pressed
into volunteering at the library, he told her. “I manage the strip joint out on
the highway. Maybe you noticed it when you came into town yesterday.”
“Hard to miss Live!
Nude! Girls! ” She spread her hands out billboard-style while she quoted the
square building’s neon sign.
She had noticed it, of course, but was surprised
to hear he worked there. Based on assumption only, she would have guessed the
manager of a strip joint to be kind of a sleaze. Or a hound dog. Maybe
overexposure to the female body had dampened his interest to it.
“If you’re uncomfortable with my latest
career-opportunity, just say the word, and I won’t stay, but I have four things
going for me.”
“What?”
“I worked all through college doing construction
work, I’m usually free during the day. Zach trusts me, even though he
shouldn’t. And I’d like to help.”
“If Zach trusts you, so do I.” She didn’t examine
why that was true, it just was. “I can use your help, but your current
employment sounds like an interesting story.”
“It’s a long one, filled with lust, greed,
stupidity, amazing success, and devastating failure. Not all that unique, and
we won’t go into it today. There are plenty of others who’ll be happy to fill
you in on the sordid details anytime you want.”
“Doubtful. I’m not exactly part of the popular
clique here anyway.”
“Me, either. The guys like me fine out at the
club. But here, they’re embarrassed to know that I know what they do during
their off-hours. And the wives turn up their noses at me like I’m hog swill.”
It was true. The other workers acknowledged him
only slightly more than they acknowledged her. And even though she didn’t mean
to listen to the gossip about his recent return to town, she couldn’t help but
overhear bits and pieces.
After achieving obscenely great financial success
on Wall Street, Liam crashed and burned in a tabloid-worthy scandal of money
and drugs that cost him his marriage, his bank account, his job, and his
reputation. Broke and broken, he’d barely escaped having criminal charges
brought against him before coming home to lick his wounds and try to pull his
life back together. From the look of his edgy exterior, Harper guessed it was
an ongoing struggle.
Meanwhile, he quietly and efficiently accepted the
tasks Harper assigned him and kept on eye on the workers around him.
The second most memorable person was Hugh McMahon.
Memorable, but not in a good way. Harper’s spidey senses tingled with distrust
when he leered at her. “No need for you to mess up your manicure, Ms. Simmons.
You can leave this mess to me, and I’ll get it set to rights in no time.”
“Why would I do that?”
Puffing out his chest, he presented her with an alligator
smile, all pointy teeth and insincerity. “My construction company will be doing
the major renovation work here.”
“Is that right? Says who?” She knew Hugh’s type. A
conceited blow-hard who pretended to be friendly, but would lie to her face or
stab her in the back first chance he got.
“The town council.” He looked around smugly. “It
looks like it’ll be a bigger job than anybody expected.”
He rocked back on the heels of his unsullied work
boots, and she was tempted to push him over onto his backside. If he mentioned
anything about her not worrying her “pretty little head” about the details,
Harper would do it.
“I appreciate your offer.” She returned his smile
with one that rivaled his in lack of warmth. “I’ll discuss this business of a
contract with your construction company with the council. They don’t have the
authority to hire someone without my agreement, and I’m required to see a
variety of the bids and appraisals before a decision is made.”
He looked at her with pity. “Just how many bids do
you think there will be in a town this size?”
“The terms of the grant state that five bids are
required.”
“If you get five, you’ll be getting
into volunteering at the library, he told her. “I manage the strip joint out on
the highway. Maybe you noticed it when you came into town yesterday.”
“Hard to miss Live!
Nude! Girls! ” She spread her hands out billboard-style while she quoted the
square building’s neon sign.
She had noticed it, of course, but was surprised
to hear he worked there. Based on assumption only, she would have guessed the
manager of a strip joint to be kind of a sleaze. Or a hound dog. Maybe
overexposure to the female body had dampened his interest to it.
“If you’re uncomfortable with my latest
career-opportunity, just say the word, and I won’t stay, but I have four things
going for me.”
“What?”
“I worked all through college doing construction
work, I’m usually free during the day. Zach trusts me, even though he
shouldn’t. And I’d like to help.”
“If Zach trusts you, so do I.” She didn’t examine
why that was true, it just was. “I can use your help, but your current
employment sounds like an interesting story.”
“It’s a long one, filled with lust, greed,
stupidity, amazing success, and devastating failure. Not all that unique, and
we won’t go into it today. There are plenty of others who’ll be happy to fill
you in on the sordid details anytime you want.”
“Doubtful. I’m not exactly part of the popular
clique here anyway.”
“Me, either. The guys like me fine out at the
club. But here, they’re embarrassed to know that I know what they do during
their off-hours. And the wives turn up their noses at me like I’m hog swill.”
It was true. The other workers acknowledged him
only slightly more than they acknowledged her. And even though she didn’t mean
to listen to the gossip about his recent return to town, she couldn’t help but
overhear bits and pieces.
After achieving obscenely great financial success
on Wall Street, Liam crashed and burned in a tabloid-worthy scandal of money
and drugs that cost him his marriage, his bank account, his job, and his
reputation. Broke and broken, he’d barely escaped having criminal charges
brought against him before coming home to lick his wounds and try to pull his
life back together. From the look of his edgy exterior, Harper guessed it was
an ongoing struggle.
Meanwhile, he quietly and efficiently accepted the
tasks Harper assigned him and kept on eye on the workers around him.
The second most memorable person was Hugh McMahon.
Memorable, but not in a good way. Harper’s spidey senses tingled with distrust
when he leered at her. “No need for you to mess up your manicure, Ms. Simmons.
You can leave this mess to me, and I’ll get it set to rights in no time.”
“Why would I do that?”
Puffing out his chest, he presented her with an alligator
smile, all pointy teeth and insincerity. “My construction company will be doing
the major renovation work here.”
“Is that right? Says who?” She knew Hugh’s type. A
conceited blow-hard who pretended to be friendly, but would lie to her face or
stab her in the back first chance he got.
“The town council.” He looked around smugly. “It
looks like it’ll be a bigger job than anybody expected.”
He rocked back on the heels of his unsullied work
boots, and she was tempted to push him over onto his backside. If he mentioned
anything about her not worrying her “pretty little head” about the details,
Harper would do it.
“I appreciate your offer.” She returned his smile
with one that rivaled his in lack of warmth. “I’ll discuss this business of a
contract with your construction company with the council. They don’t have the
authority to hire someone without my agreement, and I’m required to see a
variety of the bids and appraisals before a decision is made.”
He looked at her with pity. “Just how many bids do
you think there will be in a town this size?”
“The terms of the grant state that five bids are
required.”
“If you get five, you’ll be getting
Similar Books
