Honor felt like he’d just stroked her. She caught her breath, shifted in her seat and tried to think of something to say.
Clearly tickled, Lexie looked back and forth between them. “So you’re a handyman?”
Again, Colt bragged. “More like a contractor. He can build things from the ground up, including the plumbing and electrical. Or make stuff like custom gates or stylized shutters, or repair just about anything.”
“Nice,” Lexie praised.
“He’s a jack-of-all-trades.” Hogan toasted Jason with his Coke. “Whatever’s broke, Jason can fix it.”
Jason gave him a long look. “Maybe not everything.”
“Right. Can’t fix big brothers, can you?”
Tipping his head slightly back, as if he’d taken that on the chin, Jason replied, “I only have one older brother, and far as I’m concerned, he’s not broken.”
Colt went silent, and God, Honor felt for him. Too many times she, too, had been caught up in the middle of family squabbles.
“So, with the truck,” Lexie said, interrupting the heavy tension, “are you doing engine or body work?”
Before Jason could answer, Hogan said, “Why are you so curious, anyway?”
Lexie leveled him with a direct stare. “I was making conversation.”
With a sound halfway between a laugh and a groan, Hogan sat forward. “We already covered that he can do anything.”
“Anything is a big word. I mean, can he get the stick out of your butt? Because seriously, you’re being a pill.”
Honor frantically tried to think of a way to hedge the impending storm. Lexie wasn’t reserved. If Hogan chose to be snarky, she wouldn’t hesitate to give back tenfold. Worse, she might well drag Honor into it.
“It’s a fascinating business,” Lexie said, “though apparently you don’t think so?”
“I’m proud of my brother.”
“Yes,” Lexie quipped, her tone dry. “That was so obvious.”
Taken off guard, Hogan eyed her.
“But then, who wouldn’t be proud of a handsome, accomplished, well-mannered man?” Lexie smiled with menace. “Speaking of that, I’m a fashion buyer for a boutique. If you ever want to step up your game, I could make some suggestions. And maybe Honor could update your hairstyle. You have the potential to be almost as hot as your brother.”
Hogan’s eyes flared, then narrowed.
“Lighten up.” Jason clapped him on the shoulder. “And, Lexie, thanks, but honestly Hogan already has more dates than he can handle.”
“Now, that is fascinating,” Lexie said.
“He does both,” Colt cut in, clearly not anxious to talk about his father being out on the market. “Uncle Jason, I mean. You asked about the truck?”
Lexie gave Colt a genuine smile. “So I did.”
“He does body and engine work. But this time Uncle Jason’s just tricking it out some.”
Honor watched the back-and-forth conversation, noting the indulgent way Jason looked at his nephew, while also feeling the growing tension from Hogan. But why?
The quiet smothered her, especially with the palpable acrimony now flowing between Hogan and Lexie. After clearing her throat, Honor asked, “Is that what we interrupted? You were working on the truck?”
Jason shook his head. “Tractor.” He nodded toward the side of the garage. “The owner of the truck is making up his mind between two options I gave him. Today I was repairing the tractor, but it needs a part I won’t have until tomorrow. I’m at a standstill on both projects, so you didn’t really interrupt. I was already done for the day.”
Hogan ran a hand over his face, popped his neck and finally worked up a smile. “He built the garage a few years back.”
“You helped,” Jason reminded him.
“By help, he means I followed directions. No idea where Jason got the knack, because our dad wasn’t the handy sort. But if there’s an upside to us staying with him right now, it’s that he’s teaching Colt.”
“And Colt does appear to have the knack,” Jason added.
Both she and Lexie looked at the garage with new eyes. Wow. Just...wow.
Honor said, “It’s unlike any garage I’ve ever seen.”
“You should see the shed he did for Sullivan,” Colt bragged. “And the gazebo for Nathan.”
“Sullivan and Nathan?” Lexie perked up with interest.
“Other neighbors,” Honor said before Lexie could get started. She pushed to her feet while saying, “This was really wonderful. Thank you again, all of you.”
When she started to pick up their paper plates, Colt took over. “I got it.”
Unbelievable. She’d never known such a polite young man. “Are you sure?”
He grinned, looking like a younger version of his uncle. “Positive. It all just goes to the can.” He gathered up everything and walked off.
Honor turned to Hogan. “You did an amazing job with him.”
“Thanks. He’s always been an easy kid. Smart, friendly and self-motivated.”
Again, Honor wondered about Colt’s mother. Had she taken a hand in molding such an impressive young man?
Hogan said, “I need to take off now, too.”
“Big date?” The way Lexie asked that, it was clear to one and all she didn’t expect it to be.
“Actually,” Hogan said, “yes.”
In an effort to stem new hostilities, Honor stepped in front of her friend. “I hope we didn’t hold you up.”
“Nope. I have a few minutes yet.” His frown moved past Honor to Lexie. “Guess I need to go change, though.”
Laughing, Lexie asked, “Need help?”
His dark expression morphed into a reluctant grin. “I think I’ve got it covered.”
She nodded while yawning. “I need to get going, too.”
“Gotta catch up on your beauty sleep?”
Honor almost groaned...until Lexie laughed again.
“Good one,” she said, and then she held up her palm, leaving Hogan no choice but to high-five her. To Jason, she teased, “The differences aren’t just in looks, I take it.”
Jason lifted a brow. “No, they aren’t.”
Without comment, Hogan headed off for the house.
“Well.” Honor watched everyone depart. Hogan went into the house from the back door. Lexie headed off to the rental truck. And Cody hadn’t returned from taking away their trash.
She and Jason were alone and with every fiber of her being, she felt it. Hoping not to be too obvious, she took a step back, then another. “I should get going, too. I need to drop off the truck tonight so I can get my car back. After I run Lexie home, I need to stop at the grocery. It’s going to take me a few hours to get back here, and I still have to get things set up for the morning.”
“What kind of things?”
“Alarm clock, coffee and I have to unpack enough clothes to get ready for work in the morning.”
He