Yes, that was Stuart's favorite pet name.
For the truck.
Not me.
Just the thought of my ex was enough to make me feel slightly nauseous. He'd made some pretty serious threats. Would he make good on them?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Either way, I needed to get back to Nashville – and fast.
Deliberately, I sidled around the Shirtless Wonder and climbed into the passenger's side of the truck. I turned in the seat and shut the so-called slider. And then, I locked it for good measure.
As I did, I watched the stranger from the corner of my eye. He was still leaning against the truck. But now, he was leaning forward, toward the truck bed, watching me through the rear window.
He looked beyond amused, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why – unless it was purely to annoy me.
With my hand too low for him to see, I flipped him the bird and said a silent prayer that he'd be gone by the time I returned with Cassidy. At that point, we could simply hop into the truck and drive away, leaving all of the madness behind.
Little did I know, the madness had barely begun.
Chapter 9
I'd just crawled onto the bed when the bedroom door flew open, and Cassidy rushed in, looking surprisingly excited.
With a happy smile, she breathed, "I've got the best news."
Cassidy didn't know it, but I'd only returned to the bedroom ten minutes ago, after relocking the truck and retrieving my charger from the kitchen.
I'd found it exactly where he'd indicated, which only confirmed what I'd suspected all along. He hadn't been doing me a favor. He'd brought the charger inside for one reason – and one reason only.
It was to make me parade past the floor sandwich.
Yes, it was still there, reminding me of my tantrum. Who knows, maybe his twisted script called for me clean it up.
I hadn't. And I wasn't planning to.
Take that, Shirtless Guy.
Cassidy's steps faltered. "Oh. Sorry. Did I wake you?"
Hardly.
I sat up and shook my head. "Actually, I was just getting up."
As if I'd slept at all.
Forget sleep. I couldn’t even relax. Turns out, the quiet room had been the perfect place to obsess over the mess that I'd be facing in Nashville.
No job? Check.
No money? Check.
No guarantee that I wouldn’t be arrested? This was a check so big, it seemed to fill the whole room. But surely, Stuart had been bluffing, right? I mean, once I returned the truck safe and sound, he'd calm down and be reasonable. Wouldn't he?
Cassidy shut the bedroom door behind her and said, "Well? Don't you want to know what it is?"
I was almost too distracted to think. "Sorry, what?"
"My news."
"Oh. Right." I summoned up a smile. "Sure. What is it?"
She bounded forward and announced, "I've got a lead on this incredible job."
My stomach sank. "Really?"
She nodded. "Yeah. And it's really, really good."
I almost didn't know what to say. If she meant a job here, I'd be insanely happy for her. And yet, it would also mean that this whole trip had been for nothing.
When I made no reply, her smile faded. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I rubbed at my aching eyes. "I’m just a little tired, that's all." Trying to sound more enthused than I felt, I asked, "So, what kind of job is it?"
She brightened. "It's a personal assistant job, you know, like yours in Nashville." She hesitated. "I mean, the one you had in Nashville."
The reminder did nothing to ease that sick feeling. "Oh?"
"Yeah. But this one pays a lot more, and there wouldn't even be weekend work." She paused. "At least, not normally."
"Oh. That's nice." And it was. In truth, I could hardly imagine. Back in Nashville, I never had weekends off. Come to think of it, I never had weekdays off either.
Near the bed, Cassidy was saying, "So it's a total dream job, right?"
"Sure," I said. "I mean, it sounds like one." Reluctantly, I asked the question that I'd been dreading. "So…where is it?"
She gave a happy laugh. "Here."
Shit. "Oh."
At something in my expression, her smile faltered. "Aren't you happy?"
"Sure," I repeated. "I mean, it sounds like a great opportunity."
"I know." Looking happier than ever, she flopped onto the nearby chair and said, "That's why I couldn’t wait to tell you."
I gave a nervous laugh. "The way you talk, it's a sure thing."
"It could be," she said. "And it's really good."
It felt like the tenth time she'd said that, and I tried to look enthused. But I simply wasn't feeling it, and not only because of all the trouble I'd taken to get here.
Over the past week, I'd been missing her like crazy, even if we hadn't parted on the best of terms. She was my roommate, my best friend, and the sister I never had. If she took a job here, when would I see her again?
Probably not any time soon, especially if Stuart made good on his threats.
As she rattled off the pay and benefits, I had to admit, the job did sound pretty incredible. I was happy for her. Really, I was. Back in Nashville, she'd been working as a waitress at a sports bar. She was way overdue for a lucky break.
Still, in the back of my mind, I was trying to come up with some sort of plan. Interview or not, I needed to get back, like now.
But today was Sunday. Even if Cassidy's interview was first thing tomorrow, I'd be taking a huge risk if I waited.
But what if I left, and she didn't get the job? Would I need to come back to get her? Could I come back?
With no money? No vehicle? I felt myself swallow. No freedom?
Yikes.
I was so lost in my muddled thoughts that it took me a moment to realize that Cassidy had just asked me a question.
I gave a little shake of my head. "Sorry, what?"
She leaned forward in the chair. "So, how long will it take?"
"For what?"
