AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jolie’s expression turned cool. “We didn’t have it. Ed’s wife didn’t answer the phone when Rafe called her back to check. Everything was under control at any rate. Annie is here and Rafe can talk to you tomorrow.”
A bad end to one very bad day.
Ed hadn’t ordered nearly enough stain to complete the oak trim at the gift shop, and the closest place carrying that brand of stain was in Billings. The owners of the gift shop had been adamant about stocking their new store Monday, as scheduled.
Just another in an ongoing series of small mistakes, oversights that cost them time and money. Now his daughter had been falsely accused and hauled to the sheriff’s office, and the situation couldn’t be resolved until tomorrow.
Matt took a deep breath. For the next fourteen or fifteen hours, until that office opened in the morning, he and Annie would have to live with the tension of that uncertainty.
“It’s still only five o’clock. If Annie was there, the deputy would still be available.” He immediately regretted his thoughtless words. He owed Jolie his gratitude, not criticism when she’d only been trying to help. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”
Jolie took a sharp breath. “I’ll be sure not to interfere with your business again, Dawson. I was just trying to help Annie.Can you imagine how she felt sitting there—not knowing when you’d arrive?”
Only too well, and the thought made him feel sick.
Jolie rose and headed for the door of her office. “I’m going up to the front desk. It’s late, and I need to talk to Irene before she leaves. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”
She’d turned as imperious and cold as royalty, Matt thought.
“Come on, Annie,” he said. “Let’s go home.”
JOLIE HEARD THEback door close quietly before she even got to the front desk. The sound felt like a door shutting in her heart. She’d overstepped her bounds, maybe, but only because she cared.
Exactly how it had been in the old days, when she’d tried to mother her younger siblings.
She hadn’t ever done well enough, and all she’d ever gotten in return was resentment. Even now, returning to her hometown after sixteen years, those same undercurrents were still there.
“And you thought you’d be able to come back and make one happy family,” she muttered to herself. “As ifthatwill ever happen.”
Dealing with her family was hard enough. She didn’t need the extra heartache of growing too attached to Matt and his kids.
“Did you say something?” Irene turned off the computer and monitor, then swiveled to face her.
“No. Nothing at all. How is everything going?”
Irene reached out to give Mandy a grandmotherly pat on the face. “This here is the sweetest girl. And sharp? She catches on really fast. We’re lucky to have her.”
Mandy blushed. “I did some word processing in high school, but never took any business classes. Irene’s showing me all of the office stuff.”
“Takes to it like a pup playing fetch. When this place is busy enough for me to be a full-time nurse, she’ll be more than ready to take care of the office duties.”
If she stays in Garrett Bluff that long,Jolie thought.
“I want to thank you so much for this—this chance,” Mandy said. “It means a lot to me.”
“I’ll be needing the help, and we want to see that baby come into the world with the best possible care, right?” Jolie gave Mandy a quick hug. “Afterward, you’ll have a job with me as long as you want one. We could even work out something so you could go on to school.”
The light in Mandy’s eyes died. “I can’t afford that.”
“Yes, you can. You’d qualify easily for financial aid, and you could do anything in the world you wanted to, if your grades are good enough.”
“I had a three-point-four overall grade average in high school,” she said shyly.
Despite little or no support at home, Jolie guessed. “You sure sound like a winner to me. If you want, we can start researching schools and majors you’d be interested in. If you plan to raise this baby alone, you’re going to want a good career.”
“That’s a good plan, Mandy,” Irene said. “Education is the best investment you could ever make, and no one can ever take it away from you.” Irene surveyed the desk, then settled the shoulder strap of her purse into position as she headed out the front door. “Are we all set to go?”
Jolie gave Mandy a weary smile. “I think we’re both ready for supper and a nice fire in the fireplace, but I have a few things left to do here. I won’t be long.”
