Читать книгу Housekeepers Say I Do!: Maid for the Millionaire / Maid for the Single Dad / Maid in Montana - SUSAN MEIER, Susan Meier - Страница 9

ARRANGING HER NOTES for the executive board meeting for A Friend Indeed held the first Friday of the month, Liz sat at the long table in the conference room of the accounting firm that handled the finances for the charity. the firm also lent them space to hold their meetings because A Friend Indeed didn’t want to waste money on an office that wouldn’t often be used. Their work was in the field.

Ayleen Francis, a fiftysomething socialite with blond hair and a ready smile who was the president of the board, sat at the head of the table chatting with Ronald Johnson, a local man whose daughter had been murdered by an ex-boyfriend. A Friend Indeed had actually been Ron’s brainchild, but it took Ayleen’s money and clout to bring his dream to fruition.

Beside Ron was Rose Swartz, owner of a chain of floral shops. Liberty Myers sat next to Rose and beside Liz was Bill Brown. The actual board for the group consisted of sixteen members, but the six-person executive board handled most of the day-to-day decisions.

Waiting for Ayleen to begin the meeting, Liz handed the receipts for the groceries she’d purchased for Amanda and her kids to Rose, the group’s treasurer, as well as a statement for cleaning services. Liz donated both the food and the services, but for accounting purposes A Friend Indeed kept track of what each cost.

“Thank you, Liz,” Rose said, her smile warm and appreciative. But before Liz could say you’re welcome, someone entered behind her and a hush fell over the small group.

Ayleen rose just as Liz turned to see Cain standing in the door way. “I’m assuming you’re Cain Nestor.”

He nodded.

Ayleen smiled and turned to the group. “Everyone, this is Cain Nestor, CEO of Cain Corporation. He’s visiting us this evening.”

Shock and confusion rippled through Liz. She hadn’t seen Cain in three years, now suddenly he was everywhere! Worse, she’d brought him here. She’d given him the name of the group when he followed her to Amanda’s. She couldn’t believe he was still pursuing the opportunity to thank her for staying with him while he was sick, but apparently he was and she didn’t like it. She was over him. She wanted to stay over him!

“Just take a seat anywhere.” Ayleen motioned to the empty seats at the end of the table.

Cain didn’t move from the doorway. “Ms. Francis—”

Ayleen smiled sweetly. “Call me Ayleen.”

“Ayleen, could we talk privately?”

“Actually, I don’t say or do much for A Friend Indeed without my executive board present. That’s why I asked your assistant to pass on the message for you to meet me here. If you’ll let me start the meeting, I’ll tell the group about your donation—”

Liz frowned. He’d made a donation? To her charity?

“My assistant was also supposed to tell you that the donation was to be kept confidential.”

“Everything about A Friend Indeed is confidential.” She motioned around the room. “Nothing about the group goes beyond the board of directors. Some things don’t go beyond the six people at this table. However, none of us keeps secrets from the others. But if you don’t care to stay for the meeting, then I’ll simply tell the group I’m refusing your donation.”

Cain gaped at her. “What?”

“Mr. Nestor, though we appreciate your money, what we really need is your help.” She ambled to the conference-room door. “As I’ve already mentioned, everything about A Friend Indeed is confidential. That’s out of necessity. We give women a place to stay after they leave abusive husbands or boyfriends.” She smiled engagingly as she slid her arm beneath Cain’s and guided him into the room.

“For their safety, we promise complete anonymity. But because we do promise complete anonymity to our clients, we can’t simply hire construction firms to come and do repair work on our houses. As a result, several of them are in serious disrepair.”

Liz sat up, suddenly understanding the point Ayleen was about to make. The group didn’t need money as much as they needed skilled, trustworthy volunteers.

“The amount of your check is wonderful. But what we really need is help. If you seriously want to do something for this group, what we’d like is your time.”

Cain glanced at Liz, then returned his gaze to Ayleen. “What are you saying?”

“I’m asking you to do some work for us.”

