AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, Joe, you helping Mandy?”
“Always, Mr. Timms.”
She’d had these people in her life for years, but maybe now Mandy was starting to really appreciate friends like Joe Trainer.
“Take all the time you want. I have to head home with this load. So lock up, and I’ll get the key off you tomorrow at Tea Total, Mandy.”
They talked about placement of things after he’d gone, and Mandy made notes as Joe offered suggestions.
“I think Buster is going to email a floor plan he thinks would work through to Ted. Apparently he’s good at that kind of thing.”
Mandy didn’t think she’d be asking to see that email anytime soon. She’d be angry for a while yet.
“Ted’s got a good eye for aesthetics too.”
Mandy made a sound of agreement.
“What’s the deal, Mandy?”
“Deal?”
Joe leaned on a wall and looked at her. She had to admit he was a handsome man, and yet to her he was just Joe, the man who had been nice to her for as long as she could remember. She didn’t feel any of what she felt when she looked at Ted. That squidgy feeling inside her tummy.
“The Ted and you deal?”
What!
“No deal.” She focused on her notebook and pretended his words hadn’t surprised her.
“We’ve all just stood back and watched you two walk around each other, acting like you don’t have this thing when we know you do. I’m done watching now.”
“We don’t have anything.” Mandy scribbled something unintelligible in her book. “Seriously, Joe. I have no idea what you are talking about.” She was proud of how calm she sounded.
“I’m not buying that. He was beside himself when you fainted in his arms after the parade, and he’s always watching you. Then there’s him letting you work out in his private gym, which he lets no one use.”
“Joe—”
“He’s been a bear the last few days. Snapping and snarling. Fin punched him last night.”
“He didn’t! Is Ted all right?”
Joe smiled. “And that reaction tells me everything I already knew. They’re both fine. They were boxing, actually.”
Mandy carefully put her notebook and pen back in her bag.
“You tricked me.”
His smile was totally unrepentant.
“I’m not someone who talks about things like this, Joe,” she said, hoping that would shut him up.
“Time to change, then. Here’s the thing, Mandy, you two are pretty near perfect for each other, you just need to realize that.”
“He doesn’t want that!” The words came out fast and loud. Horrified, she snapped her teeth shut. “Sorry. What I mean is, we’re not suited.”
Joe pushed off the wall to come and stand before her.
“He told you that?”
