Chapter Three

Ginger struggled to balance two bags of groceries along with her purse as she fumbled with the lock on her door. The loud barking coming from the other side encouraged her to hurry. Her new dog was either very happy she was home, or he had urgent business to attend to outside.

When she entered her house, Jack immediately stopped his racket and ran to the back door. Urgent business won the bet.

“I’m hurrying!” She kicked the door closed behind her and then rushed for the kitchen. She dumped the bags and her purse on the counter before running for the back door. “Good boy, Jack,” she called out to the streak of lightning making a dash for the nearest bush. Leave it to Jack to make her laugh.

She pulled the pins from her hair and shook her head before sitting at the small dinette table to kick off her shoes. As far as first days went, this one had to have set a record. Discovering Greg—a.k.a. her boss—was one of the brothers making up the ownership of Tucker Construction had been disconcerting, to put it mildly. Talk about a small world.

Justin Tucker’s sincere apology and subsequent explanation of his rash remarks earlier in Greg’s office had done little to ease her mind. That he would think she and Greg had conspired for her to get the job at Tucker Construction by not revealing they were dating had been demoralizing. She was proud of her qualifications. She knew her experience had landed her the job. For a minute, though, Justin had believed she manipulated the interview.

She did accept his apology, and she even understood how he had assumed the worst when he explained the previous situation with one of Greg’s girlfriends working at the office. Still, her pride had taken a hit, and it was not something she would soon forget.

Over the past weekend, she had unapologetically decided she would not make a trip to Greg’s neighborhood to look for posters regarding Jack, even though that meant she would be saying goodbye to a perfectly good pair of heels. She had soothed her guilty conscious by checking social media and the local paper for notices of a lost, big, black Labrador. Each time she had fervently prayed she wouldn’t see anything.

Another reason she had stayed away from the area stemmed from her desire not to risk another chance encounter with Greg. She’d been drawn to his magnetism, a reminder she was still insane and probably needed medication.

Granted, she wouldn’t have Jack if she hadn’t made the impulsive stop to inquire about a contractor, and she firmly believed fate had played a part in that. She needed a dog, she loved dogs, and already Jack’s companionship had brightened her world. However, there was a big difference between a furry, four-legged companion with a cold, wet nose and a two-legged Adonis with big, hard muscles.

She didn’t want an Adonis; she didn’t want a Brad Pitt or even a Forrest Gump. What she wanted was to get on with her life without a man screwing it up…again. So the instant attraction that coursed through her bones during her interaction with Greg had been unwelcome and unsettling, and now she would be seeing him almost every day.

Fate blessed her one minute and then slapped her upside the head in the next. Well, as long as she remembered her number one rule—do not get involved with somebody she worked with, ever—everything should be fine. Justin wouldn’t have to worry about an office romance.

She was tough. She could handle this little inconvenience. If the temptation to dip her toe into the relationship pool of let’s see where this goes ever weakened her resolve, she would pull out her list of the top ten characteristics a possible mate had to possess.

She had an actual list she kept in the top drawer of her nightstand for easy reference. She couldn’t trust her judgment where the opposite sex was concerned. So she’d put pencil to paper and listed the critical requirements she would demand in any future relationship. When she was ready for another relationship, that was.

And that would not be for a long time. However, when she was ready, if the guy didn’t meet all of those elements, then it was goodbye, adios, catch ya later. She had fallen for the wrong guy so often that the list would serve as a protective shield over her heart, which had been broken one too many times.

The scratching at the back door let her know Jack was ready to come back in the house. Pushing thoughts of Greg from her mind, she opened the door and then padded barefoot to the kitchen. She grabbed a dog biscuit for Jack from the oversized pink ceramic pig that had once served as a cookie jar. She’d bought it years ago in the hopes the visual of the grinning, overweight glutton would make her feel guilty about her snacking habits. It hadn’t worked, but it was serving a purpose now by holding Jack’s treats.

****

Whether to laugh or cry the next morning was a coin toss. Ginger’s plan to arrive at work early evaporated the minute she noticed her car door wasn’t completely closed and the grocery bag of bread and chips sat forgotten on the front seat. Praying, she inserted the key. Click.

She closed her eyes and dropped her head on the steering wheel. Terrific. Last night she’d forgotten she had another bag of groceries in the car. With a frustrated sigh, she reached for her cell phone. She was going to be late for work. Not good.