He looked at Liz again. Her skin heated. Her heartbeat jumped to double-time. He was actually considering it.

For her.

Something warm and syrupy flooded her system. He’d never done anything like this. It was overkill as a thank-you for her helping him through the flu. Donating money was more within his comfort zone. Especially donating anonymously. A secret donation of money, no matter how big, was easy for him.

But A Friend Indeed didn’t need his money as much as his help. And he was considering it.

Holding his gaze, Liz saw the debate in his eyes. He’d have to give up time, work with people. Ordinary people. Because someone from A Friend Indeed would have to accompany him. A stranger couldn’t go to the home of one of their abused women alone.

But, his money hadn’t been accepted. If he still wanted to do something nice for Liz, it would require his time. Something he rarely gave.

Continuing to hold Liz’s gaze he said, “What would I have to do?”

Liz smiled. Slowly. Gratefully. She didn’t care as much about a thank-you as she cared about A Friend Indeed. About the families in the homes that needed repairs. She’d been up close and personal with most of them, since her group was in charge of cleaning them for the families, and she knew just how bad some of the homes were.

Alyeen said, “Liz? What would he have to do?”

Liz faced Ayleen. “Cain paid his way through university working construction jobs in the summer. If he could spare the time, the house we moved Amanda into a few weeks ago has a lot of little things that need to be repaired.”

“It’s been years since I’ve done any hands-on construction. I can’t make any promises without seeing the house.”

Ayleen clapped her hands together with glee. “Understandable. I’ll have Liz take you to Amanda’s.”

Liz’s heart thumped. She wanted his help, the group needed his help, but she didn’t want to have to be with him to get it.

“I’m not sure I can,” Liz said at the same time that Cain said, “That’s not necessary.”

“You’re a stranger to us,” Ayleen firmly told Cain. “For the safety and assurance of our families, I want you with someone from the board at all times.” She faced Liz. “Liz, you’ve been at Amanda’s every weekend since she moved in anyway. And you obviously know Cain. You’re the best person to accompany him to Amanda’s tomorrow.” She smiled at Liz. “Please.”

Drat. She shouldn’t have mentioned her knowledge about Cain’s construction experience. But she had been amazed and grateful that he was willing to help. She’d be crazy or shrewish to refuse to do her part.

“Sure.”

Ayleen maneuvered Cain into a seat, but not once did Liz even glance in his direction. It was one thing to appreciate the gift of his help, quite another to be stuck spending time with him. Worse, the whole idea that he’d be willing to actually work, physically work, to thank her for a few hours of caring for him gave her a soft fluttery feeling in her stomach.

She ignored it. They had to spend time together the next day. Maybe hours. She couldn’t be all soft and happy—but she couldn’t be angry with him, either. He was doing a huge favor for a charity that meant a great deal to her.

Of course he’d wanted to do it anonymously. Being with her probably wasn’t a happy prospect for him any more than it was for her. With anybody else she’d be figuring out a way to make this deal palatable for them. So maybe that’s what she needed to do with Cain. Find a way to make this easy for him, as if they were two friends working together for a charity.

The thought caused her brow to furrow. They’d never been friends. They’d been passionate lovers. A distant married couple. Hurt divorced people. But they’d never really been friends. They’d never even tried to be friends.

Maybe becoming friends was the real way for them to get beyond their troubled marriage? To pretend, even if only for a few hours, that the past was the past and from this point on they were two nice people trying to help each other.

Cain was already at Amanda’s house the next morning when Liz arrived. Instead of his black Porsche, he waited for her in one of his Nestor Construction trucks. An old red one.

Keeping with her decision to treat him as she would a friend, she smiled and patted the side of the truck bed. “Wow. I haven’t seen one of these in years.”

He walked around the truck and Liz’s smile disappeared as her mouth fell open slightly. She’d already noticed his T-shirt, but for some reason or another, the jeans he wore caught her off guard. He looked so young. So capable. So…sexy.

