Nora's Redemption

by Carol Henry

  He had to have a talk with his sister.

  He shuddered, retrieved the files from the cabinet, and strode from his office. Nora Spears was waiting at the entrance, the lights off, and the answering machine light on. Efficient. What had he ever done to deserve to have her land on his doorstep looking for a job?

  “I’ll meet you at Mariner’s in twenty.”

  Nora slung her purse over her shoulder and walked out the door, leaving him to shut and lock the office. He watched, mesmerized, as she walked down the street, rounded the corner, and disappeared. Had he made the biggest mistake of his business career hiring her on the spot?

  ****

  Whew! The man was intense. The drive to Lobster Cove would be a short reprieve from Gavin Redmond’s magnetic good looks and personality, and give her time to prepare for said interview. But Mariner’s? It was the last place she wanted to have lunch with him or anyone. Roark and Dawn Sullivan owned Mariner’s. Their daughter, Katelyn Logan, was Juelle McClintock’s best friend. After the spectacular spectacle she’d made of herself in front of all of them at Sebastian’s burial, she wasn’t ready to face them ever again. She should have declined his lunch invitation. The interview part was no longer necessary. If he had any sense, he would hire the applicant who had more experience.

  Lobster Cove was a quaint, cozy town, and she loved the way it hugged the seashore. It was a town built on shipping, fishing, and many Irish immigrants. Sebastian’s family had been one of many to come ashore back in the day. Her heart picked up a rapid beat, remembering his dark good looks, his sexy body, and the warm affection he’d had for her. She’d loved him. Was going to marry him and share a happy-ever-after. He’d convinced her his marriage to Juelle was a mistake from the beginning. They’d had a fling in college, he said. If Juelle hadn’t gotten pregnant, he never would have married her.

  She believed him.

  She shouldn’t have. He’d played her. He might have opened a banking account in her name, paid her rent, and treated her like a princess, but he cheated on her with a younger girl who lived on the other side of the island, like he’d cheated on his wife. She hadn’t found out until months after his funeral. And now, she was about to face Lobster Cove residents and those whose lives Sebastian had impacted.

  Mariner’s parking lot was crowded when she pulled in behind Gavin Redmond’s car. She swung her small Volvo behind the restaurant overlooking the bay. An assortment of colorful, licensed lobster buoys hung along the roof’s edge. Old wooden lobster traps and nets were stacked against the building, and an old, short, squatty lighthouse overlooking the bay was the establishment’s main focal point. Gavin met her as she exited her vehicle.

  “Although it’s a lovely day and sitting on the back deck would be pleasant,” he greeted her, “I suggest we go in the front entrance and find a more private booth inside.”

  She agreed and didn’t resist when he took her arm and led her to the front of the building. His touch was intimate, sending a jolt of warm sensations straight to her inner core. She walked past people milling under the green canopy entrance, their stares had her neck and cheeks burning. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until he released her to open the door. The coolness of the interior and the dim lighting as they entered was a relief. She exhaled, her lungs aching from the pressure of holding her breath.

  Dawn Sullivan, Katelyn’s mother, greeted them. Nora wanted to turn tail, run, and leave Gavin Redmond to think what he wanted. She didn’t need Lobster Cove residents looking down their noses at her even more than they did already.

  “Nora. What a surprise.” The woman’s tone walked the line at being cordial. She knew it wasn’t easy for Mrs. Sullivan to be pleasant, but then this encounter wasn’t exactly a piece of cake for her, either.

  “Mrs. Sullivan.” She nodded and shuffled closer to Gavin’s side, hoping he would take the hint, be the gentleman he obviously was, and jump into the conversation to take the attention away from her. From the corner of her eye, she watched as he assessed the situation in a flash.

  His arm came around her, pulled her against his warm, firm, secure body, and he gave Mrs. Sullivan a sensual, telling smile. “We’d like a private booth if you have one, please. The lady and I have private business to discuss and don’t want to be disturbed. A bottle of your finest wine would be lovely. Thank you.”

