No Ordinary Joe

by Michelle Celmer

  “Hypothetically speaking, what would you consider reasonable rent?” he asked Lindy, not that he’d make his mind up about anything just yet. “The last tenant paid eighty a week, but that was a long time ago.”

  “Maybe…sixty dollars a week.”

  His brows rose.

  “It’s not like you’re hurting for money, and it sounds as if she could really use a break.”

  She was right about the money. Renting the space had been convenient during the bar renovations when his income was nonexistent, but now business was booming. Sixty a week would more than cover the utilities.

  He nearly groaned out loud. He couldn’t believe he was actually considering this. But he had the means to help Reily, so wasn’t it his obligation as a decent human being?

  His father would have thought so. Hell, he probably would have insisted he give it to her free of charge. He would have insisted.

  Reily hopped down from the bar stool and, ponytail swishing, crossed the room to where he and Lindy sat. “Finished,” she said, handing him the forms.

  Lindy grabbed her coffee and slid out of the booth. “Well, I’m sure you have things to discuss,” she said, shooting Joe a meaningful look. Then she told Reily, “When you’re finished we’ll start your training.”

  Reily sat in the seat Lindy vacated and waited while Joe looked over her application. She’d listed a high school diploma as her highest level of education, which was about what he’d expected considering her circumstances. Had it not been for the small trust his maternal grandparents had left for him, he wouldn’t have been able to afford college either. The money hadn’t done much to anesthetize the sting of his mother’s abandonment, but it probably went a long way toward easing their guilty consciences.

  “Everything seems to be in order,” he said, setting the papers beside his computer.

  “So, I’m curious as to what Abe told you about me,” she said, watching him with wary blue eyes.

  “I get the impression that there wasn’t much he didn’t tell me.”

  She sighed. “That’s sort of what I figured. He’s something of a gossip.”

  “If it’s any consolation, he seems to really care about you.”

  “I know he does. He and his wife have been like surrogate parents since my mom and dad died.”

  “Why don’t you ask them for help?” he said, realizing immediately that it was none of his damned business. He didn’t need or want to know any more about her life than was necessary.

  “I have to do this on my own,” she said. She hesitated a second, then asked, “You didn’t happen to mention why I needed a job, did you?”

  “I pretty much just listened. And when he commented on the weather down here in Nashville, I didn’t correct him.”

  Her relief was clear on her face. “I appreciate that. I’d just as soon let everyone believe I made it to Tennessee.”

  “The way he talked, he seemed to think you would be back in Montana soon.”

  “Yeah, that’s the general consensus in my hometown. They all think I’m going to come crawling back a failure.” She jutted out her chin and flashed a look that was 110 percent stubborn. “I intend to prove them all wrong.”

  Abe had never mentioned why she was bound for Nashville, but Joe assumed it had something to do with the music business. In which case the odds weren’t exactly in her favor.

  “Lindy mentioned that you’re staying at the Sunrise,” he said.

  “There don’t seem to be many other options.”

  Only one, though he still wasn’t convinced it was a good idea. “I’ve got a small apartment above my garage. It’s not much, but it’s furnished and it has a small kitchen. And it’s only a few blocks from here. You can use it if you want to.”

  “How much?”

  “Sixty a week.”

  “That’s pretty cheap,” she said. Instead of looking grateful for the offer, she frowned and chewed her lower lip.

  So much for trying to help out a stranger in need, he thought, feeling slighted. Which was ridiculous since he hadn’t even wanted her there in the first place. “I could charge more.”

  She eyed him with suspicion. “I’m just wondering, what’s the catch?”

  “There’s no catch. Lindy thought you might want to stay there.”

  She brightened a little. “Oh, it was Lindy’s idea?”

  Did she think he was incapable of doing something nice? And why did he even care what she thought? “What difference does it make whose idea it was?” he snapped, sounding harsher than he’d intended. “Do you want it or not?”

  His tone didn’t seem to faze her. She leaned forward in her seat and met his gaze squarely. “Put yourself in my position, Joe. You’re a single girl in a strange city with twenty bucks to your name, and some man you’ve known all of about twenty minutes offers to put you up for practically nothing in his swanky garage apartment. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t be just a little wary?”

  When she said it like that, it did sound a little suspicious. And though the apartment was far from swanky, he could see her point. She was a young, attractive woman stuck in an unfamiliar place, dependent on the charity of a bunch of strangers to survive. That had to be scary as hell, even though her demeanor would suggest the opposite.

  It made him think of Beth, and how many nights he lay awake, wondering if she was okay, if she’d found a decent place to live, friends she could trust. He could only hope that she had been as cautious then as Reily was now.

  She had every right to question his motives. Not just the right, but the obligation. And for her trouble, he was acting like a coldhearted jerk.

  Was he really so jaded? So insensitive?

  Maybe Lindy was right. Maybe his attitude was a defense mechanism, because he would have to be blind not to notice how attractive she was. It wasn’t her fault that he had lousy luck with women.

  “I see your point,” he told her.