She cleared her throat, reminding herself that this was a new era for her and Cain. Friends. Two nice people working together for a charity.

“Mostly, we use Cain Corporation trucks now.” He grinned. “But when I ran Nestor Construction, this one was mine.” He patted the wheel well. “She was my first.”

“Ah, a man and his truck.” Eager to get out of the sun and to the reason they were here, Liz turned to the sidewalk. “Come on. This way.”

They walked to the front door and Liz knocked. Joy answered, but Amanda was only a few feet behind her. She grabbed the giggling three-year-old and hoisted her into her arms. “Sorry about that.”

Liz laughed. “Good morning, Joy,” she said, tweaking the little girl’s cheek as she passed.

Joy buried her face in Amanda’s neck. “Morning.” Amanda looked pointedly at Cain. “And this is Cain?”

Cain held out his hand for shaking. “Sorry about our first meeting.”

Amanda smiled. “That’s okay. Neither one of us was in good form that day. Can I get you some coffee?”

Cain peered over at Liz.

Liz motioned for everyone to go into the kitchen. “Of course, we’d love some coffee.”

When Amanda walked through the swinging door out of sight, Liz caught Cain’s arm, holding him back. “If she offers something, take it. A lot of the women who come to us have little to no self-esteem. It makes them feel good about themselves to have coffee or doughnuts to offer. Take whatever she offers and eat it.”

Looking sheepish and unsure, he nodded and everything inside Liz stilled. For the first time in their relationship she knew something he didn’t. He needed her.

Their gazes caught.

Liz smiled, downplaying the reversal of their roles and seeking to reassure him.

The corners of his mouth edged up slowly in response, and his entire countenance changed. Crinkles formed around dark eyes that warmed.

The hallway suddenly felt small and quiet. The memory of how much she’d loved this man fluttered through her. With one step forward she could lay her palm on his cheek. Touch him. Feel his skin again. Feel connected to him in the only way they’d ever been connected. Touch.

But one touch always led to another and another and another. Which was probably why making love was the only way they’d bonded. They’d never had a chance to be friends. Never given themselves a chance to get to know each other.

Sad, really.

Instead of stepping forward, she stepped back, motioning to the door. “After you.”

He shook his head. His voice was rich, husky when he said, “No. After you.”

He’d been as affected by the moment as she had been. For a second she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, as another possibility for why he’d been so insistent on thanking her popped into her head. He hadn’t forgotten their sexual chemistry any more than she had. They hadn’t been good as a married couple, but they had been fantastic lovers. What if he was being kind, using this “thank you” as a first step to seducing her?

A sickening feeling rose up in her. He hadn’t hesitated the first time. He’d done everything he’d had to do to get her to Miami, into his bed. Working for a charity was small potatoes compared to some of the things he’d done to woo her, including whisk her to Vegas and seduce her into marrying him.

Well, six years later she wasn’t so foolish. So young. So inexperienced. If he dared as much as make a pass at her, he’d find himself with a new Friend Indeed employee as his liaison. He’d still have to fulfill his end of the bargain. He just wouldn’t do it with her.

She headed for the swinging door. Cain followed. In the kitchen, Amanda already had three mugs of coffee on the table. The room was spotless and smelled of maple syrup. Amanda had the look of a woman who’d happily served her daughter breakfast.

Cain took a seat at the table. “We can use this time to talk about what you need me to do.”

“You’re doing the work?”

Liz caught Amanda’s hand, forcing her gaze to hers for reassurance. “Yes. Cain worked in construction to put himself through university.”

“And as a bartender and a grocery boy. I was also a waiter and amusement-park vendor.” He smiled at Amanda as she sat. “School was four long years.”

Amanda laughed.

Liz pulled her hand away. “So go ahead. Give Cain the list of things that need to be done.”

“First, the plumbing.”

He took a small notebook from his shirt pocket. “Okay.”

“There are some places with missing baseboard.”

“Uh-huh.”

“The ceiling in the first bedroom has water marks.”

