“When you already had a job.” Shame filled her soul. She’d never be able to make this up to him. She’d humiliated him and herself. She choked back her embarrassment. “How long have you worked for JP Construction?”
Jesse threw back his head and laughed until he gasped for air. “You’re still doing it. Not seeing the real me,” he chided gently, patting her hand.
“What? How?” It clicked like a lock sliding home. “You own JP Construction, don’t you? You are JP. Jesse Phillips.” She buried her hot face in her hands and peeked out at him. “You have half a dozen trucks.”
She shook her head. She was an idiot and he had every right to be angry, yet he wasn’t. He was enjoying her screw up.
“Actually, I have a dozen trucks and two dozen employees. I just drive my old truck because I like her, she fits my image.”
“So why the façade?” She couldn’t fathom why he’d keep up the ruse of being dirty and run down. “You’re obviously successful. Silver Creek must know the truth.” His deception didn’t make sense to her.
He shrugged. “Easier. I guess.”
“Easier than what?” He wasn’t making sense; either that or her head was too flummoxed to read between the lines.
Another shrug. “Just let it go. You know the truth now. Really, nothing has changed except your perception of me. You’re still my employer and we’re still friends. I hope.” He flashed her a grin, his perfectly white teeth gleaming. His eyes sparkled.
“All the times I called your office and nobody answered…”
“My fault,” he admitted. “I wanted to see if you’d hire me as you saw me. I told my staff to ignore your calls. But I swear, everything else you think you know is true.”
“You’re talented, a hard worker, prompt, considerate,” she started listing off his positive attributes.
“Generous,” he interrupted. “When you paid me to help you move, I donated the money to the crisis center.”
Her opinion of herself dropped even lower. How wrong could she have been? She felt like crap. Remorse weighed heavily on her heart. “I’m so sorry I misjudged you. I’m glad the money went to a good cause. I want to do more to help the center.”
“Come on, then, let me give you a ride to the store and we’ll get started, so you can open on time.”
“I’ll be there in a bit. I need some time to process my idiocy.” Like the rest of her life. She had a ton of re-thinking to do. About herself, about him, about their relationship. If there even was one.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. I’m sorry I made you feel bad.” He threw his arm around her shoulder. “It was a mean prank.”
“Maybe, but I obviously deserved it.” She waved toward the door. “Go. I’ll be right there.”
“Don’t be upset, Hailey. I don’t want to lose your friendship over this.” She heard the regret in his voice.
She nodded. She didn’t let herself watch him leave. Her hands twisted together on the table until they were white-knuckled. She’d been foolish and deserved his dishonesty. But she sensed there was more to his poverty façade than he was telling. She’d have to figure it out. After she worked out why Beth had played along and she’d been so blind.
A plate of pumpkin pie nudged her hand. “Forgive me?” Beth asked softly, taking a seat.
“Maybe. After I figure out why.”
“Eat your pie. It’ll come to you.”
“I don’t want pie. I want gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing.” She pouted. She did want it; she was being difficult as a payback. Besides, eating helped her think.
“Oh, just eat it already. Nobody knows you better than me.” Beth nudged the plate toward her.
“Which is why you let me make an ass of myself. You knew I’d judge him by his mom’s actions and not see beyond the surface. Just like I did with Evan. I’d have married him if he hadn’t slipped up and revealed his dishonesty and cheating. I never saw past his façade.” Gosh, she was such an idiot sometimes.
“Ding ding. Give the woman a prize.” Beth chuckled lightly.
“You could have told me, rather than making it a game.” She spooned a piece of pie, loaded with whipped cream, into her mouth. Heavenly. She didn’t deserve such decadence.
“Would you have listened? I did warn you, repeatedly, he wasn’t what he seemed to be. You should have paid attention.”
“You’re forgiven, but only because you make the best pie ever.” Now if only forgiving herself was easy. Jesse wasn’t the only one who practiced deception. She was keeping truths about his mom from him. She had divided loyalties there. She’d promised to keep the theft a secret, but if she hoped to build on her friendship with Jesse, she needed to come clean.