  “Oh. Yes. Certainly, Mr. Redman.” Mrs. Sullivan’s face became contrite and turned a vivid pink. “I’ll get Aimee to seat you right away.”

  As bright as Mrs. Sullivan’s face had become, hers grew equally as heated at the intimacy Gavin Redmond had implied. Thankfully the woman turned to get Aimee Hart’s attention and didn’t witness her embarrassment. Before she had a chance to step from Gavin’s arms, he released her, leaned over, and whispered in her ear. An intimate action to those watching, no doubt.

  “I assume you have some history here? You should have said something. We could have lunched elsewhere.”

  His breath tickled the hairs on her neck. She held her breath and turned to look into his eyes, the depths of which swallowed her whole.

  A big mistake.

  Momentarily mesmerized, she mentally shook herself and stepped aside. “Thanks. But I’m fine.”

  She wasn’t. She’d give anything to escape and never come back.

  “Come right this way.” Aimee’s smile was contagious, however, and helped put her at ease.

  The young girl led them to a windowless booth in the far corner. As soon as Nora slid in on the red padded vinyl seat across from Gavin, they were handed laminated menus.

  “I’m Aimee, and I’ll be your waitress today. I know you already ordered wine, but if I can get you anything else, let me know.”

  “Two ice waters with lemon, please,” Gavin said.

  “You got it.”

  Aimee sauntered away, the bright, engaging smile still on her face. Apparently the waitress either didn’t know who she was or hadn’t heard the gossip. Or didn’t care.

  “So you want to tell me what that was all about?” Gavin didn’t bother to open the menu before he started interrogating her.

  “Nothing to tell. History under the bridge, over the dam. Whatever.”

  “Obviously not pleasant history.”

  “Let’s say I’m not well liked by this town’s esteemed citizens. Especially the McClintocks and their friends. So you might want to reconsider interviewing me.”

  “Let’s order first.”

  Her appetite fled. The man wasn’t listening. Was he being pigheaded and obtuse on purpose? No way was she going to be an asset to his company if he was dealing with the McClintocks. Juelle and her new husband, as far as she knew, still owned the company. And Mr. Redmond had a meeting with their company’s manager following lunch. Should she tell him about her ill-fated connection to the McClintocks?

  Aimee returned with wine before they could continue the conversation. The wine was poured, and they placed their order. When the waitress left, Gavin Redmond lifted his glass for a toast. Nora lifted her glass to his, as expected, but was thrown for a loop when he made the toast.

  “To a new joint venture. Welcome to Redmond’s Marine Life Resource Management.” He clicked her glass and took a deep swallow.

  She set her glass on the table and stared at him, speechless. He raised his eyebrow in question and waited.

  “You didn’t even interview me. And knowing I have bad karma in Lobster Cove, with equally bad karma with the McClintocks, your main client, why would you consider hiring me without researching my background?”

  “Drink up. I know all I need to know. The minute I saw you this morning, you had the job.”

  “Wait a minute. You hired me because of my looks?”

  “Well, that and the fact my sister Bethany hadn’t gotten to you first.”

  She wasn’t sure she wanted to meet Bethany. Him wanting to hire her because of her looks brought back all her experiences growing up. At first, her looks had been an asse
t, but it didn’t take long once she hit her teens to finally understand they could also be a thorn in her behind. Boys might have flocked to her, but girls were jealous and could be mean spirited. Girls became her friend only because boys congregated around her. Keeping a true friend was as hard as finding one in the first place. And boys lost interest the minute they discovered they couldn’t get to first base with her on their first date. Her so-called “friends” were on hand to soothe her dates’ battered egos when she turned them down. And there had been many girls who stood in line.

  No, she didn’t want to be hired on looks alone. She didn’t want Gavin Redmond to show interest in her due to her looks. She had hoped he would see beyond her outward appearance and discover she had a brain—and feelings.