Without looking up from his note taking, Cain said, “That’s not good.”

“And most of the walls need to be painted.”

“You guys can help with that.”

Liz hesitated. She didn’t want to agree to time in the same room with him, but from the sounds of the list Cain’s work here wouldn’t be a few hours. He’d be here for days and Liz would be, too. If she had to be here to oversee things, she might as well have something to do. Plus, the more she did, the sooner her time with Cain would be over.

“Sure.”

Because Amanda had stopped listing repair items, Cain finally glanced up. “That’s it?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

“It’s plenty. In fact,” he said with a wince, “if those water marks are roof leaks, we’ve got a problem.”

“Why?”

Cain caught Liz’s gaze and her insides turned to gelatin again. But not because of chemistry. Because of fear. His eyes were soft, his expression grave. He wanted to do a good job. But he also had to be honest.

She’d only seen him look this way once. When she’d told him she couldn’t plan a huge Christmas party he’d wanted to host for his business associates. She’d been afraid—terrified really—that she’d do something wrong, something simple, but so awful that she’d embarrass them both. He’d been angry first, but that emotion had flitted from his face quickly and was replaced by the expression he now wore. It had disappointed him that she couldn’t do what he needed, but he had to be honest and admit he still wanted the party. So he’d hired someone to plan it for him.

He’d moved beyond it as if it wasn’t a big deal. But the disappointment he’d felt in her lingered. Even now it reminded her that he knew they weren’t good for each other as a couple. They didn’t match. He wouldn’t want to start something with her any more than she’d want to start something with him. No matter how sexually compatible they were, he wasn’t here to seduce her. She actually felt a little foolish for even thinking it.

“A roof isn’t a one-man job. Even with a crew a roof takes a few days. At the very least a weekend.” He looked at Amanda. “But I’ll choose the crew with care.”

Amanda looked at Liz.

“We’ll talk it over with Ayleen, but we can trust Cain. If he says he’ll figure out a way to keep all this confidential, he’ll do it.” When it came to work Cain was as good as his word. “Plus, if Cain’s okay with it, we’ll only work weekends and you can take the kids to the beach or something. Not be around. Just to be sure no one sees you.”

Amanda nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Cain rose. “Let me take a quick look at all these things then I’ll make a trip to the building supply store.”

“Toilets are fixed. Showers all work,” Cain said, wiping his hands on a paper towel as he walked into the kitchen.

Amanda had made grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch. Liz already sat at the table. Amanda was happily serving. He took a seat and Liz smiled at him. After walking through the house with him behaving like a contractor, not her ex-husband, not the man she shared unbelievable chemistry with, Liz was slightly annoyed with herself for even considering he was only here as part of a plan to seduce her. His work here might have begun as a way to thank her for caring for him, but now that he was here, he clearly wanted to do a good job. It almost seemed he’d forgotten their chemistry or that she had imagined his reaction as they stood in the hallway that morning.

Which was good. Excellent. And took her back to her plan of behaving like his friend.

“So this afternoon we paint?”

“I’d like to get the painting done before we put up new baseboards. With all the rooms that need to be painted, it’s going to take a few days. So it would be best if we started immediately after we eat.”

“Okay.”

Liz took a sandwich from the platter Amanda passed to her and handed it to Cain. Things were good. Relaxed. The more she was in his company this way, the more confident and comfortable she felt around him.

“I’ll do the ceilings,” Cain said, taking three sandwiches. “You guys handle the walls.”

Amanda grimaced. “I’m sorry. I scheduled a play-date for Joy. I didn’t realize you’d need me this soon.”

“It’s all right,” Liz said easily. “Cain and I will be fine.”

She genuinely believed that, until Amanda and Joy left and suddenly she and Cain were alone with two gallons of paint, two paint trays and a few brushes and rollers. Why did fate always have to test her like this? Just because she’d become comfortable around him, that didn’t mean she had to be tested an hour after the thought had formed in her brain.

