J.T. studied the look on her face. “You really like it here, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes!” Ellie laughed. “But I’d probably like any town Sam lived in, don’t you guess?”
“Yeah!” J.T. let out a laugh. “I see what you mean.”
“Come see us now, promise?”
“Yeah, sure,” J.T. held the door open for her. “You take care.”
He watched her departing figure for a few seconds, but in his head, all he saw was Sam standing at the front of the church waiting for her to walk down the aisle. Oh yeah, she would be happy anywhere with Sam.
After placing his order for shingles, he stepped out the door and looked east.
Pilot Mountain stood like a sentinel, filling his view. J.T. pressed his fist against his chest as he felt the sting of heartburn. What else could it be? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen the mountain in years.
He was back and could see the mountain every day, but now he feared he had made another mistake, one almost as huge as leaving town.
He had asked Edee Cutt to work for him.
#
“I found a job.” An hour later, Edee bounced in the booth causing sliver hoop earrings to brush her face as she waited for Stella to take the seat opposite. “Can you believe it? Less than a week and I have a full time job.”
Stella’s gum made a rat a tat tat sound as she grinned. “That’s great, hon. Who hired you?”
Edee leaned across the table, quivering with excitement. “J.T. Knight.” Smiling, she leaned against the tall booth. “Can you believe it?”
Stella’s mouth dropped. A wad of pink gum tumbled out and landed on the table.
“Dang!” she muttered, picking up the gum and cramming it back in her mouth. “Sorry about that.” She leaned over the table. “Now, listen, hon. I like J.T. as much as anybody I know, but I like you, too, and you need to be careful around a man like that.”
Edee sat up straight. Nerves twisted in her stomach. Unease slithered down her spine as the shine slid off her sudden good fortune like chocolate melting in the sun.
She knew J.T. was the type of man women lost their heads over, but falling under his spell was one thing she was determined not to do. She could do his bookkeeping and girl Friday job and treat him as she would any other employer. And that was it, no funny stuff.
“Mr. Knight and I have a business arrangement, Stella, nothing else.”
A look of chagrin covered Stella’s face.
“Oh, hon, I didn’t mean…it’s just that J.T. is hard to resist. He doesn’t mean any harm. Why, I know for a fact he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, but he leaves a trail of broken hearts everywhere he goes.”
“He is charming, but he’s kind, too.” Edee glanced around. “He’s trying to feed that stray hanging around the barbershop.”
“Sounds just like him. I’m just saying, be careful he doesn’t steal your heart.” Stella glanced at a noise near the door. “Ah, reinforcements.” She winked at Edee as she stood up to greet the newcomer. “How’re you doing, Mrs. Mayor. Having lunch with us today?”
Brushing off the seat, Pauline Morgan took Stella’s place opposite Edee.
“I’ll have coffee and one of Roy’s Mexican Omelets.” Without pausing for breath, Pauline turned to Edee. “I hope you don’t mind if we talk over lunch?”
“No, I—”
“Good, now about the festival, I need someone to be in charge of the Strawberry Kisses from one o’clock to three. It occurred to me, you would be the perfect volunteer.” Finally, she stopped for breath, and stared across the table.
Edee blinked. “Strawberry Kisses?”
Pauline laughed. “It’s taffy, girl, taffy kisses. Not nearly as much fun as what you were thinking, but they’re one of our specialties for the festival. Big success, usually.” She pulled a notebook out of her handbag. “Now, can I put you down?”
“Here ya go, one Pepsi and one coffee.” Stella put the drinks down and eyed the mayor’s wife. “How are plans for the festival coming?”
Pauline tilted her head toward Edee. “I just filled the last spot in the taffy booth. Does Roy have the pie orders under control?”
“You know Roy, Mr. Ever-Ready.” Stella cackled, and added in a stage whisper. “That’s why I keep him around.” Laughing at her own joke, she twirled away.
“So, I hear you found a job this morning.”
Edee frowned under the woman’s intent stare. Did anything happen in this town that people didn’t know. “Yes, I—”
“He’s a good-looking rascal. Had a rough time growing up, just don’t let him break your heart.”
“He’s my employer, nothing more.”
Pauline’s brows arched to her blue-gray curls. “And just about the best looking man you’ll ever set eyes on.” She waved a hand to fan her face. “Like I said, don’t let him get too close.”
Edee noted the kindness in the woman’s eyes and clamped her lips around the straw in her drink. Pauline meant well, but why was everyone warning her against J.T. Knight?
He hadn’t shown the least bit of interest in her. Not one teeny tiny bit. Not even a smidgen. Drats.
CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning, Edee groaned in frustration when the office door squeaked open, admitting J.T. After the sleepless night she’d had, she wasn’t in the mood for company, especially not his.
After mulling over the warnings from Stella and Pauline Morgan, she decided she couldn’t take the job with J.T. after all. So it was back to her original plan, keep the bookkeeping service and try to find clients needing web designs. After going through the files, she had doubts.
At least she could claim his interruption was her excuse for staring.
“Morning.”
A well-fitted white T-shirt hugged his broad chest and while she focused all her energy to keep from drooling, he pulled a spray can out of the back pocket of his worn denim jeans.