  “I didn’t say I’d take the job. Hiring me on the basis of my looks doesn’t bode well for my employment. I’ve dealt with difficult people in the workplace before, and I was hoping to get past the superficial.” And beyond, if it came to that. Even if it wasn’t in the workforce, her landlord Chuck’s sexual innuendoes was one more reason she needed to vacate her apartment, sooner rather than later.

  “If you mean ‘sexually’ difficult people, you don’t have to worry. I was a happily married man until two years ago when my wife was diagnosed with cancer. She died shortly thereafter. I’m not looking for a relationship, although my sister considers I should be. I’m not. So now we’ve gotten that out of the way, accept the position and drink up.”

  “We haven’t discussed my responsibilities, my hours, and my pay, as well as additional benefits. Not to mention my qualifications.”

  “If you insist.” He set his glass on the table and folded his hands next to it. “The responsibilities are varied—between an office assistant’s and an accountant’s duties. It includes some travel. Hours can also vary but are mostly eight thirty in the morning until five in the afternoon, Monday through Friday, unless we are working on a special project. Time off is negotiable, and benefits include health insurance and retirement.”

  “What about pay?” The job itself sounded as if she would be on call twenty-four seven. Thankfully her schedule was accommodating, and she had no other responsibilities holding her back from working those hours. But she needed a salary to allow her to remain in her current apartment until she could find something more suitable.

  “Ah, yes, that reminds me. Here is a check for this morning’s hours.”

  Her eyes rounded when she saw the amount. “This is too much for four hours of work.”

  “Yes, but you saved my ass this morning, so it is well worth every penny, as they say.”

  He named an hourly rate with time and a half for overtime, doubled if he needed her to work weekends. It was so tempting she almost accepted it on the spot. But was this the right job for her?

  “I’d feel more comfortable if you interviewed the other applicants and actually read my application before you made a decision.”

  “After your performance this morning, I’m confident I’ve made the right choice. You’re self-motivated. It goes a long way in any company. I need someone to take charge the way you did this morning, scheduling appointments.”

  He lifted his wine glass and held it across the table, waiting for her to do the same.

  “By the way,” he continued, “you can call every applicant and tell each one the job has been filled.”

  “But I haven’t accepted.”

  Aimee Hart arrived with their meal and placed the steaming shrimp scampi rice dish in front of them. The heaven-sent aroma made her stomach rumble. She reached for her wine glass and chugged half the contents without thinking. She liked wine, but she wasn’t a heavy drinker. But darn the man, she needed something to calm the chaotic ramblings coursing through her system. She didn’t like the frown on Gavin Redmond’s face as he refilled her glass as soon as she set it down. He was abrupt, assuming, and handsome as sin.

  Damn it, she didn’t want to be hired for her looks. Okay, so he liked initiative, if he was to be believed. But how could she refuse the generous salary?

  “What if I take the job temporarily and see how things go? You can let me go if I don’t work out to your satisfaction, and I’ll quit if I’m in over my head.”

  “Deal.” He raised his glass across the table again.

  This time, after clinking their glasses together, she sipped the wine, letting the sweet essence of the grape linger on her tongue before digging in to her meal.

  Good Lord! I’m so over my head already.

  Chapter Four

  “Yes! I knew you’d land the job.” Jackie pumped her fist in the air.

  Nora leaned back in the blue Adirondack chair in Jackie’s backyard and shook her head. Chunks of ice clinked in her lemonade as she took a long sip. The cold liquid soothed her insides.

  “Honey, you can move forward with your life and forget all about Sebastian McClintock,” Jackie continued.

  “It’s hard to forget. And I’m not looking for another man to take his place. Lesson learned. I need to concentrate on this job. And, as far as working for Mr. Redmond for one day, I can tell it’s going to be a good fit. He spends a lot of time away from the office. When he is there, he’s most likely going to be in his lab.”

