that she didn’t let her past shadow her life earned his respect.
Didn’t mean he wanted to mentor her, though. She talked too much. Had a way of dressing that defied logic. Distracted him with those rosebud lips, that body, what had almost happened last night…
There had to be a way around this.
“…Val can also help you field incoming calls, file reports, conduct some basic internet research.”
“I have my own phone.”
“But do you have a computer?” Jayne asked.
“Probably not anymore,” he muttered.
“Jayne, ma’am, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to say something.” Val nervously licked her lips. “I think it’s a super idea that Drake uses that back office, but I don’t believe he and I would…”
“Get along?” Jayne prompted.
“Exactly,” he said, straightening.
“You might say our get-along has a big ol’ hitch in it,” Val agreed. “But I am at fault for that.” She laid her hand on that lace bow and dipped her head slightly. “Indeed I am, for doing that honey trap ‘n’ all. If Mr. Morgan wants to use the back office, I would make sure he had complete privacy, and if he needed assistance, I would certainly help out, but I wouldn’t want him to mentor me. It’s far too much to ask of him, especially now.” She slipped a look at him, her eyes all dewy and full of concern.
It took everything he had to not roll his eyes. But for once he was on her side. Together they would defeat this mentoring delusion of Jayne’s.
He put on his best thoughtful face. “She makes some good points. But I understand your not wanting a gap in her mentoring. A gal like her—” He caught his gaffe. “I mean, a woman like her deserves regular, ongoing sessions because, well, she just does. Fortunately, I know another P.I. who can fill in.”
He’d talk Eddie into this babysitting gig. Just make it clear these mentoring sessions were to take place in the office, not at Caesars’ sports book, where Eddie liked to spend every spare waking hour with the other horse-racing freaks.
“But you’ll be in the adjacent office, which makes getting together convenient.” Jayne picked up her fountain pen. “Plus, mentoring only takes a little time each day, maybe thirty minutes or so…” She turned the pen. “To be frank, I do not want her to be mentored by anyone else. Like that fellow Eddie Mueller. I want her to learn the art of investigations, not if Fancy Lady will win, place or show.”
Drake blinked with surprise. Either she really could read thoughts or had heard through the grapevine that he and Eddie were buds. Whatever the reason, she was one sharp lady.
But she shouldn’t have to be matching wits right now. The bad news was fresh. She had every right to be selfish and tend only to herself at a time like this. She needed people to support her, not take from her.
He pulled in a long breath and blew it out. “I’ll mentor her.”
Jayne gave him a grateful look. “Thank you.”
“But…” Val looked at him as though he’d grown donkey ears. “You don’t have the time!”
“It’ll only take thirty minutes or so,” he muttered, shooting her a get-with-the-program look.
She frowned, obviously confused by his signal. Oh, this was going well already.
When she started to speak, he cut her off with a wave of his hand. “First lesson is to follow my lead. I am mentoring you and that’s that.”
She slumped in her chair and eyed him warily.
“Excellent,” Jayne said, looking relieved. “I also would like for you to be here full-time starting tomorrow, if that is acceptable.”
Full time? “I, uh, have off-site meetings, surveillances, pulling records at the courthouse.”
“Of course,” Jayne said, “otherwise, you’ll be in your office.”
If that’s what the lady wanted, she’d get it. “Fine.”
“Are you interested in Val forwarding my client calls to your cell? I could request she forward them to another P.I. in town, but since you will be
Didn’t mean he wanted to mentor her, though. She talked too much. Had a way of dressing that defied logic. Distracted him with those rosebud lips, that body, what had almost happened last night…
There had to be a way around this.
“…Val can also help you field incoming calls, file reports, conduct some basic internet research.”
“I have my own phone.”
“But do you have a computer?” Jayne asked.
“Probably not anymore,” he muttered.
“Jayne, ma’am, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to say something.” Val nervously licked her lips. “I think it’s a super idea that Drake uses that back office, but I don’t believe he and I would…”
“Get along?” Jayne prompted.
“Exactly,” he said, straightening.
“You might say our get-along has a big ol’ hitch in it,” Val agreed. “But I am at fault for that.” She laid her hand on that lace bow and dipped her head slightly. “Indeed I am, for doing that honey trap ‘n’ all. If Mr. Morgan wants to use the back office, I would make sure he had complete privacy, and if he needed assistance, I would certainly help out, but I wouldn’t want him to mentor me. It’s far too much to ask of him, especially now.” She slipped a look at him, her eyes all dewy and full of concern.
It took everything he had to not roll his eyes. But for once he was on her side. Together they would defeat this mentoring delusion of Jayne’s.
He put on his best thoughtful face. “She makes some good points. But I understand your not wanting a gap in her mentoring. A gal like her—” He caught his gaffe. “I mean, a woman like her deserves regular, ongoing sessions because, well, she just does. Fortunately, I know another P.I. who can fill in.”
He’d talk Eddie into this babysitting gig. Just make it clear these mentoring sessions were to take place in the office, not at Caesars’ sports book, where Eddie liked to spend every spare waking hour with the other horse-racing freaks.
“But you’ll be in the adjacent office, which makes getting together convenient.” Jayne picked up her fountain pen. “Plus, mentoring only takes a little time each day, maybe thirty minutes or so…” She turned the pen. “To be frank, I do not want her to be mentored by anyone else. Like that fellow Eddie Mueller. I want her to learn the art of investigations, not if Fancy Lady will win, place or show.”
Drake blinked with surprise. Either she really could read thoughts or had heard through the grapevine that he and Eddie were buds. Whatever the reason, she was one sharp lady.
But she shouldn’t have to be matching wits right now. The bad news was fresh. She had every right to be selfish and tend only to herself at a time like this. She needed people to support her, not take from her.
He pulled in a long breath and blew it out. “I’ll mentor her.”
Jayne gave him a grateful look. “Thank you.”
“But…” Val looked at him as though he’d grown donkey ears. “You don’t have the time!”
“It’ll only take thirty minutes or so,” he muttered, shooting her a get-with-the-program look.
She frowned, obviously confused by his signal. Oh, this was going well already.
When she started to speak, he cut her off with a wave of his hand. “First lesson is to follow my lead. I am mentoring you and that’s that.”
She slumped in her chair and eyed him warily.
“Excellent,” Jayne said, looking relieved. “I also would like for you to be here full-time starting tomorrow, if that is acceptable.”
Full time? “I, uh, have off-site meetings, surveillances, pulling records at the courthouse.”
“Of course,” Jayne said, “otherwise, you’ll be in your office.”
If that’s what the lady wanted, she’d get it. “Fine.”
“Are you interested in Val forwarding my client calls to your cell? I could request she forward them to another P.I. in town, but since you will be
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