CHAPTER TEN
WYATT STOPPED SHORT at the door of the conference room. His heart rate kicked up a notch. Instead of DeShawn, Sadie sat at the table with client notebooks stacked up beside her. One lay open and she was skimming through the pages with a serious expression. His breath froze. Had he been found out? Did she know the truth? Regret washed over him as he tried to find some words to soften the betrayal she was going to feel. She looked at him and he braced himself.
“DeShawn’s grandmother is in the hospital. He had to go to Charlotte to be with her, so I’m taking over his client list for the week.”
Relief flooded him. So much, he almost let out a laugh. Completely inappropriate for the situation. To give himself a moment, he pulled out a chair and sat next to her. His relief was short-lived as he realized what she meant. She would be orienting him. He and Sadie. Alone together all day. Could be tricky. Because not only was he lying to her, he had a strong feeling he wasn’t alone in this attraction. Which could not happen. Should not happen.
“Is she going to be okay?”
Sadie shut the client book and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m hoping we’ll hear something today. She’s in bad shape.”
“Damn. That’s too bad. DeShawn’s a great kid. Was he close to her?”
“She raised him. Since he was a baby. She’s more like a mother than grandmother.” She stood and began to stack the client books. “So you’re stuck with me for the duration. Are you going to be okay with it?”
He held her gaze. Apparently she could swing from soft and caring to hard as nails in an instant. Her mane of black curls was tightly contained in a bun. Thick black lashes framed the dark blue of her eyes and stood against her fair skin. She wasn’t asking if he wanted to orient with her. She was asking if he’d let the almost-kiss thing drop. If he could keep his hands—and lips—to himself.
“You’re the boss.”
She stood and gathered up the notebooks. “That’s what they tell me. Let’s get out of here before everyone starts showing up. We’ve got six clients lined up today, all due for a regular cleaning. They’re in the same neighborhood, so it should run smoothly. DeShawn told me you pretty much have the routine down, so show me what you’ve got and I may cut you loose from orientation.”
He took the notebooks from her and tucked them under his arm. Oh, he’d like to show her what he had. You’ve got to stop thinking like this, man. Off-limits. “Let’s get it done.”
She kept up the prickly exterior through the first two client stops. But she was good. She may have been behind a desk for a while, but she went through the houses with an efficiency that made DeShawn seem slack. No wonder the clients never left her. He found himself pushing to keep up with her. Pushing to earn the little half smile and nod she gave after her sharp eyes swept over his work.
“You should orient everyone,” he said as they drove to the third house. “You’re fast but thorough.”
“I had to be fast if I wanted to eat,” she said.
He was learning to read her. After she said it, her lips pressed together. She’d let something slip she hadn’t meant to say. But why? Why did she hold everything so close? He should let it drop. She didn’t want to talk about it.
“What do you mean?”
She glanced over at him with an appraising look that fueled his curiosity. This was ordinary small talk. It wasn’t as though he was asking about the deepest secrets of her soul. Of which he was beginning to suspect she had quite a few. She shrugged and hit the turn signal.
“When I was building my client list and working alone. I learned to hustle. Don’t get a job done, don’t get paid.”
“How’d you get started with using guys?”
She pulled into a driveway and put the car in Park. “Why not?” she said and climbed out.
He joined her at the open hatch and began unloading equipment. He waited for her to continue, but she walked away. Okay. Touchy subject. Why, he had no clue. Maybe she doesn’t want to chitchat with you, dude. Ever think of that? You’re the one who tried to kiss her. She’s the one who said no. Remember? He remembered. He also remembered the way her pupils had dilated, how her breath had hitched and how those gorgeous lips had started to pucker up for him. She’d wanted it, too. Well, Sadie the woman may have, but Sadie the boss did not. He shut the hatch and followed her. This was turning into a big, smelly elephant.
* * *
SADIE COULD FEEL his gaze on her back as she let herself into the house. She squared her shoulders. Keep it together for a couple of days. He was doing a great job. She’d figure out who needed a new partner and get him out from under her feet. This week. Because she couldn’t take much more of this. It’d started at the first house when she’d walked into the living room and there he’d been, in all his hot glory, reaching up to dust the ceiling fans, biceps bulging and a little flash of flat stomach exposed as his shirt rode up. The wave of lust unleashed by the little tease of skin had shocked her. And annoyed her. She’d worked with guys just as good-looking or even better-looking for years. Why was he setting off her alarms?
Focus. Get these jobs done. She set the client’s book down on the kitchen counter and picked up a note. “Don’t go into Liam’s room,” she read out loud. “It’s an abomination, and I am ashamed.”
“Teenager?”
Sadie shrugged. “Thirteen or fourteen, I think. It’ll get us out of here a bit faster. I’ll start upstairs.”
She sorted through the big carryall for the supplies she’d need to do the rooms upstairs. Wyatt moved to stand beside her.
“Can I ask you something?”
She refrained from heaving a sigh, barely. “That’s never the beginning to a question anyone wants to hear.”
He ignored her. “Are you angry with me?”