  “What about all those interviews you set up?”

  “I felt terrible having to call everyone to notify them the job had been filled,” she said, lifting her glass and jiggling the ice in the lemonade before taking a drink and draining her glass. “I waited until an hour before I left for the day to make the calls. Cowardly of me, I know. But I couldn’t get in touch with the young girl who came in today. She isn’t due in until Friday, so I’ll call her tomorrow.”

  “What about the sister?”

  “Bethany? Not looking forward to meeting her. Sounds as if she’s judgmental or looking for someone to have a fling with her brother.”

  Jackie shifted in her seat, reached for the glass pitcher of lemonade, and poured them each a refill.

  “What? What aren’t you telling me, Jackie? Come on, out with it.”

  “Well, rumor has it he’s sworn off women after his wife died of cancer. Guess he was so heartbroken because he wasn’t there for her when she needed him. Supposedly he’s not interested in forming another relationship. He’s too busy getting the family business back up and running.”

  “That explains why his sister seems to be throwing young, sexy girls his way. Trust me, I’m not looking for a relationship anytime soon, either. I need to concentrate on finding another place to live, getting my life back in order, and starting my own business. This job is only temporary and will help me finance my long-time dream.”

  “Will you have enough to cover this month’s rent so you won’t be left stranded on the streets? You know you can move in with us temporarily.”

  “Thanks, but there is no way I am going to take advantage of our friendship. Besides, Mr. Redmond gave me a check to cover this morning’s hours. I guess he thought I was going to either refuse working for him, and this was an incentive to encourage me to accept his offer, or he was going to tell me to look for another job. As far as I’m concerned, it was more than enough to cover an entire day’s work. So of course, I agreed to work in the afternoon, too. It’ll help cover this month’s rent, so you’re off the hook with your offer. Which I appreciate, by the way. But I’m going to look for a cheaper place as soon as possible. Someplace that won’t remind me of Sebastian—and the disaster our relationship turned out to be. I should have found something sooner, I know. But honestly, I didn’t know how to let go.”

  “Good to hear you finally have. It’s about time.”

  “I’m going to call the realtor tomorrow and see what’s available. I’m going to pick up another newspaper tonight and see what they have listed.”

  A sudden clash of doors banging open and feet skittering down the steps into the backyard ended Nora and Jackie’s private conversation. She smiled as Jackie’s two boys ran into the yard, kickin
g a soccer ball to each other. Jackie’s husband, Brad, tall, blond, and wearing a red and white Hawaiian shirt and matching shorts, followed carrying a large platter filled with hamburgers ready for the grill.

  “Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” he announced.

  “That’s my signal to start getting the tableware and salads on the table.”

  “I’ll help.” She jumped from her chair and followed Jackie into the house, marveling at the domestic scene surrounding her. Would she ever experience a fulfilling home life like Jackie’s? She had hoped and dreamed once she and Sebastian were married, they would have children, raise a family. Those dreams had washed away soon after she’d discovered he and Juelle had a child. A child he didn’t seem to want. She had started to realize their relationship wasn’t going anywhere, but had ignored all the signs.

  ****

  The meeting with Coleman Baker had gone better than Gavin expected. Coleman had run him through the main points of the business.

  “We’re a viable company,” Coleman assured him. “Although, it was a bit iffy after Mr. McClintock Senior died. Business had begun to improve rapidly, and then all of a sudden, it went downhill just as rapidly under Sebastian McClintock’s leadership. How about I show you around, meet a couple of our men? It will give you a broader idea of our operations. Maybe as an outsider, you’ll be able to spot something we haven’t put our fingers on yet.”

  Coleman switched off a few controls, grabbed a set of keys, and escorted him out into the hallway before locking the door behind them.

  “It’s never a good idea to leave expensive equipment and files unattended, especially after everything that’s been going on around here. Follow me.”