What Matters Most

by Longley, Barbara

  “No you’re not.”

  “Are you accusing me of perjuring myself, counselor?”

  “I’m accusing you of exaggeration to the nth degree, and stop counseloring me. I’m a plumber.”

  “An exceptional plumber, I might add.” His gaze heated.

  Her insides went all quivery over the way he looked at her. Oh, brother. She’d only just met this man, and already she was falling under his spell. Wait. She’d never fallen under any man’s spell before. William Prescott made her priors seem like little boys in comparison. Friends? Ha. Friends did not make her nether regions melt the way he did.

  She swallowed a few times and slid her hand from his. He thought she was something? He was something too, a scary something completely out of her field of experience. She possessed many skills. Fighting her attraction to this alpha male, a man who could easily crush her poor heart, wasn’t one of them. “Let’s order something to eat.”

  “Sure.” He grinned, and his pewter-gray stare still held her enthralled. “What looks good to you, Jo? I already know what I want.”

  Something about Josey made him want to jump on top of their table, beat his chest and howl at the moon. All the signs pointed to mutual attraction. Her large brown eyes darkened when they met his. The pulse point on her neck sped up, and though she protected her space, she kept touching him.

  As a litigator, his success depended upon learning how to read people, and he’d honed the skill to an art form. Two things were crystal clear. Josey was every bit as attracted to him as he was to her—and she fought the magnetism happening between them. Why?

  He hadn’t been able to shake her out of his thoughts all week. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, nor could he squelch the urge to get closer to her. She wanted to think about getting to know him? Little did his sexy plumber know, by holding herself back, she inadvertently prodded him forward. Could this be what was meant by the chase? Huh. He’d heard about that particular adrenaline rush, but he’d never experienced the chase with a woman before. Litigation, yes, but chasing women? Not necessary.

  Prior to his becoming a workaholic, women had always been way too available and too willing. Not Josey. She wanted to think about whether or not she wanted to get to know him.

  Hell, he wanted to kiss her, pull her into his arms and feel her curves pressed against him. Teasing a response from her would be the very best kind of challenge. Their server reappeared and asked for their orders. After Josey placed hers, he glanced at the menu and randomly chose a burger. What he ate wasn’t nearly as important as who sat beside him.

  “You mentioned you come from a large family,” he said after the waitress left. “Are you close with your siblings?”

  “I am.” She nodded happily, but then her expression fell. “Or I was.”

  “You’ve had a falling out?”

  She brought her braid over her shoulder and played with the end. “They’re busy. When all three of us were single, Sam, Wyatt and I hung out together all the time. My younger brother is getting married in a few weeks, and as you know, Haley and Sam are going to have a baby.”

  “You’re feeling left out.” He slid his arm around her. A friendly gesture, a quick squeeze and he let her go. Having her tucked against his side even for a second sent his pulse racing.

  “Umm, maybe a little.” Jo unwrapped her silverware from the napkin. She folded the paper band that had held the bundle together into a neat little pleats. “Along with my grandfather’s retirement, I just feel like everything around me is changing.”

  He’d also learned to notice “tells” while cross examining witnesses. Jo fidgeted when nervous or upset. He tucked that tidbit away for safekeeping. “I’m sure. Being an only child, I never felt as if I fit in anywhere either.” Had he copped to that out loud? Yes, he had, and he wasn’t going to stop there either. He’d examine his motives later. Right now, just having Jo to talk to felt too damned good. “As a result of being their one and only, my parents piled all the pressure for success on my shoulders. I’m sure they had my life mapped out even before I was conceived.”

  He grunted. “In fact, every so often my mother mentions benchmarks I should be meeting. No doubt she’s made a timeline for me, and she checks my life for milestones each week. ‘You’re thirty, William. You should make partner this year.’ Or, ‘You’re thirty now. It’s time to find an appropriate mate to bear your young.’ ”

  Josey laughed. “You’re exaggerating again.”

