MORGAN SLID OUT of his truck and then reached into the bed for the equipment he needed to renovate Bert’s bathroom. The night was slipping into darkness, stars poking out of their hiding spots as a chill breeze blew, making him zip his jacket a little more.
“Are they meeting you here?” Faith shut the passenger door of the truck and stood, taking in the wooden framework of the home.
“Later. She’s bringing pizza from what she said. There’s a key in a planter that will give us access.” He started walking up the walkway. “You sure you want to watch me install handrails? You could be pulling the lever at a slot machine, losing your husband’s money, instead.”
She laughed as she followed him. “That’s exactly why I’m here and not there. Besides, I get you all alone in a house for a little while. Every girl’s dream.”
“You’ve had me alone before. Are you saying once wasn’t enough?” He dug the key out of the planter and opened the front door. “I’m glad to know I left an impression.”
“My first experience with having fruit eaten from my vagina? Um, yeah. A definite impression.”
He grinned at her as he tossed the key on the kitchen counter. “Good.” He nodded toward the northeast corner of the house. “Bathroom’s this way.”
“Are you sure they won’t mind me tagging along? I am a stranger, after all.” Faith followed Morgan down the hallway.
“They never said I couldn’t bring someone with me to work on this. Besides, you’re my employee. This is work, even if it is a favor.”
“Oh, a freebie, huh.”
“She cooked me dinner.”
“The true path to a man’s…heart.”
Morgan just laughed as he stripped off his jacket and handed it to her.
As he set up, measuring the wall and where the handrail should go, Faith leaned against the door frame and offered moral support. He knew it wasn’t an exciting evening for her, but it beat being stuck in a hotel room by herself. Besides, he really wanted her to meet Jacqui, so she could tell him that Mrs. Karston was way out of his league. The woman had it all and all he had was a wandering reputation. He was sure that wasn’t on Jacqui’s list of potential dating requirements.
He held the rail against the wall and, with a pencil, made small circles where the screws needed to go. “So, what do you think of the new crew?”
“They know what they’re doing. I think they’ll do you proud once they find their groove.” She shook her head a little. “However, I think you already have a budding office romance between Vince and Kari. From the scene we witnessed earlier, she’ll see him as her white knight.”
Morgan nodded. “And he sees her as a sweet piece of office ass. Yeah, I noticed that.” Noticed it, but didn’t say anything, not because he didn’t want to deal with it, but because he wanted Vince out of the picture if things progressed with Jacqui. Not exactly a professional move. Eventually, he’d have to say something to Vince. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” Maybe.
“Good. I’m sure with everything that just went down in Brevard, Neal would be rather miffed to find it happening here right off the bat. I’d give it time before you sunk your drill bit into anyone’s wall here at work as well.”
He laughed as he picked up his screw gun. “Colorful. But no worries. My interest is not at work. Besides, I don’t know these people well enough to know if I trust them with those games or not. Better safe than sorry, for now.”
“True. I think Kari will make a great office manager, but you’ll need to watch her with Martha. The woman seems the sort to think since she’s older, she should be Kari’s boss. I think I see some competition already between the two.”
He drilled a few holes, the noise of the drill making the conversation pause for a moment. As he sat back on the toilet seat, measuring the rail against the holes he had just made, he said, “Good observation. I’ll pay closer attention to Martha.” He screwed the rail into place. “Kari has actually surprised me. When she first showed up, she was dressed more for street walking than office work.” He glanced up at Faith and smiled, remembering the day. “I actually hired her to annoy Jacqui.” He laughed as he held a level up to the rail. “However, it turned out to be a smart move on my part. She’s young, but she knows her shit. And if I can keep the budding romance from interfering with work, Vince and her will make a great team for this office.” He took a deep breath and pushed himself into a standing position. “Who knows, I may even get to go home, eventually.”
He felt her eyes on him and saw the doubt on her face. “Is that what you want? To go back home?”
“Dustin is back home.” It already felt like too long since he had seen his son.
“But Jacqui’s here.”
He leaned back on the wall. “I don’t think she would care one way or another if I were here or not. I can’t get a read on that woman to save my life and usually I have no problem with that. She’s the complete opposite of me. She’s stiff. Formal. So rigid that I’m surprised a good breeze doesn’t snap her in half. You know me. I like to have fun and cut up, be spontaneous. I’m not sure if the two of us wouldn’t kill each other if we were around each other for too long. She’s changing but being with me means we both need to make some major decisions. I don’t know if either of us want to deal with those types of choices.”
