THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

backdrops, lighting and stuff. A self-contained photo studio. I haven’t used it much over the last couple of years, but I’m afraid no one would be interested in buying it.”
    “Sounds cool.” He nodded, looking impressed, then put the car in reverse and backed out of the long driveway.
    Big puffy cotton-candy clouds filled the sky. The kind of clouds that somehow never get in the way of the sunshine, even though they’re everywhere.
    The silence was a bit awkward. Kasey asked, “How far away do you live?”
    “About eight miles.”
    “You said your mom lives out this way?”
    His mouth curved as if he was on the verge of laughter. “She lives at the other end of Nickel Creek, near the river.”
    “I haven’t been to that end of the road yet.”
    He turned to her, his thick hair skimming his shirt collar in the back. “It’s nice. There’s a boat ramp down that way, too. Most people take Bradford Junction Road to get to it, though, so your road is pretty quiet.” Scott looked relaxed, one of his arms propped on the console as he drove.
    “Yeah. It is quiet. I think I’ve seen two cars in the last two days.” She looked out the window as he turned off the main road. “Hey, this is a regular neighborhood.”
    He chuckled. “What did you expect? Cows?”
    “Quit laughing. But yeah, maybe.”
    He drove past the row of houses, a mishmash of new and turn-of-the-century buildings. Scott’s house was at the very end of the road, nestled amidst huge old trees. “The river runs behind the house,” he said as he parked the car.
    He offered to help her with her bags, but she insisted on carrying them herself. Kasey followed closely behind him to the side door. She could see the water from there.
    “You are right on the water.”
    “Yep. I grew up on these rivers, boating and fishing with my dad.” He pointed down the slope to a boathouse and dock. “I have a pontoon boat and a fishing boat. We’ll have to go out sometime.”
    “That sounds like fun.”
    Inside, the house was tidy but lacked a feminine touch. It had an open floor plan. From where she stood, she could see the living room, dining room and kitchen. In the living room, a stone fireplace stretched across one entire wall. Its heavy wooden mantel appeared to be hand-carved. Oversized leather and suede furniture looked comfortable enough to nap in. She found herself mentally redecorating the place in something other than shades of brown.
    The kitchen was huge and very upscale. It looked like something off the Food Network, with tons of cabinets and a fancy multi-burner gas range. It even had two ovens. An array of food cluttered the counter, an assortment of pots nearby. She felt totally inadequate already.
    “I take it you’re a pretty good cook?” Kasey couldn’t hide her surprise or keep from feeling a little jealous. He even had things prepped and ready to go without a mess.
    He blushed, grinning. A dimple became visible on his left cheek. “Yeah. I’ve been a bachelor a long time. I had to learn to cook or starve, and I figured out pretty fast that I couldn’t live on take out with the limited options we have in this town.”
    “I’m impressed.”
    He pulled fresh ingredients out of the refrigerator. “Are you going to show me what you have in that huge paper sack?”
    “I’d love to.” She placed the paper bag on the center island, its black granite countertop cool to her touch. “It’s a little present to thank you for springing me out of jail and inviting me over.”
    He cocked his head. “Really? That wasn’t necessary.” He set aside what he had in his hands and rubbed them together like an excited eight-year-old. “But I love surprises.”
    He reached into the bag and pulled out the planter. Kasey waited for his reaction.
    “Neat.” He smiled, but then lowered his eyebrows. “How did you get so many pictures of my car?”
    “It’s not your car, but only you and I have to know that.”
    “It looks just like mine.”
    “They’re pictures of my husband’s Thunderbird.”
    Scott looked surprised. “Your husband’s? He had a car just like mine?”
    She nodded. “I know. Isn’t that crazy? It’s in the garage behind the house.”
    “I have to admit something about the day my car broke down. When I turned around and saw you getting out of that Thunderbird to rescue me, I thought that big rig had hit me—I’d died and Nick had come to take me to heaven.”
    “No wonder you were all out of sorts that