Free Designed for Love by Erin Dutton Page B

it?” Patti knelt beside her.
    “Six feet,” Wil recalled quickly, without looking at her notes.
    She had been back to Jillian’s only briefly in the two days since they’d argued, and had purposely stopped by to check the progress when she knew Jillian was out. Her crew was installing the new floor in the kitchen, and she really didn’t need to supervise such a simple task. Instead, she’d finished the projects at Rose’s.
    But the cabinets were being delivered today, so she’d had to return. When she’d walked into the kitchen moments ago, Jillian had been talking with Patti and Tracy. But Wil needn’t have worried if she should apologize to Jillian, because just then Jillian’s cell rang and she excused herself to answer it.
    So, while they waited, Wil began to go over the layout of the new kitchen with her crew. She paced out the dimensions she and Jillian had discussed, pleased with the traffic flow in the new area. She imagined how easily anyone could move from the refrigerator to the stove or island while preparing meals.
    “It’s going to be a beautiful kitchen. Did Jillian design it?” Patti asked as Wil indicated where the dishwasher would go.
    “She had the initial plans and I altered them a bit.”
    “Well, it’s great. You work well together.” When Wil didn’t respond she continued, “What’s going on between you two?”
    Wil glanced up sharply. “I thought meddling was your wife’s job.”
    “Hey,” Andy protested.
    But Patti shrugged, unperturbed. “Usually. But I’ll make an exception for you.”
    “Don’t.” She didn’t want to talk about Jillian, least of all in front of her entire crew. Patti was crossing a line in their normal working relationship.
    Patti ignored her warning. “One of the things I’ve enjoyed about working with you all these years is how easygoing you are. I’ve never seen you spend so much time away from a job—”
    “You guys have handled things just fine without me.”
    “And when you are around you’re jumpy as hell.” Patti went on as if Wil hadn’t spoken. “You bristle every time anyone even mentions Jillian’s name.”
    “Damn it, Patti. I said drop it.” When a horn sounded outside, Wil seized the reason to escape. “We have more important things to do than stand around analyzing my moods.”
    She walked out through the garage as a white box truck lumbered to a stop at the curb and Bill leaned out the open window.
    “Got a delivery for you,” he called as she came down the driveway.
    “Hang on. I’ll get Jillian to move her car and you can back in here,” Wil said before jogging back to the house.
    Jillian was pacing the backyard, still on the phone. Wil paused as she stepped onto the back porch, and Jillian stopped with her back to Wil and threw up one hand.
    “I’m working on it, Mom. Doing it right takes time. Yes, I’ll be there.” Obviously frustrated, she spun around and saw Wil standing there. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
    “Sorry. Bill’s here and we need you to move your car.”
    “My mother,” Jillian explained unnecessarily as she flipped the phone shut. “Reminding me that their anniversary party is the day after tomorrow.”
    “Are you heading home, then?” Though she’d been avoiding Jillian, a hollow feeling still accompanied the thought of her leaving.
    “Just for a couple days. She’s in a hurry for me to get back home for good, though.”
    “If I recall, you were in a bit of a rush as well.”
    “I was. I mean, I still am.” Jillian paused, seeming to weigh her words. “But there’s something about this house I don’t want to let go of.”
    “It doesn’t seem practical to keep it. There’s not a lot of money in rental properties in this town.”
    “No, I can’t imagine that there is.” Jillian pulled her keys from her pocket and tossed them to Wil. “Move it wherever you need to.”
    Jillian watched her go, then resumed her pacing. Her conversation with her mother had