His question took her aback. No, she wasn’t mad at him. She was mad at herself for her lack of control. “No. I’m not. I’m worried about DeShawn. I want to get these houses done. I’ve still got to go back and do the work I’m not doing now. I’m focused. Sorry if it’s coming off wrong.”
His eyes held hers. She struggled not to look away. Damn, he could see right through her. He nodded. “Okay. I wanted to make sure. After the other night...”
He wanted to talk about it? She pushed down the irritation. She hated feeling stupid and almost kissing an employee was about as stupid as it got. “The other night was a mistake. One I don’t intend to repeat. But it won’t impact your job. I promise. And I’m not mad about it. Okay?”
“Okay.”
But he didn’t sound okay. He continued to pin her in place with those gorgeous hazel eyes. A small smile tilted up a corner of his mouth. Shit. He knew what he did to her. She picked up her supplies and headed for the stairs.
She started in the main bathroom, needing the physical release of scrubbing to loosen the knot of conflicting feelings. It had been a mistake. She was right to nip it in the bud. Does not matter how he makes you feel. Doesn’t matter that he seems to feel the attraction also. Does. Not. Matter.
She sat on the edge of the tub and turned the faucet on to rinse the cleaner away. Shutting down emotions, shutting out people, came easily to her. Except now.
* * *
LATER THAT NIGHT, Sadie made her way to the patio of the Triangle Char and Bar. Two men were flirting with Lena. Of course. To her left, the bar was noisy with the after-work crowd of hip, young professionals. Lena had snagged a table at the outer edge of the patio and effortlessly held the two men enthralled with her dark beauty, wicked smile and sharp wit. Her yellow sundress would have made Sadie look as though she was on the transplant list for a new liver. She felt sloppy in her khaki Dockers. She’d pulled off the Crew T-shirt and replaced it with the first top her hand found in the closet, a plain, royal blue blouse.
“There’s she
is! There’s my sister.”
Sadie tried to smile as she made her way to the table. Lena loved playing the sister game. The only thing they had in common was the color of their hair. Lena’s skin was a flawless golden brown next to Sadie’s paleness. Lena wore heels to make up for her five-foot-three-inch height. Sadie wore sneakers or flats because five-foot-nine was tall enough, thank you.
But she wasn’t in the mood to play today. The day with Wyatt Anderson had left her cranky. Self-diagnosis: hadn’t-been-laid-in-two-years syndrome. After dealing with him all day, she had gone back to the office to do her work, hampered by intermittent fantasies in which she hadn’t stopped his attempted kiss. She wanted a glass of wine. Or two. Or three. And food.
She sat next to one of the men. He made a sweeping motion and elbowed her. And touched her boob in the process. She could smell the alcohol on him. One sip from drunk. Her eyebrows rushed together as her frustration coalesced around a total stranger touching her.
“With a scowl like that, you must be the evil sister.”
Sadie glared at the man who’d first touched her and now insulted her: pushing fifty, moderately attractive, desperately holding on to his youth with a stylish haircut, hip new clothes and a spray tan.
“Touch me again and I’ll hurt you. Go away now,” she said. And meant it. She hadn’t survived seventeen years in foster care and group homes without learning some skills.
The man stood. “I guess the bitch has spoken.” He looked at Lena. “Apparently you got the manners in the family.”
“Not really. You weren’t stupid enough to touch me. She only threatened to hurt you. I would have done it.”
After the two men moved away, Lena rolled her eyes. “Why are you such a grump?”
“I had to cover for one of the guys today. And do my regular work. Is this my wine? Thanks.”
She took a sip without waiting for confirmation. Lena caught the waitress’s attention and she came over. “Another round of these.”
“So working with Mr. Super Hot New Guy’s got you seriously frustrated. I’m going to have to get a look at him.”
Sadie almost spit out her wine. “How’d you know that?”
Lena leaned prettily on her elbows, her hands beneath her chin and one black brow lifting in a perfect arch. Sadie wished she could do that. She tried to raise her left eyebrow. Then her right.
“Stop it,” Lena said, “You look like you’re having a seizure. I called to check how the photo shoot went. Molly told me. So. You and hottie alone all day long.”
“I have something important to talk about with my mature, professional accountant.”
“Oh, honey, I’m not being professional until I hear the gory details. Does he still make you melty and gooey?”
Sadie glared at her and Lena let out a peal of laughter, drawing every male eye on the patio. Including Mr. Touchy and his pal. Sadie scowled at him and was somewhat mollified when he quickly looked away. Lena rubbed her palms together. Sadie picked up her menu.
“I’m going to take that as a yes. What’s happened? Y’all making goo-goo eyes? Playing the innocent touching game? Has he tried to kiss you?”
“I’m getting tired of hummus. Let’s try the pimento cheese.” She tried for a no-nonsense, we’re-not-going-to-talk-about-it tone, but the flare of heat on her cheeks gave her away.
Lena’s eyes went wide and she leaned close. “He did! He kissed you!”
“No, he didn’t. There was a...a moment.”
“Digame! I love moments. Was it hot and sexy or sweet and romantic?”
“Nothing. It was nothing.”
“Obviously he’s attracted to you if y’all are having moments.”