Without giving her a glance, he sprayed the hinges on the door. Swinging it back and forth several times, until the squeak disappeared. Then he looked over his shoulder with a grin. “I hate squeaking doors.”
Releasing a nervous giggle, Edee chewed the inside of her lip to keep from gushing thanks. She hated the noise, too, but she didn’t want to be indebted to J.T. Especially after all the warnings she had received yesterday.
“Thanks.” Leaning her arms on either side of the files open on the desk in front of her, she watched as he ambled toward the guest chair. All night, she had tried to shut thoughts of him out of her head. Really, she had…but his out-going friendliness over-powered her good intentions.
It was as if she had developed some kind of radar where he was concerned. If he came near, her heart picked up speed. Like now. Determined to control her emotions, she forced words past dry lips. “I saw you at the town council meeting last night.”
Too late, she regretted her choice of topics since she had put considerable effort into avoiding him at the meeting.
“It was a hoot, don’t you think?” Laughing, J.T. relaxed in the visitor’s chair with a careless ease that added to his charm and made her more restless.
“I’m not sure.” Edee choked down a laugh. Saying the council meeting was a ‘hoot’ was kind, in her opinion. “With all the cell phones, I missed half the meeting.”
She must have missed something else, too. Like why J.T. was at the town council meeting. But as she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror this morning, she promised herself she wouldn’t ask. But he sat here in her office, giving her a smile so appealing it pulled an answering grin right off her irritated face.
“What did you learn?”
“You’re joking, right?” Humor glittered in his eyes as he met her gaze.
Staring into his mischief filled eyes, Edee admitted she was out of her league. Her resolve to stay unaffected by his charm crumbled under the warmth of his grin.
“What’s to joke about?” She pulled in a breath so deep she could fee
l the buttons down the front of her dress strain as her chest expanded. His eyes dropped to the front of her dress for a second, so she knew he noticed she was still wearing vintage garments.
So much for discarding the dresses as he had hinted at yesterday, but when she decided to refuse his offer of a job, she rejected his dislike of her clothing choices, as well.
Nothing about J.T. made her feel like joking.
He made her want to laugh. He made her forget how dangerous his attraction was, but none of that was a joking matter. Shaking her head so hard her earrings chimed, she just looked at him. And looked.
J.T. slouched in the chair as if he had all the time in the world. He stared at the room, but to her utter frustration, not one glance landed on her!
If her insides were going to turn to mush just because he was visiting in her office—okay, technically, he owned the office—but the least he could do was show he was aware she was still breathing.
So much for all the warnings Stella and Pauline had dished out yesterday. For all the interest J.T. Knight showed in her, she might as well be sawdust on the floor.
It seemed she had battled with herself for no reason. And she didn’t even want his attention. It was just her feminine pride that felt cheated, wasn’t it?
On that thought, she released a frustrated sigh.
As if sensing her impatience, his expression turned serious. “Some good came out of the meeting. I learned that being a business owner is a big responsibility.” He squinted at something on the wall past her head. “And I got drafted to work at the festival.” His eyes danced as his grin reappeared.
Reeling under the power of the look he turned on her, Edee clenched her fists in her lap, but curiosity won out. “You own a business?”
Okay, so she had broken her vow…but she had to ask. No one had mentioned that he owned a business. She’d thought he was a carpenter. In her mind that didn’t connect to the town council meetings. When he offered her the job, she thought it was for his work on this building. What had he meant?
“I bought real estate, this building. Same difference.” J.T. shrugged.
Edee struggled to hide her embarrassment at not guessing the truth and rushed into speech. “Mrs. Morgan drafted me for the festival, too.”
His grin widened. “Doing what?”
Shivers of awareness slid over her. J.T.’s glinting eyes and wide confident smile made her want to push him out of that chair just to catch him off guard.
Okay, so he was charming…handsome…friendly…kind, that didn’t mean she had to fall at his feet. She could resist him.
Tilting her chin, she sent him a look that had sent kids on the playground running when she was younger. “Strawberry Kisses.”
That got his attention. J.T.’s glance zipped to her face and his feet hit the floor. “Strawberry kiss—oh! I get it.” He threw his head back and laughed. “You mean the taffy booth.”
Gritting her teeth, Edee glared at him. What was so funny? Didn’t he think she could hold down a real kissing booth? Well, J.T. Knight had a thing or two to learn.
Speaking of lessons, she had learned hers and her heart rate proved she had made the right decision about refusing his job offer. Today was supposed to be his first day as her boss. It was time to tell him she wasn’t taking the job.
“Mr. Knight, I—”
“Whoa, I thought we agreed to get rid of the ‘Mr. Knight’ business.” J.T. sucked in a breath and wondered why he blurted nonsense around this woman.
She wasn’t his type. Edee Cutt was too nice for the likes of him. She honored the memory of an elderly woman and tried to protect stray dogs. He should stop teasing her, but something about Edee set his teeth on edge.
But he had more on his mind this morning than his response to a desirable woman, even if thoughts of her filled his head against his will. Clearing his throat, he looked at her from under lowered brows and sent her a sheepish grin.