Faith just smiled at him and he knew she wasn’t buying a word of it. “Then why are you here and not back at the hotel trying to get into my pants?” She shook her head at him as she turned and walked back down the hall, her jeans hugging her ass making him remember what her flesh had felt like in his hands. Why aren’t I trying to get into her bed?
But he knew the reason before he even finished the question. Jacqui had become his focus and he wasn’t looking at other women as conquests but as…well, as women. Now that’s an interesting development.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She wasn’t able to keep it from her father. He was more observant than she gave him credit for and the moment she had changed her routine, Bert knew it was more than a business meeting. Of course, she decided to go with painted-on jeans, instead of a skirt and that helped give her away. Finally, she confessed her plan for the evening—well, part of the plan. Her father didn’t need to be privy to everything, after all. To her surprise, he didn’t argue with her or demand to accompany her. Instead, he just said to bring him home some pizza.
As she stood in the kitchen saying goodbye, she shifted in place, pulling down on the pant legs of her jeans in an attempt to keep them from riding up into her crotch. Her father chuckled from a chair at the kitchen table. She arched an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“I was wondering why you chose that outfit to begin with, if you were so uncomfortable, and then I remembered who you were going to see.”
“What does that mean? I wore jeans in case Mr. Brewer needed help with the renovation. I just forgot how long it’s been since I wore these jeans. They’re tighter than I remember.”
“Ah. And I suppose the low-cut V of your blouse is to help him out, as well? I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”
Jacqui glanced down at her pale blue blouse, another article of clothing she hadn’t worn in a long time. Her breasts swelled out of the opening, exposing a part of her that she had kept hidden for the past couple of years. Her father was right. She had dressed herself a little more provocatively than she normally would have, but she didn’t want him to know it was on purpose. “It’s an old shirt that can be ruined without great loss. I wasn’t about to chance one of my good blouses.”
“Oh, well then, very smart thinking on your part, but then you’re always thinking and planning ahead.”
“Someone has to.”
Her father laughed as he wished her a good evening.
She felt her cheeks heat with her blush as she headed for the front door. She should have known nothing escaped her father’s attention. He had nothing else to do except pay attention to everything. She refused to comment and make herself look even more foolish.
After picking up a six pack of beer, a bottle of wine and some sweet tea, Jacqui ordered the pizzas to be delivered to the house. At least that would be one stop she could avoid. By the time she reached her father’s house, night had swallowed the day, its shadows lengthening along the roads and sidewalks. Streetlights winked into existence and children parked their bikes to go inside for the night. The day crowd was tucking itself safely indoors while the nightlife began to pick up steam. Wednesday nights were mid-weeknights for the weekend partiers, those who needed a break from the work week, so they could make it another two days and officially get their weekend started.
Jacqui’s weekend was going to be more industrious than relaxing. The plan was to move her father back into his house Saturday and, even though she had set it all in motion, she wasn’t ready to be on her own again. She would miss his crotchety mannerisms and Sophia’s bustling around the house. It was going to be too quiet.
Way too quiet.
She pulled into the driveway behind Morgan’s truck and turned the ignition off. Yet, as the engine to the car went silent, she felt her own engine begin to rev up, along with her nerves. She questioned herself again as to whether she was doing the right thing or not. She glanced up at the front door, a nervous smile on her face. There was only one way to find out.
She grabbed the wine, figuring she would come back out for the rest if she needed, and headed for the front door and whatever waited for her on the other side. It was time to take some chances again. Opening the door, she took a deep breath and crossed the threshold into her future.
Setting the wine on the kitchen counter, she heard Morgan talking to someone from the direction of her father’s bedroom. She started to make her way to the hall, confusion bunching her eyebrows up over her nose, when he came out, wiping his hands on a towel, followed by some dirty blonde she had never seen before. Jacqui felt her mouth fall open as she battled between feeling suddenly foolish and quite pissed off.
“Hey there,” Morgan said, as if nothing in the world was wrong and that he hadn’t brought a strange woman to her father’s house.
“What the hell is going on here?” Jacqui placed a hand on her hip and the other palm down on the kitchen counter.
The woman suddenly came to a halt in the hallway opening as Morgan just stared at Jacqui. By his expression, it was obvious he didn’t see anything wrong with bringing one of his conquests to her father’s empty house. How foolish could she have been? It was all some silly game to him just to make her look ridiculous and to get into her pants. She had started to open herself up to him, give herself and her pain to him, and the only thing he wanted was another notch on his bedpost. He must think her an idiot.