She laughed. "For you to get ready."
I still wasn't following. "For what?"
She gave me a perplexed look. "For the interview."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just saying, he's waiting for you now."
"Who?"
"Jax, the guy who needs a personal assistant."
"Who's Jax?"
"He's the tall, dark-haired guy you met earlier. And just so you know, I mean the nice one." She made a face. "Not the other one. His name is Jaden, by the way."
So the Shirtless Wonder had a name. Go figure.
Cassidy said, "But forget him. I told Jax you'd be right down. He's waiting in his office, meaning his home office. It's right downstairs."
More confused than ever, I reached up to rub my temples. "Wait, why would he be waiting for me?"
"Weren't you listening?" she said with a happy laugh. "You're the one with the interview."
Chapter 10
Turns out, Cassidy wasn't exaggerating. The job was seriously incredible – so incredible, in fact, that I was getting excited in spite of myself.
Fifteen minutes earlier, while practically dragging me down the stairs, Cassidy had told me something that had shocked me to the core. Turns out, the guys who owned the house – this house – were the Bishop Brothers.
This wasn't just a reference to their last name. It was the name of their international brewing company, one that I was surprisingly familiar with, thanks to my love of their main product.
Yes, I liked beer – theirs in particular.
The guys were a total legend, and with good reason.
A few years earlier, they'd picked up a local brewery that was on the verge of going under. After some serious rebranding and fine-tuning, they'd taken the market by storm.
They hadn't stopped with beer either. Today, they had so many brands and products, they could probably stock a full ba
r with just their own stuff – rum, vodka, you name it. Plus, their daiquiri mixer was seriously to die for.
On the other side of the desk, my interviewer – a guy I now knew as Jax Bishop – was looking a little surprised, "So you're familiar with our business?"
"Oh yeah." I leaned forward in the chair. "I love your stuff."
His eyebrows lifted. "Is that so?"
"Well, yeah. I especially love your beer." I felt color rise to my cheeks. "But it's not like I drink it all the time or anything. Weekends mostly. And, uh, at ballgames, too."
Damn it. I was oversharing, wasn't I?
I didn't normally do this, but my excitement was getting the best of me. Oh sure, the whole truck thing was still hanging over my head, which meant that regardless, I'd need to return it as quickly as possible – hopefully without a jail-related detour.
But now, rather than looking at my future with dread, I saw a tiny sliver of hope.
Who knows? Maybe this little adventure would turn out to be the best thing that had ever happened to me – and Cassidy, too.
She and Jax seemed to have a genuine spark. If we stayed in the area, she'd have the chance to get to know him better. Plus, she and I could be roommates again. She liked warm weather, and I'd always dreamt of living near the beach. With a job like this, I could actually afford it.
And besides, I was long overdue for a change.
As Jax listened, I went on to tell him how much I admired their company and products. To drive the point home, I even mentioned that their daiquiri mix was so good, it made other brands taste like swill in comparison.
I finished by announcing, "And I'm not just saying that, either. I really mean it."
Now, he looked dangerously close to smiling. "Good to know."
Suddenly, I wanted to smile, too. I liked this guy – not in a romantic way. But rather, I admired everything that he'd accomplished, especially at such a young age. And more importantly, he'd rescued my friend.
Obviously, he was the reason I'd found her safe and sound, rather than in serious trouble. And he liked her. I could tell, which only proved that he had terrific taste.
Still, there was one thing that confused the heck out of me.
The guy in the hoodie – the guy I now knew as Jaden Bishop – he was a total jackass. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't imagine him being half of the dream-team that I'd admired for so long.
Maybe I should've recognized the brothers on my own, but then again, it's not like I'd ever expected to meet them in person.
When we moved on to discussing my qualifications, I was already prepared. Even without a resume, I was able to rattle off a list of previous responsibilities that aligned surprisingly well with the duties of this job, at least according to what Jax had told me – not that he'd shown me a description or anything.
While discussing my experience, I glossed over my most-recent job and focused mostly on the job that I'd had before that. It was another assistant position, this one for a commercial builder.
I concluded by saying, "And I'm sure he'd give me a good reference. Do you want his number?"
He studied my face. "No."
I paused. "Really?"
"Tell me," he said, "this builder, was he your most-recent employer?"
I tensed. Now, that was a dangerous question. I hesitated for a long moment before saying, "No. He wasn't."
Slowly, Jax leaned back in his chair. "Right."
Something in his demeanor suggested that he knew a lot more than he'd been letting on. I tried to think. Had Cassidy told him that I'd just been fired?
If she had, I couldn’t blame her. I mean, it's not like I wanted to lie about it. It’s just that, well, I was kind of hoping that it wouldn't come up quite so soon.
Still, I wanted to be honest with him. After all, if I got this job – and I only prayed that I did – I'd be the guy's personal assistant. It was a close working relationship, one that required trust both ways.
"Alright," I said. "You want the truth?" I took a deep, calming breath and just said it. "Actually, I was fired."
He gave me an inscrutable look. "Is that so?"
"Yes. It is. And I don't want to make excuses or anything…" I paused, wondering how much I should say.
He made a forwarding motion with his hand. "But?"
