can always quit,” she threatened.
“No, don’t do that! Just get a move on. How’s it looking,
anyway?”
She lowered her voice. “For your information, I’m pretending to
be the manager’s assistant so that I’m not seen as a woman on the make, after
somebody’s husband. Then I had to correct your lie about us being married, and
if I’m not careful, I could still be asked to leave. So now would be a good
time,” she said.
“A good time?”
“To thank me for saving your precious hide where Advantage is
concerned.”
“Oh, yes, thank you.”
Was there a slight hint of condescension in his words? There
better not have been. “And if that’s not enough, the manager doesn’t trust me,
and the staff are reporting to him every time anyone sees me do anything
suspicious.” She peeked behind her to be certain no one had entered the room.
“They’re probably watching me now.”
“Did you tell the manager you were working for me?” Scott
asked, his tone stiff.
“No. But I had to tell him you and I are brother and sister not
husband and wife. And thanks for making him think I’m a complete nutcase.”
“What did he say?”
She chewed away at her new nail polish. “Not much.”
“Why do you care what the manager thinks of you? You’re there
to do a job, and there’s been a…a small problem which you took upon yourself to
fix. But everything is fine, isn’t it?”
“Sure, Scott. Everything is peachy, and I’m doing the survey
work as fast as I can. Which reminds me, I’m expected in the manager’s office.
I’ve got to go.”
“And you’ll call me this evening and give me an update?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Well, you may have lots of time to think because there’s a
blizzard headed your way.”
Great! All she needed was to have Luke discover what she was
doing there, and be unable to make her escape because of a snowstorm. As soon as
she was finished in Luke’s office, she intended to find a gas station. If she
had to leave suddenly, she’d need a full tank of gas. “Thanks for the
warning.”
She slammed her phone closed and stared out the window. “Damn.
What next?”
“Some things never change, Marnie.”
She whirled around at the sound of Brad’s voice. Had he been
standing there all along, hidden so she couldn’t see him? “What are you doing
here?”
“I’m a guest, remember? Was that your brother on the
phone?”
Did he overhear her talking about the questionnaire? He
couldn’t have. She’d been too far from the door, and she’d kept her voice down.
“No.”
“What are you doing here during this week? Are you
married?”
“No, I’m not,” she said. “I’m working for the manager for a
couple of days.”
“What about your salon?”
She didn’t want to have this conversation. “I have to go.”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Suit
yourself.”
“And it would be a good idea if we made a point of avoiding one
another. I don’t want any trouble with your wife.”
“Agreed.”
She ducked past him, wondering what it was that she’d ever seen
in him, how she could have ever thought she loved him. Marnie felt sorry for
Cindy. Loving Brad was a losing proposition, at least in her experience.
When she reached the door to Luke’s office, she knocked and was
greeted by his welcoming voice telling her to come in. “Thanks for waiting,” she
said.
“As I was leaving the library, I saw one of our guests, Brad
Parker, heading that way. Did you see him?”
Did he suspect that she and Brad had a connection? “Yes, but
only for a moment.” She sat down in the chair next to his desk, close enough to
touch him.
He frowned, but didn’t say anything.
To fill the awkward silence, she grabbed onto the first topic
that came to mind. “My partner, Shane, and I co-owned a spa and salon called
Total Elegance for ten years.”
“And what was your area of expertise?” he asked.
“I was a hairdresser.”
“It won’t be
“No, don’t do that! Just get a move on. How’s it looking,
anyway?”
She lowered her voice. “For your information, I’m pretending to
be the manager’s assistant so that I’m not seen as a woman on the make, after
somebody’s husband. Then I had to correct your lie about us being married, and
if I’m not careful, I could still be asked to leave. So now would be a good
time,” she said.
“A good time?”
“To thank me for saving your precious hide where Advantage is
concerned.”
“Oh, yes, thank you.”
Was there a slight hint of condescension in his words? There
better not have been. “And if that’s not enough, the manager doesn’t trust me,
and the staff are reporting to him every time anyone sees me do anything
suspicious.” She peeked behind her to be certain no one had entered the room.
“They’re probably watching me now.”
“Did you tell the manager you were working for me?” Scott
asked, his tone stiff.
“No. But I had to tell him you and I are brother and sister not
husband and wife. And thanks for making him think I’m a complete nutcase.”
“What did he say?”
She chewed away at her new nail polish. “Not much.”
“Why do you care what the manager thinks of you? You’re there
to do a job, and there’s been a…a small problem which you took upon yourself to
fix. But everything is fine, isn’t it?”
“Sure, Scott. Everything is peachy, and I’m doing the survey
work as fast as I can. Which reminds me, I’m expected in the manager’s office.
I’ve got to go.”
“And you’ll call me this evening and give me an update?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Well, you may have lots of time to think because there’s a
blizzard headed your way.”
Great! All she needed was to have Luke discover what she was
doing there, and be unable to make her escape because of a snowstorm. As soon as
she was finished in Luke’s office, she intended to find a gas station. If she
had to leave suddenly, she’d need a full tank of gas. “Thanks for the
warning.”
She slammed her phone closed and stared out the window. “Damn.
What next?”
“Some things never change, Marnie.”
She whirled around at the sound of Brad’s voice. Had he been
standing there all along, hidden so she couldn’t see him? “What are you doing
here?”
“I’m a guest, remember? Was that your brother on the
phone?”
Did he overhear her talking about the questionnaire? He
couldn’t have. She’d been too far from the door, and she’d kept her voice down.
“No.”
“What are you doing here during this week? Are you
married?”
“No, I’m not,” she said. “I’m working for the manager for a
couple of days.”
“What about your salon?”
She didn’t want to have this conversation. “I have to go.”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Suit
yourself.”
“And it would be a good idea if we made a point of avoiding one
another. I don’t want any trouble with your wife.”
“Agreed.”
She ducked past him, wondering what it was that she’d ever seen
in him, how she could have ever thought she loved him. Marnie felt sorry for
Cindy. Loving Brad was a losing proposition, at least in her experience.
When she reached the door to Luke’s office, she knocked and was
greeted by his welcoming voice telling her to come in. “Thanks for waiting,” she
said.
“As I was leaving the library, I saw one of our guests, Brad
Parker, heading that way. Did you see him?”
Did he suspect that she and Brad had a connection? “Yes, but
only for a moment.” She sat down in the chair next to his desk, close enough to
touch him.
He frowned, but didn’t say anything.
To fill the awkward silence, she grabbed onto the first topic
that came to mind. “My partner, Shane, and I co-owned a spa and salon called
Total Elegance for ten years.”
“And what was your area of expertise?” he asked.
“I was a hairdresser.”
“It won’t be
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