Morgan stared at her, still wiping his hands on the towel. “What do you mean? I’m fixing your dad’s bathroom. What do you think is going on?”
The other woman stepped into the kitchen, a soft smile on her face. “I think I know what she thinks is going on,” she said. “And you’re wrong,” the woman added, directing her last statement at Jacqui.
Morgan glanced at the other woman—the stranger—and then back at Jacqui. His expression remained confused a moment longer, and then the light bulb went off, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. “Oh…No!” He smiled as he took a step toward her. “Jacqui, I assure you that isn’t what’s happening here. This is Faith Greer,” he said gesturing to the other woman. “We flew her in from the Brevard office to train my new staff. She’s just keeping me company instead of being cooped up in her hotel room.” He reached for Jacqui, tossing the towel onto the counter and placing his hands on her upper arms. “There’s nothing exciting going on here except her handing me tools when I need them.”
Her stomach churned. If they didn’t think she looked foolish before, she was sure they did now. She was foolish. And embarrassed. “I have to go. There’s pizza on the way and here’s some wine. I have beer and tea in the car, I’ll leave them with you in case you don’t want the wine.” She didn’t say anything else. She couldn’t. She knew if she did the tears that threatened to erupt from her wouldn’t stop and she refused to cry in front of them. Faith looked at her with understanding, but Jacqui interpreted it as pity. She couldn’t bear it.
“Jacqui, wait.” Morgan cried out after her, but she kept walking. She heard his heavy footsteps in the hall as he ran to catch up with her. “Jacqui!”
She wasn’t stopping. She opened the front door and stepped back out into the cool night before she felt his hand on her arm, bringing her to a stop. She didn’t turn around. She didn’t want to see the look of pity on his face. Clamping her eyes shut, she created a barrier against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. She heard him step around her, his hands back on her arms, and then she felt his lips—his warm, soft lips—on her forehead.
“Please don’t go,” he said. “I promise those thoughts never entered my mind. I was looking forward to seeing you, and Faith wanted to meet the woman I can’t seem to stop talking about.”
She opened her eyes at his last statement, staring at him, disbelieving. “You can’t stop talking about me?”
“Not for a minute.” He was smiling at her and she felt foolish for doubting him and causing a scene. “Jacqui, I’ve been thinking about you a lot and, whereas before I probably would have taken advantage of the situation, I’ve been celibate for a while.” He ran a hand through his hair, a smirk covering his face. “To be honest, it has me confused as well.” He leaned in and kissed her again, this time brushing her lips with his. “But I like it.”
She felt the blush reach her cheeks. “I like it, too.” Then she closed her eyes again and groaned. “Oh, god. She has to think I’m an idiot.”
“Oh, I highly doubt that. Faith is pretty…well, let’s just say she’s got an open mind.” He squeezed her arms. “Now, let’s go back inside and have some dinner.”
“I need to get the tea and beer from the car first.”
“I’ll get them. You go on inside.”
“I’d rather not go in alone.” She pleaded with him with her eyes and he just nodded and smiled. She waited on the porch while he retrieved the drinks from her car.
“The master bathroom is finished,” Morgan said as they entered the house, giving her an update on his progress as if she had not just had a meltdown in front of him. She liked him even more for it. “I bought stuff to do the guest bathroom as well, just in case. I also picked up one of those clutching arms in case Sophia was out and Bert needed to reach something on a high shelf. I also have materials to build a couple of ramps for the front and back doors. I can finish everything up by Saturday, so you can get him moved back in.”
She followed him, using his body as a shield, so she wouldn’t have to see Faith first. Jacqui still felt quite foolish at where her thoughts had gone and wouldn’t be surprised if Faith was pissed at her for the insinuation. She knew she would be if it had happened to her.
A knot formed in Jacqui’s stomach as she entered the kitchen and noticed how beautiful the other woman was, her wheaten hair, her slim, yet curvy figure, firm breasts, and a smile that dropped a person’s defenses. She looked beautiful—and not angry at Jacqui. Instead, Faith walked around the counter and took her hand. “Hi there. My name’s Faith. Morgan’s told me so much about you and, for the record, I told him he needed to warn you, but when do men ever listen.”
Jacqui smiled back, squeezing Faith’s hand in greeting. “They don’t. And I’m sorry my mind went…”
Faith just laughed. “It’s Morgan. My mind would’ve gone there as well. I love the blouse you have on, by the way. It’s gorgeous.”