  “I wish I were. When you suggested I could change career paths, it’s the first time in my life anyone has ever given me permission to do something solely for the sake of pleasing myself.” Will picked up his mug and held it up until Jo clinked it with hers. “I suspect you will make a very good friend, Josey Haney, and good friends are hard to come by. That alone more than makes up for any legal services I can provide.”

  Will flashed her a grin. “My mother would love to see me become president someday. In fact, we’re meeting for brunch this Sunday to discuss long-term strategies toward that end.”

  “I suppose politics is another avenue you could pursue with a law degree. Are you interested in running for office?” she asked.

  “Not at all. Right now, all I’m interested in is having another beer and hanging out with you.”

  “I’m game.”

  “Good.” Another load of tension leached out of him. “What about you, Jo? If you could have chosen anything you wanted to do, regardless of financial security, what would that be?”

  Her face colored. His question must have hit a nerve because she seemed to draw into herself for an instant, and her lips pressed into a straight line.

  “You know, I’ve never given that question much thought.” She glanced at him, her expression one of puzzlement. “In that respect, we aren’t so different. I grew up with the expectation that I would work for the family business. I’m sure my family figured I’d become our office manager, but I chose plumbing.” She shifted in her seat. “I guess I wanted to prove I’m as capable as my brothers. Anyway, it’s what I’ve done ever since.”

  “How old are you, Jo?”

  “I’ll be twenty-seven at the end of July.”

  “Are you happy? Do you find satisfaction in the work you do?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Sometimes not?”

  “Nobody is satisfied or happy all the time, Will. It’s unrealistic to believe otherwise.”

  “I think you must be an old soul, Josey Haney.”

  She bumped against him in response. Did she need to touch him as much as he needed to touch her? All the evidence pointed to yes, and his hopes soared.

  “Why do you think that?” she asked.

  “You possess wisdom and common sense beyond your years, that’s why.” Will couldn’t help himself, he reached out and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, skimming his knuckles along her cheek. She didn’t lean away but tilted her head ever so slightly toward his caress. Another good sign. How long would it take her to ‘think about’ getting to know him? Not long, he hoped.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  His first day back at work, and Will couldn’t settle into any task. He paced the confines of his office, stopping now and then to stare out the window at the city streets below. It wasn’t solely ambivalence toward his vocation working on his nerves. More than a week had flown by since he’d gone to Lucky’s with Jo. Three jobs and a shared evening hardly meant anything in the grand scheme of things. They hadn’t even kissed, and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She hadn’t called.

  He could set up another nonsense job for her to do, but that would be too obvious, hence the pacing. If only he had a legitimate reason to contact her, something that would give him a little more time to convince her to keep seeing him. Too bad she hadn’t asked him to do any legal work for her. All she’d done was ask a few simple questions.

  Hold on. He froze mid-pace. If he gathered the forms for changing the name of her family’s company,
and insisted he go over them with her, that would give him the perfect reason to see her again. He’d even suggest he be the one to present her argument to the partners, which would force them to take her a little more seriously—or piss them off.

  Will frowned. Jo would know how best to proceed. How she approached her family he’d leave up to her, but he’d be there for her. If she’d let him.

  “Damn.” Will plowed his fingers through his hair. The only way he had to contact her was through her family’s business. If he called her there, it would cast him as too needy. Striding out of his office and down the hall, he considered how to spin his request.

  The door to Haley’s small office was open. Deep in concentration, she typed away on her laptop, with papers spread out next to her on her desk. “Good morning, Haley. How are you feeling?”

  “Oh.” She looked up, slightly startled. “Welcome back to work, Will. I’m fine.” She smiled warmly. “How was your time off? I hope you had a chance to unwind.”

  “It was fine, and I did relax. Thanks.” Ever so casually, he leaned against the doorframe. “Say, can you give me Jo Haney’s cell phone number?” His heart should not be pounding like this, nor should his palms be sweaty. He pulled his cell phone from of his pocket and went to his contacts, schooling his features to cool neutrality.