“What’s the protocol on this?” she asked, nervously flitting away from him.

“First, we put blue tape around the windows and doors and existing baseboards so we don’t get any paint where we don’t want it. Then I’ll do the ceiling and you do the walls.”

He went out to his truck and returned with a roll of blue tape. Swiftly, without a second thought and as if he weren’t having any trouble being alone with her, he applied it on the wood trim around the windows.

“Wow. A person would never guess you hadn’t done that in about ten years.”

He laughed. “It’s like riding a bike. It comes back to you.”

He was at ease. He wasn’t seeing her as anything but a work buddy. Surely, she could follow suit.

“I know but you really look like you were born to this. It’s almost a shame you don’t do it anymore.”

“My end of things is equally important.” He turned from the window. “Come here. Let me show you how simple it is.”

She walked over to the window and he positioned her in front of it. Handing her the roll, he said, “Hook the end of the tape over the edge of the top molding and then just roll it down.”

She did as he said but the tape angled inward and by the time she reached the bottom the edge was still bare.

“Here.” Covering her hand with his, he showed her how to direct the roll as she moved it downward, so that the side of the woodwork was entirely covered by the tape.

Liz barely noticed. With his chest brushing her back and his arm sliding along her arm, old feelings burst inside her. The scent of him drifted to her and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had never met a man who caused such a riot inside her. She longed to turn around and snuggle into him, wrap her arms around him, simply enjoy the feeling of his big body against hers.

She stiffened. She had to get beyond this! If he could treat her like a coworker, she could treat him like a friend.

As if unfazed, he pulled away and walked to the paint. He poured some of the gray into one of the trays and white into the second one.

“Okay. I’m ceilings. You’re walls. But first I’m going to do the edge where the wall meets the ceiling.” He nodded at the tray of gray paint. “You take that and a roller and go nuts on the walls. Just stay away from the edges.”

“With pleasure.” She managed to make her voice sound light and friendly, but inside she was a mess. Especially since he seemed so cavalier. All this time she’d believed his attraction to her fueled her attraction to him. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Oh, she still believed he was attracted to her. His attraction simply didn’t control him.

And by God she wasn’t going to let hers control her, either!

For the next ten minutes they were quiet. Cain took a brush and painted an incredibly straight, incredibly neat six-inch swatch at the top of the wall, ensuring that Liz wouldn’t even accidentally get any gray paint on the ceiling.

Deciding she needed to bring them back to a neutral place or the silence would make her nuts by the end of the day she said, “How do you do that so fast, yet so well?”

“Lots and lots of practice,” he said, preoccupied with pouring more white paint into his tray. “Don’t forget I did this kind of work four summers in a row. That was how I knew I wanted to run a construction company. I learned to do just about everything and I actually knew the work involved when I read plans or specs.”

“Makes sense.” She rolled gray paint onto the far wall. She’d heard that story before, but now that she was a business owner she understood it and could respond to it.

“In a way, I got into cleaning for the same reason. Once I realized what would be required of my employees, it was easy to know who to choose for what jobs and also what to charge.”

“And you did great.”

His praise brought a lump to her throat. In the three years they were married he’d never praised her beyond her looks. He loved how she looked, how she smelled, how soft she was. But he’d never noticed her beyond that.

She cleared her throat. “Thanks.”

Occupied with painting the ceiling, Cain quietly said, “You know this is going to be more than a one-day job.”

“So you’ve said.”

He winced. “More than a two-week job.”

She stopped. “Really?”

“Because we can only work weekends, I’m thinking we’re in this for a month. And we’re kind of going to be stuck together.”

“Are you bailing?”

“No!” His answer was sharp. He stopped painting and faced her. “No. But I have to warn you that I’m a little confused about how to treat you.”

Relief stuttered through her. She didn’t want him to seduce her, but she certainly didn’t want to be the only one fighting an attraction. “I thought we were trying to behave like friends.”

“I’m not sure how to do that.”