  “That’s why I felt better knowing it was Lindy’s idea. I didn’t mean it as an insult or a slight. I really do appreciate the offer.”

  “I guess I hadn’t considered the full implications of your situation. I don’t blame you for being cautious. For what it’s worth, there’s a chain lock on the apartment door and my aunt Sue lives in the house right next door. I can give her the spare key to hold on to if it makes you feel more comfortable. And anyone in town will vouch for my character. But if you don’t want to stay there, I won’t hold it against you.”

  “Could I have the day to think about it?”

  “Of course.” Maybe there was a little bit of the old Joe still left in there somewhere, because he found himself actually wanting to help her, the way he hoped someone would have done for Beth. “Take all the time you need.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled at him, her gaze settling on his face, then her eyes caught and locked on his, and his heart actually skipped a beat. Beneath the uncompromising defiance and strength of will was a vulnerability and apprehension that yanked at his heartstrings. She wasn’t nearly as tough as she wanted everyone to think, and he felt the strangest urge to pull her into his arms and hold her. To smooth back the long, silky strands of her pale hair brushing her cheeks and tell her not to worry, that everything would be okay.

  Hard as he tried to look away, her blue gaze captivated him. It was she who finally lowered her eyes and broke the spell.

  “Well,” she said after a brief, awkward silence. “I guess I should get to my training.”

  She slid out of the booth and he found himself following her with his eyes as she crossed to the bar, admiring the way her behind swayed beneath a snug pair of faded skinny jeans. She wasn’t voluptuous by any means, but she wasn’t Hollywood-thin either. She had just the right amount of curves for her height. For the briefest of instants he let himself ima
gine what it would be like to touch her, to tangle his fingers in the long, silky mane that hung down her back. To brush his lips over hers…

  He realized he was actually getting aroused and peeled his eyes away.

  His libido had been safely compartmentalized and locked away for the better part of two years. In all that time he hadn’t felt so much as a twinge of attraction to any woman, yet here he was reeling from a full-blown case of pulse-pounding lust for a virtual stranger. There had to be something seriously wrong with him.

  He had the sinking feeling that for the next six weeks, this woman was going to be nothing but trouble.

  Chapter Three

  Reily stepped behind the bar, poured herself a tall glass of ice-cold water and guzzled it in the vain attempt to douse the flames burning up her insides. The look Joe had given her had been so jam-packed with raw need and pent-up sexual desire, it’s a wonder her panties hadn’t burst into flames. For an emotionally unavailable guy, he wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding his feelings. Honestly, she liked it better when Joe regarded her as an unfortunate inconvenience. She had a defense for that. But the feelings she was having now…holy cow.

  She had dated quite a few men, and even felt strong sexual attraction to a couple of them, but never quite like this. Not this heart-pounding, grab-his-shirt-and-haul-him-across-the-table-for-a-kiss lust. And he wasn’t even her type! She preferred men who were easygoing and fun-loving. Someone she could laugh with. Joe didn’t even seem to have the capacity to smile.

  She refilled her glass and took another swallow, when what she should have done was dump the darned thing over her head. Was it possible that she had just gotten her first glimpse of the real Joe? Beneath the dark and brooding exterior, was there a warm, sensitive and sexy man? And suppose there was? What then? She was leaving in six weeks. The last thing she had time for was a complicated emotional attachment.

  Lindy emerged from the back and joined her behind the bar. “So, are you ready to…” She trailed off, a frown furrowing her brow when her eyes settled on Reily. “Hey, are you all right?”

  “Of course,” she said, dumping the rest of the water in the sink and setting her glass in the dirty-dish tub. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Your cheeks are red as apples.”

  She reached up to press her palm to her face. Her cheek was furnace-hot. “I guess I’m a little overheated.”

  “Do you feel sick, like you might have a fever?”

  She felt feverish all right, but not the kind caused by a virus. “I think it’s just been a crazy couple of days, and it’s starting to catch up with me.”

  After what she’d been through, who wouldn’t feel a little discombobulated? Maybe this irrational attraction to Joe was just a reaction to the stress of what had been a highly emotional situation.

  Lindy clucked sympathetically. “You poor thing. Well, if it helps at all I just got off the phone with my friend Zoey. She’s your size and she has a couple of garbage bags full of clothes she was planning to give to the thrift store. She’s going to give them to you instead. She said she’ll drop them by the bar later this afternoon. Zoey’s dad is not only the mayor, but the most successful businessman in town, and he tends to spoil her. She prides herself on always looking her best, and she gets a whole new wardrobe every season, so I’m sure there’ll be some really good stuff in there.”

  “I don’t even know how to thank you.”

  Lindy shrugged like it was no big deal. “I believe in karma. What goes around comes around.”

  If that was true, then something really awesome was bound to happen to Lindy. “Joe said that you suggested I stay in his garage apartment.”

  “It would be way better than living at the Sunrise for six weeks. And a lot cheaper.” She handed Reily an apron and tied hers around her waist. “Are you going to stay there?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  Lindy looked surprised. “Why not?”

