Free The Posse by Tawdra Kandle

couldn’t
define skittered across Cooper’s face. “You don’t get two ex-wives
without a little flirting, I guess. I can pull ‘em in, but the
‘not-liking-people’ deal makes it hard to hold onto them.”
    “I’m sorry.” Jude touched
his arm. “I didn’t mean that. I was only teasing.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” He
squeezed her shoulder and left his hand there as he turned them
around. “That table is in the back. Come on.”
    Cooper had been working with
Holt/Hawthorne since their first project. He did specialty jobs,
things like banisters, mantles and built-in furniture. When Daniel
and Logan began delving into investment properties, like the bed
and breakfast, they’d increased Cooper’s participation and even
offered to bring him as partner. But Cooper hated the business end
of the job. For him, it was all about the wood and what he found
within in it.
    Jude loved to visit his
shop. To her, it was miraculous that anyone could take a few pieces
of wood and turn them into functional works of art. She ran her
hand over a delicate desk with spindly legs and complicated carved
edges.
    “This is so pretty, Cooper.
Who is it for?”
    He spared it a passing a
glance. “Lady over in Lake Mariah. She had a desk like when she was
young, but it got lost at some point, and she wants to recreate it.
I made it from an old picture.”
    “That’s amazing.” Jude
followed Cooper to a corner where a narrow table stood.  One
side had a straight beveled edge, while the rest of it curved into
a half circle. It was designed to stand flush against the wall in
the foyer and would hold baskets of information for the guests of
the bed and breakfast.
    “Wow. This is going to be
perfect. I can just see it in the entryway.”
    “Yeah, I think so. So here
are your stain choices. The initial order was for a chai latte
stain.” He held up a sample chip, laid it against the table. “But I
wanted to make sure you hadn’t added other furniture in that room
that might not work with this shade. Lot easier to change the order
now than it will be next week.”
    Jude tilted her head. “What
are my other choices?”
    “Gingerbread House. Hot
Chocolate. Apple Cider. Maple Syrup.” Cooper laid the squares on
the table in a perfect row.
    “Are those really the names?
They’re making me hungry.”
    Cooper shrugged. “Companies
make them up. If it were me, it would be dark brown, lighter brown,
reddish brown and golden brown.” He glanced at Jude speculatively.
“Did you want something to eat? I think there’s some fruit in the
house. Or maybe in the fridge in here.”
    “Nah, I’m good, thanks.”
Jude rubbed her bottom lip with one finger as she studied the
stains. “I like the original choice, but you know, I bought a lamp
a few months back that would be perfect for the center of this
table. It’s Tiffany—well, Tiffany-esque.”  She smiled at
Cooper, who looked slightly lost.
    “Anyway, the lamp is mostly
red glass, and I’m thinking that maybe that—what is it, Apple
Cider? That would look terrific.”
    Cooper nodded. “Okay. It’ll
be ready next week. I’ll call you when we can schedule it for
delivery.”
    “Thanks, Cooper. It’s going
to be gorgeous.”
    He nodded, looking down the
sawdust-covered floor. “It was the last piece I planned with
Daniel. He told me what should go there, just a few weeks before
he--” Cooper’s mouth worked.
    Jude closed her hand over
his. “I know. Lasts are the worst thing. If you knew all the times
I’ve thought about it...last year, when I finished using the final
tube of toothpaste I’d shared with Daniel, I cried for an hour.”
She shook her head. “Crazy, right?”
    “No, not crazy.” Cooper
turned his hand, laced his fingers through hers. “It means you
loved him. Those things wouldn’t hurt if you didn’t.”
    “I guess.”
    They stood for a moment,
both remembering. Gradually, Jude became aware that Cooper was
still holding her hand. When she tried to