“Most of the day you’ve been treating me like a coworker. Why don’t you go back to that? Forget I’m your ex-wife.”

He glanced over at her and all the air evaporated from Liz’s lungs. The look he gave her was long and slow, as if asking how he could forget that they’d been married, been intimate.

Maybe that was the crux of their problem? Every time she looked at him something inside her stirred to life. She’d lived for three years without thinking about sex, but put him in the room with her and she needed to fan herself. Worse, through nearly three years of a bad marriage, they’d already proven they could be angry with each other, all wrong for each other and still pleasure each other beyond belief.

It was going to be difficult to pretend none of that mattered.

But they had to try.

She cleared her throat. “I could use a glass of water. Would you like one?”

“Please.”

In the kitchen, she took two bottles of water from the refrigerator. She pressed the cool container against her cheek. Late March in southern Florida could be hot, but being in the same room with Cain was turning out to be even hotter.

Still, A Friend Indeed needed his help. Amanda deserved a pretty home for herself and her kids. Liz was also a strong, determined businesswoman who had handled some fairly tough trials through the three years of running her company. One little attraction wasn’t going to ruin her.

Feeling better, she walked back to the living room, but stopped dead in the doorway. Reaching up to paint the ceiling, with his back to her, Cain stretched his T-shirt taut against his muscles. His jeans snugly outlined his behind. She swallowed. Memories of them in the shower and tangled in their sheets flashed through her brain.

She pressed the water bottle to her cheek again, pushing the pointless memories aside, and strode up behind him.

“Here.”

He turned abruptly and a few drops of paint rained on her nose.

“Oops! Sorry. You kind of surprised me.”

“It’s okay.”

He yanked a work hanky from his back pocket. “Let me get that.”

Enclosing her chin in his big hand to hold her head still, he rubbed the cloth against her nose. Memories returned full force. Times he’d kissed her. Laughing on the beach before running into the house for mind-blowing sex. Falling asleep spooned together after.

He blinked. His hand stilled. Everything she was feeling was reflected in his dark eyes.

The world stopped for Liz. Holding his gaze, knowing exactly what he was remembering, feeling the thrum of her own heart as a result of the memories that poured through her brain, Liz couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

For ten seconds she was absolutely positive he was going to kiss her. The urge to stand on her tiptoes and accept a kiss was so strong she had to fight it with everything in her. But in the end, he backed away, his hand falling to his side.

Turning to the wall again, he said, “Another twenty minutes and I’ll have the ceiling done. If you want to go put blue tape around the windows in the dining room we could probably get that room done today, too.”

She stepped back. “Okay.” She took another step backward toward the door. “Don’t forget your water.”

He didn’t look up. “I won’t.”

Relief rattled through her. He’d just had a golden opportunity to kiss her, yet he’d stepped away.

She definitely wasn’t the only one who wanted them to be friends, not lovers, or the only one who’d changed.

When Liz was gone, Cain lowered himself to the floor. Leaning against the old stone fireplace, he rubbed his hand down his face.

He could have kissed her. Not out of habit. Not out of instinct driven by happy memories. But because he wanted to. He longed to. She’d hardly left the house for their entire marriage. Now she was a business owner, a volunteer for a charity, a confident, self-sufficient woman. This new side of Liz he was seeing was very appealing. When he coupled her new personality with his blissful sexual memories, she was damned near irresistible.

But the clincher—the thing that almost took him over the top—was the way she looked at him as if she’d never stopped loving him. As if she wanted what he wanted. As if her entire body revved with anticipation, the way his did. As if her heart was open and begging.

He’d always known he was the problem in their marriage. And now that he was older and wiser, he desperately wanted to fix things. But he didn’t want to hurt her again. He saw the trust in her eyes. Sweet, innocent trust. She was counting on him to do the right thing.

Part of him genuinely believed the right thing was to leave her alone. Let her get on with her life. Become the success she was destined to be.

The other part just kept thinking that she was his woman, and he wanted her back.

But he knew that was impossible.