  “If you were in a strange town where you didn’t know a soul, would you stay in the garage apartment of some man you’d just met?”

  Lindy frowned. “Oh. I guess I hadn’t looked at it that way. For what it’s worth, I’ve known Joe my entire life. He’s one of my best friends. He may be a little cranky at times, but he’s about as noble and trustworthy as they come. He wouldn’t hurt a flea. And there isn’t a man or woman in all of Paradise who will tell you any different.”

  She knew she should seriously consider it, but after what had just happened in the booth, maybe it wouldn’t be such a great idea. Not that she’d felt threatened or violated. Quite the opposite. Which was why she couldn’t help thinking it would be best to stay as far away from Joe as possible. On the other hand, the more money she made, the sooner she could be on her way to Tennessee. Six weeks wasn’t much time to save what she needed. Cheap rent could be her ticket out of here.

  Besides, as the day progressed and the lunch rush hit, she began to realize that seeing a lot of Joe might not be a problem. He seemed to spend most of his time in the back, either in the kitchen or his office. And when he was around, he more or less ignored her. He was so clearly not interested in her, she began to wonder if what had happened in the booth earlier had been a figment of her imagination.

  By two o’clock, when the lunch rush had officially ended, Reily had made up her mind about Joe’s offer. She left Lindy to serve the handful of regulars sitting at the bar watching the wide-screen and went into the back to talk to Joe. He was in his office working at the computer. When she rapped on the door, he motioned her inside.

  “Have you got a second?” she asked.

  He pushed back from his desk, folding his arms over his chest, looking mildly put out.

  “I’ve been thinking about it, and if the offer is still good, I’d like to rent your apartment.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  “If you’d like me to sign a lease—”

  “That won’t be necessary.”

  She pulled out the cash she had left after paying for the room last night and the essentials she’d picked up at Parson’s General Store on her way in to work. “I can give you the rest after we split up the tips for the lunch shift.”

  He looked at the cash, then at her. “Is that all the money you have?”

  “It’s fine. I can live off tips until I get my first check.”

  He mumbled something under his breath, then said in a voice laced with irritation, “Keep it.”

  “But—”

  “I’m not leaving you with no cash,” he snapped. “I’ll take the rent out of your first check.”

  The guy did nice things, he just did them so…grudgingly. Which left her wondering where the understanding, semi-compassionate man from earlier that day had disappeared to. Maybe she had only been seeing what she wanted to see. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “In that case, thank you.”

  Lindy stepped into Joe’s office with two stuffed black trash bags. “Hey, Reily, Zoey just dropped these by.”

  She took the bags from Lindy. They were heavy. “Is she still here?”

  “She had to get back to work. She said she’ll try to stop in later tonight. But don’t worry, I thanked her for you.”

  Reily had been hoping to meet her, and of course she wanted to thank her personally. Although odds were, in a town this size, she would run into her at some point in the next six weeks.

  When Lindy left, Joe looked from the bags to Reily, clearly curious as to what they contained.

  “They’re full of clothes,” Reily told him. “Everything I owned was stolen with my car, so Lindy’s friend Zoey dropped some hand-me-downs off for me. Would you mind if I keep these in your office until I’m off tonight? They won’t fit in my locker.”

  “I have to run home for a few minut
es,” Joe said. “Why don’t you come with me and we can get you settled in. Unless you feel you need more time to train before the dinner rush.”

  “Not really.” After eight years, bartending was pretty much second nature. “I’ll go tell Lindy I’m leaving.”

  He pushed himself up from his chair and walked around the desk, nodding to the bags she was still clutching. “I’ll take those.”

  “That’s okay, I can—”

  He pinned her with a look that said it would be in her best interest not to argue. A sort of, let me be nice or else.

  Okay. She held the bags up for him to take.

  “My truck is parked out back.”

  Which she took to mean, as he headed for the back door, that he wanted her to meet him out there. Because apparently it would kill him to actually say the words.

  Shaking her head with exasperation, she hurried out to the bar and told Lindy she was leaving for a bit.

  “Things won’t pick back up until at least four-thirty, so take some time to get settled in,” Lindy told her. Then she handed her a thick fold of bills. “Lunch tips.”

  She stuffed them into the pocket of her jeans. “Thanks. This will definitely come in handy.”

  Reily went into the back, grabbed her purse and purchases from her locker and said goodbye to the day cooks, Ray and Al, as she walked through the kitchen to the back door and pushed out into the afternoon sunshine.

  Jill, one of the waitresses, stood just outside the door smoking a cigarette. She and Reily hadn’t had much time to get acquainted, but she seemed nice enough.

  “Shift over already?” she asked Reily, taking a long, deep drag and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the hot, dry air.

  “I’m taking off for a couple of hours, but I’ll be back.”

  She eyed Reily suspiciously. “Does Joe know that you’re leaving?”

  The words had barely left her mouth when Joe pulled up beside them in a newer-model, dark blue pickup.

  “He knows,” Reily told her. “See you later.”