  “Gee, Will.” Haley frowned. “I’d have to check with her first.” She studied him for several grueling seconds. “Why do you want her number?”

  Because she’d ignited some kind of instinctual response within him he couldn’t ignore, and he couldn’t get her out of his head. His desire to get closer to her should have dissipated after a week with no call from her. Instead, the feeling had intensified. Was he too competitive to give up? No, it wasn’t competitiveness. At some level he needed … Hell, he didn’t know what he needed where Josey was concerned. All he knew was that he wanted to see her again.

  “She had some legal questions for me, and I’ve gathered the information and forms she needs. I’d like to go over everything with her, so I can answer any questions she might have.”

  “I can deliver papers and answer questions for you. I am a paralegal, you know, and she is my sister-in-law.”

  “I’d prefer to take care of this myself.”

  Haley plopped her elbows on her desk, rested her chin on her fists and eyeballed him, her expression speculative. Then she smirked. “I see.”

  “You’re on to me,” he muttered.

  She laughed. “Yep. I was on to you the minute Jo told us about replacing your perfectly good plumbing fixtures and moving your water heater six inches. Six inches, Will?”

  Suspicion bloomed, and he pointed at her. “This was a setup, wasn’t it? When you recommended Haney & Sons, you specifically told me to request Jo.”

  Haley busied herself stacking the papers on her desk. “She’s the best plumber there. Of course I recommended her.”

  “You said ‘Jo,’ not Josey. Imagine my surprise when I opened my front door expecting Joe-the-plumber-guy, and finding Josey instead.” He crossed his arms and gave her his best hard-ass lawyer look. “I didn’t need the best plumber in the state for a clogged sink. Admit it. You set us up.”

  “I didn’t force you to keep requesting her. That’s on you.” She grinned. “Admit it. You like her.”

  “All right, I like her. She’s a decent human being.” He couldn’t help smiling back. “She suggested I get myself a couple of cats.”

  “Why would she say that?” Haley frowned.

  “I guess she thinks it would be good for me to have a pet or two to come home to, and cats are fairly self-sufficient.”

  “Maybe she’s right.” She smirked again. “She asked about you, by the way.”

  “Yeah? What did you tell her?” Could he feel any more like he’d traveled back in time to his awkward adolescence?

  “The truth. That you’re a really nice guy who works too hard.”

  “Well, thanks for the recommendation, but it didn’t help. We went out once, and I told her to call me if she’d be interested in getting together again. She hasn’t called.”

  “Construction is picking up. Maybe she’s been busy.”

  “Maybe.” Doubt it. He straightened off the doorframe. “Wait, you said, ‘when she told us.’ Who is us?”

  “Me, Sam, their younger brother and his fiancée. In fact, she gathered us together specifically to talk about you.”

  His brow rose, and he nodded slowly, not knowing what to make of Haley’s revelation. “Good to know, but it makes no difference. I guess she’s made her decision.” As much as he wanted to, he wouldn’t push. “I’ll give you the forms she needs, and you can pass them on to her.” He’d shake off the disappointment by diving into work. Somehow, that held no appeal, and he doubted work would provide him with anything closely related to relief.

  “You’re giving up that easily? Not like you, Will.”

  “Since you won’t give me her number without her permission—which I approve of, by the way—what do you suggest I do? Stalking is illegal, and I’m running out of brand new faucets to replace. Should I have her move the water heater back to where it was originally?”

  She laughed. “No, but—”

  “She doesn’t think we have anything in common, because she’s blue collar and I’m white collar.” He tugged at the collar of his white dress shirt.

  “That’s purely defensiveness on her part. She has issues when it comes to dating.”

  “I know. She told me the fools she’s been seeing view her skills as a threat to their fragile egos.” He grunted. “Idiots.”