I sighed. "But I'd been working for twenty days straight, without a single day off, and—"
"And you'd had enough?"
"No." I hesitated. "Well, yes. But that's not what got me fired."
"So, what did?" he asked.
"An argument, actually." And this was putting it mildly. "You see, he wouldn’t give me the day off, meaning today, even after I practically begged him." My voice picked up steam. "I even offered to work double the hours tomorrow."
Jax frowned. "But what about the drive?"
"You mean the drive back to Nashville? What about it?"
"When were you planning to sleep?"
I tried to laugh. "Who needs sleep, right?"
When he made no reply, I added, "The thing is, Cassidy needed me. So when my boss said no, I, uh, well, you know…" I gave a loose shrug and let the sentenced trail off.
A ghost of a smile crossed his features. "You told him to fuck off."
I froze in my seat. He knew?
He couldn't've heard it from Cassidy, because I hadn't yet told her.
I asked, "Did you, uh, call him or something?"
"I might've."
Obviously, that meant yes. The call must've happened sometime within the last hour. And yet he'd still interviewed me for the job? That was a good sign, right?
Reluctantly, I asked, "What else did he say?"
"Nothing good."
I almost cringed. "How bad was it?"
"He said you were temperamental."
My jaw dropped. "Seriously?"
"And a pain in the ass."
What the hell? If anyone had been a temperamental pain in the ass, it was my old boss. As for myself, I'd been the epitome of professionalism until my very last day. And even then, I'd only lost it when he'd backed me into a proverbial corner.
Bracing myself, I asked, "Was there anything else?"
"Yeah. He called you scary."
Okay, now that was just insulting.
If I weren't so distressed, I might've laughed. Yes, it's true that I'd lost my temper on my way out the door, but I'd been at my wit's end. And he'd been utterly heartless.
But what did it matter? The damage was obviously done. Still, I wasn't going to slink away without letting Jax know the rest of the story.
"Alright," I said, sitting up straighter in my chair. "You want the truth? I don't regret it. I needed to get here. Cassidy's mom – you don't know her, but…" I hesitated. "Well, let's just say, she's …"
Silently, I searched for the perfect description.
A call girl?
A prostitute?
A psychotic selfish bitch who'd rather sell out her own daughter than deal with a smidgen of inconvenience to herself?
I chewed on my bottom lip. Damn it. I couldn't say any of these things – not without violating Cassidy's privacy, especially if she liked this guy.
Finally, I looked away and mumbled, "Well, I just needed to get here, that's all."
So much for making a good impression.
I was still looking away when he said something that caught me completely off-guard. "You're hired."
My head snapped in his direction. "What?"
"You're hired," he repeated.
I gave a confused shake of my head. "I am?"
He smiled. "What, you don't want the job?"
I did want it, so very badly. And, with a rush of excitement, I told him so with as much grace as I could muster.
A minute later, we were discussing my start date when a ruckus sounded from somewhere inside the house.
Startled, I looked around. What the heck was going on?
I had no idea. But whatever it was, it sounded bad �
�� and it was headed our way.
Chapter 11
More confused than ever, I looked toward the office door. It was shut, but I could still hear the yelling. Sure enough, it was getting closer.
I couldn’t make out what was being said, but the loudest voice was definitely female – and not Cassidy's, thank goodness.
But I did hear the Shirtless Wonder – aka Jaden Bishop.
Well, that explained the yelling.
After all, he did that have that effect on people.
I was just turning back in my seat when I heard Cassidy call out, "Wait! I think he's in a meeting."
Again, I whirled toward the door. Oh, crap. So Cassidy was involved?
A moment later, the doorknob rattled, and from the other side, Jaden hollered out, "Hey, asshole! Open up! We need to talk."
"Yeah!" the unknown female echoed. "Like now."
From behind me, Jax called back to his brother, "Ten minutes."
Jaden yelled, "I'm not waiting ten fucking minutes."
"Yeah," the female hollered. "Me neither!"
I was still twisted in my seat, looking at the rattling doorknob. What the hell?
From behind his desk, Jax called back, "Yeah? Well, too bad."
I turned back to face him. He looked surprisingly calm, all things considered. I whispered, "Is something wrong?"
Probably, it was a stupid question. After all, something had to be wrong, or there wouldn't be crazy people yelling outside the door.
Jax gave a tight shrug. "Nothing I can't handle."
His calmness was only slightly reassuring. And yet, I said a silent prayer of thanks that I'd be working for him and not his godawful brother, who even now, was muttering, "The guy's off his rocker."
Cassidy told him, "He is not. Whatever he did, I'm sure he had his reasons."
At this, the unknown female scoffed, "So what's the reason? You?" Her voice rose. "Are you Morgan's replacement?"
Morgan? The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't seem to place it.
Cassidy was stammering now. "I, uh…No. Definitely not."
I felt my eyebrows furrow. Were they talking about the job? The one I'd just accepted?
I was still staring at the door. And they were still bickering. I didn't like it, not with Cassidy out there alone. She needed backup, and I knew just the person.
One Bad Idea: A Billionaire Loathing-to-Love Romance Page 5
