s going to wrap around the whole mansion. ”
Evan twitched slightly and stepped forward, unable to stop himself. “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help overhearing that you intend to build a wraparound porch on Elaine Sutton’s mansion. I feel it’s my duty to inform you right way that such an expansion will not be possible.”
Audrey turned to face him with an expression that seemed to be a mixture of defiance and amusement—neither of which he appreciated very much. She crossed her arms and made unwavering eye contact with him. “Not possible? Explain yourself, please.”
“There are building codes that have to be observed,” Evan said, his voice rattling off the words as if he were some kind of government robot. “You can’t build a porch that size on a building like that.”
Audrey shook her head. “The original porch used to extend all the way around the house. It was beautiful, and was never a problem before.”
Evan shook his head. “Well, that house is old. In the past, that kind of build wouldn’t have been a problem, but that was a long time ago and things have changed.”
“That much, huh?” she said, sounding testy. “Have you memorized every building code specification for every structure in Coral Sands?”
Evan wondered for a split second if he actually had and then decided that he probably hadn’t.
It had been a long time since he’d looked over the building codes for the fire station.
“No, I haven’t, but I’m certain that I’m right about this.
You’ll need to come into the office and review the building codes and fill out some paperwork.
Then you can see if you’re able to do this expansion. ”
Audrey lifted her chin in that same defiant way again, and he found himself drawn toward her spunkiness. “Very well,” she said. “I’ll do that. Wouldn’t want to break any rules now, would we?”
“You most certainly wouldn’t, unless you want a big fat fine.” He paused for a second, trying to remember what details he’d overheard her saying to the cashier. “Are you planning on doing the work yourself? Because that doesn’t seem like a great idea.”
“No, I wasn’t,” she said, her eyes flashing. “But I would encourage you not to underestimate me.”
Evan was about to make a retort—what, he wasn’t even sure yet—when the top box of screws in his hands began to slip precariously toward the floor.
He grabbed at it at the last second, just before the box fell.
He let out a relieved breath, knowing that spilling screws all over the floor of the hardware store would have made a terrible dent in his day.
Audrey chuckled. “You shouldn’t be challenging my skills like that. The way you’re handling those screws doesn’t give me much faith in your DIY capabilities.”
The cashier coughed loudly at that moment, and when he saw the cashier and Audrey exchange an amused glance, Evan had a feeling that the teenager had turned a laugh into a cough.
Evan felt miffed, and he tried to gather himself and come up with a quick retort. Before he could come up with anything, however, Audrey gave him a quick nod, said goodbye to the cashier, and waltzed out of the hardware store.
He almost blurted after her, “You need to come to the mayor’s office!” but he held his tongue.
After all, maybe it would be better if he never had another interaction with Audrey Lowe ever again.