  “She shared that with you? That’s a good sign, and you’re right. The guys she’s dated are idiots, and they’ve undermined her confidence. She’s put up walls to avoid getting hurt. That’s all.”

  “Give me names. I’ll sue for damages.”

  “That’s sweet.” Haley laughed again. “Let me talk to her. We’re gathering at her grandparents’ house for dinner tonight.”

  “I’d appreciate it.” Don’t let on I’m pathetic. “Tell her I’d like to go over the forms she and I talked about and ask if I can call her. No pressure.” A woman like Jo deserved to be cherished and respected. He admired her abilities. Watching her work so competently and witnessing her level of skill had been a pure joy, not to mention a turn on. From her baggy, navy-blue uniform to her steel-toed leather work shoes, he found her utterly appealing.

  Perhaps helping persuade her stubborn family to change the name of their company might be the best way to convince her he was worthy. Maybe, just maybe that would help him begin to dismantle her defenses. He had a plan of action. Not a good one, but better than nothing. He straightened and peered down the hall toward his office. “Well, I suppose I should get some work done.”

  “Jo is really sweet, and she’s devoted to her family,” Haley said. “I know these past few months have been hard on her.”

  “Yeah, she shared that too. Jo told me she and her brothers used to hang out all the time, and now you and Sam are expecting, her younger brother is getting married, and none of you have as much time for her. I’m sure she’s feeling displaced.”

  Haley’s eyes widened. “Great, now I feel terrible. The three of them lost their—”

  “I know. She was twelve when their parents died.” His chest swelled a little, and all because Jo had confided in him. She’d also scolded him about his attitude toward his own mother, but he hadn’t minded. She could scold him all she wanted, especially if she did so while sitting on his lap. Naked. Make that straddling his lap while wearing sexy lingerie he’d picked out for her. Scenarios played through his mind, Josey scolding him into taking off his clothes, demanding he—”

  “Will.”

  “Hmm?” Again, good thing women couldn’t see what went on inside men’s heads.

  “If you do get together, don’t tell her I tried to fix the two of you up.”

  “So you admit it was a setup.” He grinned. “I won�
�t, and thanks for thinking of me. I’d better get to work.”

  “Me too. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow,” he said, before heading back to his office. There was nothing he could do about Josey today. He may as well get some work done. What if Jo told Haley she wanted nothing to do with him? A funny feeling hit him midway between his lungs and his gut, an unfamiliar pressure that affected his breathing. Anxiety?

  He really did need to make some changes. Didn’t the big chain pet stores hold adopt-a-pet events on Sundays? Between work, parental pressure and loneliness, he might just give becoming the male equivalent of a cat lady a try.

  Jo sat on her couch with her contacts open on her phone and scanned through the list. She stopped at Gary Carlson’s number. She’d helped him put a new clutch in his 1966 Dodge Charger. He owed her. Gary would be her third try today. The first number she’d called was no longer in service, and at the second she’d left a message to call her back. She wouldn’t hold her breath on that one.

  Her finger poised above the Call icon, she hesitated. Could she really keep doing this? Was she really willing to beg a casual acquaintance to be her date for her brother’s wedding? Why, yes. Yes she was. She’d entered a brand new territory called: the bottom-of-the-barrel dating hell. Drawing in a long breath, she touched Call.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Gary. This is Josey Haney. Remember me?”

  “Oh, sure. How are you?”

  He didn’t sound all that happy to hear from her. But then, why would he be? He’d done some contract work for Haney & Sons, and they’d kind of hit it off. They’d hung out together a few times, but they’d never dated. She swallowed a couple of times. “I’m fine. How’s that Dodge Charger running these days?”

  “Can’t say. I sold that car about six months ago.”

  “Oh.” Shit, this wasn’t going well. “Well, anyway, I’m calling to ask a favor.”

  “Yeah?” The tone in that single word smacked of wariness. “What’s that?”