Sadie shrugged and smiled with relieved gratitude at the waitress who’d appeared at her side. “We’re going to try the pimento cheese for the app. I’ll have the chicken tacos. And more wine.”
She sipped wine while Lena ordered. She thought back over the day with Wyatt. Her hormones had been singing, but he hadn’t done or said anything. Purely professional. He’d brought up the near kiss only to confirm it had been a mistake and wouldn’t be held against him. Nor repeated. And it wouldn’t be. Still, she felt a little dart of sadness. She covered her face with her hands. When she moved them, Lena’s dark eyes were warm and no longer teasing.
“Is there no way to get past the whole working together thing?”
“No. Because we don’t work together, Lena. I’m his boss. It’s wrong time, wrong place.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Can’t miss what you never had.”
“Doesn’t mean you can’t know it when you see it.”
Again, Lena cut straight through the murk of Sadie’s muddled emotions and shined a light directly on the problem. Because she could see it. And it had very little to do with his gorgeous face or that body she wanted to turn into her own personal playground. It was in the way he’d taken Julietta in, his obvious love for and commitment to her. For a woman who’d been thrown away by her own mother, that struck deep to her core. It was in the way he’d gotten every stinking last one of her Napoleon Dynamite jokes. It was in the quiet competence he showed on the job. It was in the way he got along with the guys. She’d been worried about him being older, but he’d found a role among them already: the cool young uncle.
She shook her head. Didn’t matter. She tried to wrap it up and stuff it down deep where she kept all her other broken dreams, but it kept floating up. She swallowed it back down with a slug of wine.
“I want to talk to you about something big. I need to know if we can do this.”
Lena smiled up at the waitress as she set the appetizer between them. “Thank you.” She turned her attention back to Sadie. “Is this where I have to be accountant-y?”
“Yes.”
Sadie scooped up cheese with a cracker and popped in her mouth, taking her time. The moment she said this out loud, it would put things into motion.
“I want to investigate opening a second location in Columbia.”
“Not selling a franchise?”
“No. We’ve been averaging four unique calls a week from the Columbia area asking if we take clients there. I think it’s time to start looking at expanding.”
Lena clapped her hands together. “Finally! This is awesome. What changed your mind?”
“Josh. He’s too good at what he does. He’s built this business with me. It’s not fair—or smart—to waste his talents being my second-in-command for the rest of his life.”
“So you want to put him in charge of the Columbia branch?”
“Yes.”
“Say it again like you mean it, Ms. Martin.”
“I know. Josh is like my brother. I depend on him for so much. But it’s time for both of us to grow up a little. Do I have the money to do this?”
“Girl! Do you have the money? You don’t spend a penny you don’t put back into the business. And I look after that for you. You’ve got plenty of money. Making people rich is my job.” She took a sip of her drink, one pinky raised from the glass. “And I’m very good at my job.”
“So there is enough?”
“What do you do with the statements I send you?”
“Molly files them somewhere. You know numbers make my brain shut down and I start to drool. That’s why I keep you around.”
“I feel so appreciated. Yes. Expand away.”
“How?”
That was the problem. She didn’t have a clue. The Crew had grown organically from her own client list. Little by little so the steps had seemed like a natural progression. To start from scratch in a city where she didn’t know a soul? It was like staring up Mount Everest.
“How do I know? I’m a financial manager, not a business planner.”
“Is there
such a thing? Can I afford to hire one?”
Lena laughed. But Sadie wasn’t joking. She’d never finished high school. She had always meant to go back and get her diploma in night school or something, but working for poverty wages required putting in eighty or more hours a week to survive. And then she hadn’t needed it.
“Have you talked to Josh yet?”
“A little bit. He isn’t sure he wants to, but I think he will. He’d want the challenge.”
“Then start with him. I’ll bet he’s got some ideas.”
* * *
“I’M NOT TAKING him off your hands.”
Sadie scowled at Josh as he slid into a chair beside her in the conference room the next day. She seemed to be scowling a lot lately. “That’s not why I wanted to talk to you. But feel free to shove it.”
“I reserve little-brother rights to tease, harass and generally annoy you as much as I please.”
“Then I reserve big-sister rights to punch you in the throat.”
She took a sip of coffee, now in a much better mood. Josh had that effect on her. She could completely be herself with him. He knew all her secrets. And she knew his. He was more open about his past than she was, but only she knew of his search for the little sister he’d been separated from on the night his parents died. How many late nights had they spent telling foster-care horror stories that somehow ended up in hysterical laughter? How many websites had they scoured looking for any clue to find his sister? They’d worked the poison of anger and resentment out of their souls together.
He got up to get coffee and when he returned, they drank together in a comfortable silence.
“I talked to Lena last night,” Sadie began when she’d finished her cup. “The Columbia expansion is a go if we want it.”
Josh’s blue eyes met hers. “Do we?”
“If you want it is the real question.” She leaned back in the chair, trying for casual even though her heart was beating faster and the coffee was sloshing in her suddenly quivering stomach. She was being selfish, but it was scary to think of not having him here with her every day. The one person she could confess her fears to. The one who understood her completely.
Spying on the Boss Page 10
