shot to the forefront. “I’m not like you, Cole,” she hissed. “I,” she said with emphasis, “handle things differently.” Her chin lifted with an air of piety.
“That would explain some things.”
She stiffened. “What is that supposed to mean?” Her face felt hot, burnt-toast hot.
Morgan and Chad walked within earshot. Cole closed his mouth and pushed out a heavy sigh. She half expected to see smoke come from his nostrils. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” He turned and walked away.
Chapter Nine
“J ax, I can’t do this,” Ellie said, struggling to stay seated across from him.
“What’s the problem, Ellie?”
“Cole Preston, that’s the problem. He is impossible. I can’t work with him.” Her words were punctuated with anger, and she didn’t care. She’d had enough.
“I know he comes across a little bossy—”
“A little? He acts as though he’s the only one who knows anything around here. I didn’t exactly start this job yesterday, you know.” She stood and walked over to the window.
“Listen, Ellie, you need to calm down.”
She spun around to look at him, wanting to deck him for keeping his nose in a book. “You don’t know how it is around here, Jax. You’ve been busy.” She measured her words evenly.
“Busy, yes. Blind, no. Now, sit down.”
His voice took on an authoritative tone, grating on her raw nerves. She took a deep breath to calm down. “Can’t you get rid of him?” Guilt called to her, but anger chased it away.
“No, Ellie. I need him. I need you both.”
Her lips pressed together, and she lifted her chin. “I have to go. I have an appointment.” She stomped toward the door.
“Ellie?”
She turned around.
“I’ll pray about it. You do the same, okay?”
She turned and yanked the door open. Her thoughts whirled with her emotions. I don’t want to pray about Cole. I don’t want to pray about my attitude. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to—pray.
Practically on the heels of Ellie’s departure, Cole stomped into Jax’s office. “Can we talk?”
Jax closed his textbook with a sigh. “Come in, Cole.”
“I can’t work with that woman,” he said just as the door closed.
Jax held up his hand. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. Ellie, right?”
“The woman is unteachable. She’s resented me from day one.” He thumped toward the window. For a moment, he stared out the window then whipped around to face Jax. “You have to get rid of her. I can’t work with her.”
“Now, hold on, Cole. I need her. I need you both.”
Cole grunted. “I’m going to lunch early,” he announced, not caring what Jax had to say….
Cole visited job sites all afternoon, and that allowed Ellie the time she needed to cool down. By the time she arrived home, she was ready for a walk. Donning her sweats and reliable gym shoes, she headed toward the river walk. Only two streets over, the path for walkers was a convenient way for Ellie to exercise. The walk always cleared her mind and helped her relax.
She felt herself calm the moment she started the trail. What had gotten into her today? Cole had gotten her back up instantly, as he had since day one, and she couldn’t imagine how her insecurities had brought her this far. After all, she resented him for getting the partnership. She held on to that resentment like a pit bull with a chunk of beef. Why?
Lord, what is wrong with me? Cole is a nice man. Why do I struggle with his authority? I resent his position. I’m jealous, inflexible, and basically a jerk apart from You.
Ellie kicked a scrap of bark from her path and wiped the tears that escaped down her cheeks.
Help me to see Cole as You see him, and help me to submit to his authority as my supervisor. Most of all, may he see less of me and more of You in me.
By the time Ellie had worked through her prayer and made her one-mile trek, her heart felt much lighter. Thoughts of the pastor’s message surfaced. One thing at a time, she
“That would explain some things.”
She stiffened. “What is that supposed to mean?” Her face felt hot, burnt-toast hot.
Morgan and Chad walked within earshot. Cole closed his mouth and pushed out a heavy sigh. She half expected to see smoke come from his nostrils. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” He turned and walked away.
Chapter Nine
“J ax, I can’t do this,” Ellie said, struggling to stay seated across from him.
“What’s the problem, Ellie?”
“Cole Preston, that’s the problem. He is impossible. I can’t work with him.” Her words were punctuated with anger, and she didn’t care. She’d had enough.
“I know he comes across a little bossy—”
“A little? He acts as though he’s the only one who knows anything around here. I didn’t exactly start this job yesterday, you know.” She stood and walked over to the window.
“Listen, Ellie, you need to calm down.”
She spun around to look at him, wanting to deck him for keeping his nose in a book. “You don’t know how it is around here, Jax. You’ve been busy.” She measured her words evenly.
“Busy, yes. Blind, no. Now, sit down.”
His voice took on an authoritative tone, grating on her raw nerves. She took a deep breath to calm down. “Can’t you get rid of him?” Guilt called to her, but anger chased it away.
“No, Ellie. I need him. I need you both.”
Her lips pressed together, and she lifted her chin. “I have to go. I have an appointment.” She stomped toward the door.
“Ellie?”
She turned around.
“I’ll pray about it. You do the same, okay?”
She turned and yanked the door open. Her thoughts whirled with her emotions. I don’t want to pray about Cole. I don’t want to pray about my attitude. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to—pray.
Practically on the heels of Ellie’s departure, Cole stomped into Jax’s office. “Can we talk?”
Jax closed his textbook with a sigh. “Come in, Cole.”
“I can’t work with that woman,” he said just as the door closed.
Jax held up his hand. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. Ellie, right?”
“The woman is unteachable. She’s resented me from day one.” He thumped toward the window. For a moment, he stared out the window then whipped around to face Jax. “You have to get rid of her. I can’t work with her.”
“Now, hold on, Cole. I need her. I need you both.”
Cole grunted. “I’m going to lunch early,” he announced, not caring what Jax had to say….
Cole visited job sites all afternoon, and that allowed Ellie the time she needed to cool down. By the time she arrived home, she was ready for a walk. Donning her sweats and reliable gym shoes, she headed toward the river walk. Only two streets over, the path for walkers was a convenient way for Ellie to exercise. The walk always cleared her mind and helped her relax.
She felt herself calm the moment she started the trail. What had gotten into her today? Cole had gotten her back up instantly, as he had since day one, and she couldn’t imagine how her insecurities had brought her this far. After all, she resented him for getting the partnership. She held on to that resentment like a pit bull with a chunk of beef. Why?
Lord, what is wrong with me? Cole is a nice man. Why do I struggle with his authority? I resent his position. I’m jealous, inflexible, and basically a jerk apart from You.
Ellie kicked a scrap of bark from her path and wiped the tears that escaped down her cheeks.
Help me to see Cole as You see him, and help me to submit to his authority as my supervisor. Most of all, may he see less of me and more of You in me.
By the time Ellie had worked through her prayer and made her one-mile trek, her heart felt much lighter. Thoughts of the pastor’s message surfaced. One thing at a time, she
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