“It is at that,” Morgan said, looking Jacqui up and down for the first time since she arrived. “Not your typical business attire. I’m glad you decided to relax some.” His eyes settled on her cleavage and lingered a moment, a grin spreading across his lips. “I like it. Now I wish I would’ve left Faith at her hotel.”
Jacqui felt herself blush again as she said, “Thank you.”
“Why don’t you you two set things up out here and I’ll go clean up my mess.”
Before Jacqui could tell him not to go, Morgan disappeared down the hallway. She couldn’t say anything without causing another scene and one was her quota for the evening. Giving Faith a smile, she took a deep breath and swallowed her nervousness. “If you’ll get some plates, I’ll scrounge up some wine glasses. Unless you want beer. Or tea. I brought both.” Oh god, I sound nervous. This woman thinks I’m a complete moron.
“Wine is fine with me.” Faith started opening cabinet doors, searching for plates, as if Jacqui had not accused her of fucking Morgan just a few minutes ago. “Morgan says he’s getting the place ready for your father to move back in. How long has he lived with you?”
“Just over a year. He moved in right after the accident. Sophia, my housekeeper, already lived with me and it seemed easier for her to take care of him.”
Faith nodded as she set three plates on the Formica counter. “Wow. That’s a long time. It’s going to be a big change for you. You ready for it?”
Jacqui stared at the wine glass in her hand for a moment. “Not in the least. But I know he is.” She glanced around her father’s house. “He belongs here.”
“I imagine he’ll be happy to be around his own things again.” Then Faith’s lips curved up in a mischievous grin. “So, tell me about you and Morgan.” She placed her hands up in front of her, fingers intertwined as she checked the hallway to make sure Morgan wasn’t returning. “He talks a lot about you.”
Jacqui felt the blush heat her face as she followed Faith’s gaze to the hallway. “He does? Look, I really am sorry for earlier.”
Faith waved off the apology. “I can see where the thought came from, but it’s strictly work. I was actually surprised myself when he didn’t even hint at anything happening in my hotel room. Morgan being good is a shock, so that’s why I asked. Something has him being the good boy and you’re the only person he’s talked about. So, what’s the scoop?”
Jacqui shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know that there is a scoop.” She let out a deep breath. “To be honest, I’m not sure what’s going on. When I first met Morgan, it was like two bulls in a china shop. We butted heads and bristled each other’s feathers. Some of it, I think, he did on purpose just to see my reaction. I’m not sure if that’s not what he’s still doing.”
“Nah. Morgan plays his games but messing with people’s heads is not one of them. If all he wanted was a booty call, you’d know it. This…” Faith waved her hand at the hallway and the man behind it. “This is Morgan having a heart. I like this look on him. He deserves someone to care about and who cares about him.”
Jacqui wasn’t exactly sure what to say to that. Luckily, the doorbell rang, and she didn’t have to say anything. She left Faith to open the wine while she went to retrieve the pizza. By the time she returned to the kitchen, Morgan was back, and Faith had filled the glasses with wine. Morgan had found the stereo in the living room and tuned into a country station. She smiled as she joined the others, laying the pizza boxes on the counter. “Dinner is served.”
Everyone filled their plates with slices of pepperoni pizza and then moved to the dining room table. She watched Morgan as they all sat around the table, eating, and sharing stories. She particularly paid attention to the way he interacted with Faith. They teased, even borderline flirting, but it was like a line had been discussed and they were both obeying it while pushing right up against it. She didn’t doubt that the two of them had been together at some point. It was obvious in the way they conducted themselves, the ease with which they spoke and interacted. Yet, while they teased and jested, the fire that should have been accompanying a couple eager to get back to the hotel room was not there. They were close, but no longer intimate. Morgan’s words out on the porch earlier echoed in her mind and she found herself smiling, knowing she made the right decision in coming there that evening. “So, Faith, what can you tell me about our Mr. Brewer here?”
Glancing across the table, she caught Morgan’s eyes. He was smiling at her as they listened to Faith begin dishing out Morgan’s dirt. He gave her a puzzled look as if to ask if she was all right. She just smiled and nodded that she was. He cared for her. She believed that now. And, if she was honest with herself, she cared for him. Yet, was she ready to let go of her grief?
Her smile grew as she stared deep into Morgan’s eyes. Yes. Yes, she wanted to move on, to see what the future had in store for her, and she wanted to do it with Morgan. She wasn’t sure she was ready, but she knew it was time to find out.