It was too early for anybody to be at the office yet, but she would leave a message explaining her delay and then try to find someone to jump her battery. However, to her surprise—and dismay—Greg answered the phone.

“Uh…Greg, this is Ginger. I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I am going to be a little late this morning. My car battery is dead.” She forced a chuckle. “I’ll be there just as soon as I can get a jump.”

“Whew, what a relief,” Greg exclaimed.

Ginger pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. “I beg your pardon?”

“When I heard your voice, I thought you were calling in to quit,” he teased.

“No, I thought I’d give it another day before I make that decision,” she countered with a grin. “Actually, I was forgetful last night, and I’m paying for it this morning. I didn’t close my car door all the way, and the inside light stayed on. It’s entirely my own fault, and I promise you it won’t happen again.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Stuff happens. Give me your address, and I’ll be right there.”

“That’s not necessary. Thank you anyway, but I’ll get a neighbor to help me.”

“You may not have noticed, but it’s still dark outside. Unless your neighbors get up at the crack of dawn, you could be stranded for a while.” When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “Look at it this way. If I come over now and get your car running, you’ll be able to make it to the office on time.”

What could she say against that logic? Damn!

She gave Greg her address, hoping she didn’t sound as ungrateful as she felt. It seemed no matter what she did, or which way she turned, life was determined to play cruel tricks on her. She didn’t want Greg to see her house. He would remember she’d been asking about a contractor, and he would immediately offer to help. The condition of her house was embarrassing, and since she already knew a little about the man’s thoughtfulness, there was no way she was going to let him suggest she use the services of Tucker Construction.

The sky was just starting to lighten by the time he arrived. Ginger had turned on the light over the garage, lifted the hood to her car, and fished out her jumper cables. He pulled his truck up the driveway and stopped beside her car. This was one time she was glad she couldn’t pull her car into the garage since it was full of tools and currently serving as a workshop.

The latch on his truck hood released before he stepped out with a wide grin on his face. “You’re as prepared as any Boy Scout I’ve ever seen.”

She forced a smile. “I didn’t want to take up any more of your time than necessary. This is very thoughtful of you.” Please hurry, she wanted to add.

Greg stepped out from between the cars, carrying something in his hands. “No problem at all. Besides, I wanted to give you these.” He held up her red high-heeled shoes. “It’s probably better to give them to you here, anyway. We wouldn’t want to start any gossip at the office.” His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

She stared at him as an uncomfortable silence fell between them. He had been teasing, obviously, but something in her eyes must have penetrated his consciousness. He immediately started to apologize, but she interrupted him. “Do you want me to hook up the cables to my battery?”

After a moment, he shook his head. “No, I’ve got it. This shouldn’t take long.” He raised the hood on his truck and proceeded to hook the cables to the two vehicles.

She turned. “I’ll be right back.” She skirted past Jack who was trying to get outside and made her way down the hallway. She placed her shoes in her closet and then grabbed her purse. She better find a way to deal with Greg without overreacting to every innocent comment. From what she already knew, he was fun and easy going, and he was certainly not stupid. If she didn’t get her emotions under control, he would wonder what was wrong with her. Not a great impression for a new employee to make.

She hadn’t taken more than three steps from her bedroom when she stopped in her tracks. Her new resolve not to be so sensitive crumbled and died. Greg was talking to her dog. Moreover, he was talking to her dog inside the house. Heat rose in her face. Greg stopped speaking, but she knew he was still in the house. And she knew what he was looking at.

Dropping through the floor and disappearing was not going to happen, and she couldn’t hide in the hallway forever. Drawing in a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and fought to keep her anger in check.

Greg stood just inside the doorway with his hands on his hips and a grim expression on his face. “What happened here?”

She raised her chin. “Nothing I can’t handle and it’s really none of your business,” she snapped. “Why did you come inside my house?”

His eyes were dark, and he was not smiling. “To tell you I needed your keys. And it may not be any of my business, but I’d still like to know what happened.”

She glared at him. It wasn’t any of his business, and she didn’t owe him any explanations. Still, she felt obligated to comment, and that made her angrier. “Gee, where do I start?” she asked, letting the sarcasm drip from her tone. She threw her arms wide and gestured toward the living area. “I realize most walls in this house resemble a pin cushion, but I can’t take credit for the design. The previous tenants decided on this unique style because it is obvious they decorated with hammers. In addition, I think the pink insulation poking out of most of the holes is a nice touch. That is, if you like pink, which I don’t.”

