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“That is a bonus.”He waited another moment, then slid his phone back into his pocket. “Fine. I won’t report Matt to the police on the condition that you work for me every day, all day, doing whatever I ask…” He dipped his chin. “…within reason. Your paycheck will go directly toward Matt’s debt. You’ll work for me until he pays me back the rest of the amount or until the house is ready to show.”
Relief tingled through her. Matt was safe. “Got it. When will that be?”
“The Gordons want to see the cabin on July fourteenth. And since we’re behind schedule, crews will be working weekends too.” His voice took on a challenging tone. “I hope you’re up to all of the manual labor.”
When construction crews worked on the weekends, they switched out their workers. If Carson didn’t give her a break, she’d be exhausted after the first week. She bit her lip. “I think it’s a law or at least a commandment that you have to give me a day off.” She nodded, feeling more confident. She remembered from high school that Carson’s family went to church. “Definitely a commandment. Sunday is the day of rest. Making me work then would be a sin.”
“You’re religious?” he asked.
“Very.”
“Then you know what it means when I say the ox is in the mire.”
“And you know what it means when I say that um, blessed are those who keep the Sabbath Day holy for they shall receive extra help from heaven for not working their employees to death.”
He gave her anice trylook. “That’s not a scripture.”
“If you don’t think so, let’s call your family’s pastor and ask his opinion on the matter.”
Carson heaved a sigh. “Fine. You can have Sunday off.”
Six days a week of construction work. Hard but doable. And worth it to keep Matt out of prison. “School gets out next Friday. I’ll come up after that.”
Carson’s blue eyes were on her, smug and cold. “I’m taking your car as collateral.”
“Then how will I drive up here every day?”
He shrugged, unconcerned by this problem. “I guess you’ll have to stay up here like I am. There’s an attic room in the cabin, and you can use one of the bathrooms there. We always keep at least one of them functioning.”
She stifled a cough. “You want me to stay up here with you?”
“Notwithme. In the main cabin.” He smiled, seeming to enjoy her discomfort. “But you’ll still basically be my prisoner. Sort of like Belle inBeauty and the Beast, but without the singing dishes or the library.”
“The lack of a library is a drawback in a prison.” She fiddled with her purse strap again. She wanted to leave before he could add more to the deal. “Next Friday is a half day. I’ll come up after school and bring the five thousand to you.” She pulled her car keys out of her purse.
He held his hand out for them. “Those are mine now.”
Her eyes snapped to his. He was serious. “But I’ve got to go back to Lark Springs. I have another week of teaching.”
His hand was still outstretched. “I’ll drive you home and pick you up Friday after school lets out.”
She kept hold of her keys. “You want to go to all that extra trouble? Isn’t that a little extreme?”
“Not at all. I’ve got to drive to Lark Springs on Friday for a physical therapy appointment anyway.”
“But—”
Carson plucked the keys from her hand. “Your family has already proven that you’re a flight risk. I wouldn’t want you joining Matt in Bozeman.” He tucked her keys into his pocket. “We’ll take my truck.” He headed in that direction without waiting to see if she followed.
Even though he wore an ankle boot, she had to hurry to keep up with his long, determined strides. Either the injury was nearly healed or anger was making him faster. “Do you want me to drive?” she asked.
“I never let anyone drive my truck. That hasn’t changed since high school either.”
As if she knew that sort of detail about him. “I only offered because of your injury.” It was his left foot so technically not one that he needed to drive, but still. “I thought you might want to put it up or something. I was trying to be nice.”
They were nearly to his truck. He unlocked the doors with his key fob. “Right. That should have been my first assumption. You always looked for ways to be nice to me.”
She let out a long sigh. “If you recall, back in high school, I told you that I was sorry about calling the police on your illegal and ill-advised kegger. But I’ll say it again. I’m sorry. And I’m sure I’ll be even sorrier on Friday.”