“About that job…I have to postpone our arrangement, I’m afraid.”
“Oh?”
Disappointment and something he couldn’t identify clouded her eyes, turning them almost black.
Okay, she might need the job.
The realtor seemed to think Edee was running this office as a way to keep her grandmother’s memory alive, but, maybe the realtor was wrong. Edee might be serious about making the bookkeeping service a success. She might need the income until she got on her feet.
That possibility hadn’t occurred to him when he dropped in yesterday, but everything had changed since then.
“It’s business.” J.T. added, watching confusion clear from her face. No doubt, she thought he was just backing out. Maybe he was. “I came by to tell you I uh…I’m having the power disconnected. You need to move out.”
Her brow wrinkled as she stared at him as if he were a ghost. “What?”
J.T. expelled a deep breath. He had dreaded this moment from the second he signed the contract, knowing he would have to face Edee.
“We talked about this yesterday.”
“But…you offered me a job.”
As her dark brows arched, J.T. noticed how clear her skin looked against the dark brown of her hair. His heart picked up speed. Edee was easy on the eyes, but he wasn’t here to form a personal relationship.
“The power has to be disconnected to bring the utilities up to code. The updates will make it possible to rent more office space in the main building.”
“You’re going ahead with the deal? I thought you said it was cancelled.”
“Not the purchase. I was talking about your job.” J.T. ran his hands down the rough seams of his jeans. “I need you to vacate the premises.”
“Vacate…but—”
“This has to be done before we can connect the electrical equipment I’ll need for the remodeling.” He stared the crown molding, anything to keep from looking at the bruised expression in her dark eyes. He suspected she was battling emotional demons as strong as those he faced.
“The rewiring needs to be done as soon as possible.” He paced toward the back of the room. “You should have a couple a days to move out.”
***
And just that quick, he finished the last word and walked out the door.
Gone was her newfound sense of security, shattered when J.T. Knight said he was postponing her job. Consumed by temper flaring inside her, Edee ignored the fact that she had planned to tell him she didn’t want his job.
But he hadn’t given her a chance.
Heat warmed her cheeks as she stared after him. Guilt forced her to admit she’d had time to decline his job offer, but she’d been too busy admiring him to bring up the subject.
Drats.
Now he wanted her to move out. And the truth was, she wanted that job. When she weighed the consequences of her decision, she doubted she would have refused his offer. She needed the job to pay bills until she built her client list.
Was that asking too much? Grandmother had paid for a year so she had office space without worrying about rent. She just needed clients. She was an easy tenant. She hadn’t badgered the realtor to call the landlord to fix the dripping faucet in the restroom, or install new wiring so she could use high speed internet.
Nope. She had not uttered one word of complaint.
But J.T. Knight had evicted her. And taken back his offer of a job. Her skin flamed with heat as she glanced around the room. Seeing furnishings that looked as old as the building, she questioned her plans to remain.
As things were now, if she needed the internet during the day to do research for a web page she was designing she was out of luck. She would have to leave the office and go to the library. How could she do web design without the convenience of high speed internet service?
Updated wiring and utilities was good improvement for the building. But to get them she had to move out, and she doubted J.T. would allow her to move back when the building was refurbished. She had noticed the gleam in his eye when he studied this r
oom.
What was she going to do?
Staggering to her feet, Edee walked to the window. It wasn’t as if she expected to find the answer to her troubles by looking at the streets of Redbud. But what she saw left her even more confused.
Just when he made her angry enough to chew nails because he took back his job offer back before she had a chance to refuse him first, J.T. crossed the street and kneeled at the corner of the barbershop.
The little black dog stood facing his, and inched his body toward J.T.’s out-stretched hand. J.T. moved his hand closer. The little dog stretched forward, his tail giving a hesitant wag as he took a tentative step.
Edee held her breath.
J.T. must have said something.
The little dog jerked back for a second, then took a cautious step forward. Leaning as far as his short legs would stretch, the black dog inched his head toward J.T.’s hand.
The tall man tenderly picked up the straggly dog. Seeing the little dog in J.T.’s strong arms pulled at her emotions and she blinked tears from her eyes. When he put the dog in his truck, she realized he was planning to give the dog a home. Safety. Shelter. A place to feel loved.
All the things she longed for…
J.T. was saving the little dog’s life and giving him a future.
How could she stay angry with a man like that?
Now, she really was confused. One minute, he evicted her from the office. The next, he befriended a stray that no one cared about and took the animal home.
Caught up in whirl of unexplained feelings, Edee plopped back in her desk chair. In a burst of energy from her determination to avoid defeat, she snapped open her laptop and started a new file. Pounding keys with enough energy to destroy the sensitive keyboard, she finished the ad for the newspaper that had eluded her for days.
After finishing the rest of the ad, Edee read over the words and burst out laughing. In her bout of frustration, she had stumbled on just the right approach she needed to make the ad different.
Now, if the readers appreciated her efforts, it would solve at least one of her problems. She would have part of the business growing, at least.
A Bride For Mr. Right (Redbud Romance Book 2) Page 5
