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“Are you okay?” I ask, noticing she seems nervous.
“Yes,” she replies as she shakes her head no.
“What can I do to help?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest. I wanted to apply for a job because I need the money it’ll provide. I mean, I’m thankful for what I make at Tap That, and Declan is a great boss,” I growl, not liking her appreciation for another man regardless of how innocent it is, “but,” a shrug, “I do have experience in a different field that I’m not utilizing.”
“Which you’d prefer to.” It’s not a question.
“If it’s profitable to do so, then yes.”
“And what would that entail?” I want her, there’s no doubt about that, but I’m also a businessman and know making decisions based on personal feelings is not smart. That being said, I’d give her my company in a millisecond except for one thing – Clint. I’ve since paid him back for his initial help in start-up costs, but convinced him to remain a silent partner. I always take into account how he’d be impacted by the decisions I make. Of course, once he knows Helen is my forever, he’d hand me the pen to sign on the dotted line, both ownership and the marriage certificate. Hell, my mom is probably already badgering, err coercing, him into visiting. Her next step will be looking at houses. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already one-clicked a baby name book and is having it sent to me.
“Enough to pay my bills and have a cushion to where emergencies won’t leave me scrambling to cover them. And,” she hedges here, the confidence she’d exuded in the previous sentence fading, “to ensure I’m financially stable for a situation I foresee happening.” That’s cryptic and stirs my curiosity, but I let it go. For now. She’ll soon discover she can tell me anything and I’ll be on her side.
While Sow and Grow isn’t a big conglomerate by any stretch of the imagination, it did well in its original location as we offer our services year-round. Moving the company here, while risky, will no doubt pay off.
“We can make that happen,” I assure her.
Her voice changes, the tone becoming a bit haughty as she asks, “We?”
“Me and my dad.” She smiles, obviously liking my answer, and I decide to push my luck. “I’m single,” I reiterate in case I hadn’t already made that clear with our initial meeting. “Well, I was until yesterday.” Then I wink, grinning when she glares at me, but it completely contradicts the gleam in her eyes at my news. I start to say I don’t know what, not wanting to break my forward momentum without pausing to think of something first, when a knock stops me.
“Let me guess,” she mutters, “it’s a guy that came in for a landscaping job and he got hired to be your best man.”
Smirking, I tell her, “Nope. That is already taken by my best friend, Emmett. Which reminds me, I need to send him a text to get his suit cleaned.” I grab the phone to do just that, enjoying way too much the flush of anger as her cheeks turn red. She groans, turns on her heel, and marches toward the exit.
Now I’m scared she’s leaving and I rush after her, almost running into the door as she opens it. I take her hand, momentarily losing thought when my skin makes contact with hers. She looks back at me, shocked, then her gaze goes to where we’re joined. Neither of us speak, our eyes meeting and her breathing becoming labored as mine turns heavier.
“Uhh, not sure what’s going on here, and that’s cool – do you, man – but I really don’t need to see it. I’m young and impressionable.” As if we’re already in sync, our heads swivel to see the person standing outside, holding a picnic basket.
None other than Ella.
We greet her, my better half trying to act as if nothing is amiss while I straight up want to know, “Have you met my fiancée, Helen?”
**Helen**
What is he doing? He’s all but staking his claim. In the short time I’ve been here I know that if you want the scoop, you speak to Ella. She’ll dish it out right along with her delicious food. It’s never anything malicious. Instead, she only shares good news, though there are times it’s been of a more somber note and it’s done to gain prayers or offers of help for those who need it.
Ella takes Grady’s announcement in stride, telling him she has and that I’m a delight. “You’re a lucky man,” she informs him, her words serious.
His are, too, as he states, “I know. Now I just need to convince her to officially hitch her wagon to me before she realizes she can do so much better.”
“There is no one better,” I instantly respond, meaning it. I know he and I met less than twenty-four hours ago, yet I know it to be true. An arrangement this may be, but I intend to enjoy the hell out of every second of it.
And just maybe, temporary can become permanent.
———
Now that we’ve eaten, and directed the movers on where to place everything as they’d arrived an hour after I had, Grady and I are getting the office situated to our liking. The silence as we work is only broken with intermittent questions to seek the other’s opinion or to mention an item we should add to the list of what we still need.
We’ve kept things strictly professional since sharing breakfast earlier, which was fine. It gave us both the chance to focus on business matters. Now, though, I need more.
“So, since we’re engaged and all,” I tease, “my fiancé’s middle name seems like information I’d have.”
“Elias,” he mutters.
I speak all three out loud, enjoying how they sound together. He does as well, apparently. Or at least, when I say them if the way he shifts his stance and his eyes heat are any indication.
