Hey Jude (Lennox Valley Chronicles #1)

You’re beautiful, I stop myself from saying.

I run a hand through my hair and tear my eyes away from Olena and Murphy, making a point of rummaging through a bag in the truck instead.

“Hey, boss, you got that tarp?” Dimitri calls out from across the clearing, holding a few dead plants he’s already hauled up.

“Yeah, be right there!” I call back, then turn back to Olena. “I assume you’re here to do a bit of recon?”

“Yeah,” Olena says, standing, then adjusting her footing with a smile as Murphy slumps heavily onto his side at her feet. “I thought I’d get some measurements and take more photos, take a plant inventory, that kind of thing.” She tucks her hair behind her ear and readjusts the heavy-looking bag on her shoulder.

“Okay, well, let me know if you need anything from me,” I say.

Something in her expression changes for the briefest moment before she looks away. “Sure, sounds good.” She starts looking through her bag and pulls out a notebook and measuring tape.

I blow out a breath and plod across the tall grass to Dimitri, leaving Olena in the driveway. Passing by the base of Teddy’s ladder, I hear his voice from above my head.

“Who’s that?” Tilting his head in Olena’s direction, he raises his eyebrows.

I stop and turn back to look at her. “Olena MacMillan. The designer,” I reply, then look up at Teddy.

“Murph’s sure in love already,” he adds, smirking.

“Yeah, he’s a sucker for a good head scratch, I guess.” Murphy’s now rolling at her feet as she rubs his belly indulgently, her hair falling softly forward. I shake my head at my old dog’s unexpected antics.

“Ah, I dunno,” Teddy says, cutting a branch and letting it fall to the ground. “Dogs can tell, man.”

“What do you mean?” I squint up at him, the sunshine filtering through the branches of the tree he’s working on.

He shrugs. “You know, they can tell if people are good or bad… like, on the inside,” he says, looking at them appraisingly. “And from the looks of it, old Murph isn’t finding any red flags.” He grins at me. “Just saying. Dogs can tell.”

* * *

By midmorning, we’ve got two tarps full of debris to haul out between the dead plants and the cut branches. I’m taking stock of our progress, surveying which trees need attention next, when my eyes settle on Olena across the main yard. She’s near the house, crouching down and squinting through a DSLR camera to photograph the overgrown pathway and nearby garden beds.

As if sensing my eyes on her, she turns briefly from the viewfinder and meets my gaze with a small smile. She looks back through the camera and snaps a few shots, then lowers it, standing to look at the preview on the screen. I realize I was so focused on keeping my shit together when she arrived that I haven’t introduced her to my team.

Her back is turned to me as I walk over. I drink in the sight of her as she gathers her hair in both hands and pulls it back, twisting it up into a messy bun. I slow my pace and take a deep breath, trying not to stare at her neck as she secures her hair with an elastic and readjusts her camera strap. Small, wispy waves bounce loose from her haphazard topknot, falling around her ears, glowing auburn in the sun. Her movements seem to be happening in slow motion and I shake my head, returning to reality.

Just act normal. Pretend you’re talking to Teddy.

As I approach, she turns toward me and smiles. She looks… almost shy.

I clear my throat. “Hey,” I say, “if you’ve got a minute, I thought I could introduce you to my crew.” I gesture over my shoulder with my thumb in the general direction of my team.

“Oh, sure.” She grins bravely and picks up her bag to follow me.

I have to remind myself to stop staring at her mouth. That smile is going to be the death of me.

Steph is tying flagging tape around the trunk of a tree not far away, so we head toward her first. As we walk, the silence between us feels thick. I have no idea what to say or do around this woman. I try to look anywhere but at Olena, though I can feel all my senses heightened just being next to her.

Olena finally breaks the tension. “For what it’s worth, I promise not to call anyone an asshole today.”

Her quiet joke takes a second to land due to the swirling thoughts in my head.

I let out a breath, both surprised and amused. “Well, it would be poor form on day one, for sure,” I tease, relieved I managed something remotely smooth in response.

“Ooh, ouch!” She feigns offense, wrinkling her nose at me.

“Too close to home?” I raise an eyebrow.