Jack stayed glued to Greg’s side, his ears back and his tail down. Ginger caught the sympathetic look Greg gave the dog, but now that she was into her narrative, she couldn’t stop.

She motioned for Greg to follow her. “Let me show you one of the more thoughtful remodeling projects I discovered.” She entered the kitchen and flipped on the light. “Some people consider rolled linoleum floors out of style, but this is an older home and has never been updated. I believe the tenants were getting ready to redo the floors because they went to the trouble of turning the water faucets on—probably full blast—so that when the sinks overflowed, the water would fall to the floor and loosen the linoleum.

“It took days to get rid of the stagnant water, but I wondered what I was going to do to pass the time when I first got here, anyway. The ripple effect on the floors is similar to walking through moving waves at the ocean. Not too difficult unless you’re drunk. I’m assuming the water was disconnected when the bill reached a gazillion dollars. The bathrooms are in the same condition.”

Ginger was talking too fast, but her anger threatened to reach the same level of disgust at the senseless destruction as when she’d first seen it. She stole a glance at Greg. He hadn’t said a word, but his lips were pressed tightly together, and a muscle worked in his jaw. Well, he wanted to know what had happened, and she was going to show him. Every bit of it.

“Stop,” he said in a low voice. “Enough, already.”

She turned toward him slowly. “What’s wrong? I’m just trying to answer your question. And I haven’t even begun to describe the problems with the exterior of the house.”

He leaned his hands on the countertop and lowered his head. “This is sickening,” he muttered angrily.

“Yes, it is.”

He let out a deep breath and stood up straight, letting his head fall back as he looked to the heavens.

“I almost forgot,” she said when his eyes widened. “All the ceiling light fixtures are gone.”

“Ginger, how did you end up here?” he asked softly.

“I thought I told you. I moved here from California.”

“No, here. I mean, how did you end up in this house? Couldn’t you have broken your contract when you saw the condition it was in?”

She chuckled. “What contract?”

“The rental contract or the mortgage agreement. Why didn’t you try to get out of it?”

“There is no contract. This house, such as it is, is mine, free and clear.” At his surprised expression, she sighed, her anger draining away, but not the embarrassment. She hated that her new boss knew about her sorry living conditions, but it was completely unfair to take her anger out on him. “I inherited this house from my parents when they passed away. My mother used to live in San Antonio, and this was her family home. She inherited it from her parents, but she was married and living in California when that happened. She wanted to hold on to it for sentimental reasons, so it has been rental property for over twenty years.

“I don’t know how it came to be in this condition. I don’t think my parents knew anything about the damage, either. When I was going through their paperwork, I found a letter dated over a year ago from some property manager stating the house was vacant and he’d meet them if they wanted to schedule an inspection.” Jack sat at her feet, and she reached down to scratch him behind his ears, her voice falling to a whisper. “I’m glad they never saw it like this.”

“Did you contact the property manager before you decided to come here?”

Ginger shook her head. “I tried to, but he passed away a few months ago.”

“What about the previous tenants? Can you track them down, sue them for damages or something?”

“What’s the point?” Frustration gave an edge to her voice. “Look, I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. Do you mind if we just finish up with the battery so I can go to work?”

She held his gaze, refusing to fall apart in front of him. For two months, day in and day out, she had lived with the disaster that was her home. She had dealt with the fear of running out of money while she worked on the house and the lack of confidence in her ability to make the repairs. Nevertheless, she was finding a way to survive it all, and the last thing she needed now was to be reminded of the enormity of the situation.

“You’re right. This isn’t a good time to discuss it. Give me your keys, and we’ll be on our way.” He moved toward her, so close she could smell the woodsy cologne he wore. He reached down to pet Jack, but his eyes locked on hers. “We will be discussing it soon, though.”

By the time they arrived at the office, Ginger had a monster headache. We will be discussing it soon… The words had reverberated through her brain during the drive to work. A threat? A promise? Or just a statement? Greg had followed close behind her, and even though she hadn’t been able to make out his facial expressions through the windshield of his truck, the tension radiating between the two vehicles could easily cause a seismic shift.

The worst part was she couldn’t tell him to take his concern and shove it. He was her boss, for God’s sake!