Read Online Hold on My Heart by Tracy Brogan - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracy Brogan
Tags: Romance
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away and felt an inexplicable sense of triumph.
I always get the
entire
job done, Miss Hamilton?
What had possessed him to say that? It was practically a flirtation, and he had tried very hard overthis past week to establish himself as disinterested in anything of that sort. He’d heard Libby and her sister talking about some commitment-phobic boyfriend out in San Diego, and Tom was not about to be her rebound experiment. It didn’t matter how long those legs of hers were. Or that her smile left him weak in the knees. He wasn’t interested. His only priority in this building was to do his job and turn this place into an ice-cream parlor for Peter Hamilton. Outside of that, his only priority was convincing Rachel to come and live with him.
But Libby Hamilton was a persistent flirt, batting lashes so long he swore they created a breeze. And then there were her tiny little T-shirts with the goofy pictures on the front, like a penguin wearing a red sombrero, or a honey badger. He’d been way off base thinking she was the serious sort. She might be practical, but she was definitely not serious. She was funny and bright and far too pretty. Everything about her knocked him off-kilter, from the purple socks peeking out of her boots to the way she couldn’t seem to keep all of her hair inside her ponytail holder. Streamers of it were constantly swirling around her face, like she was in a shampoo commercial. That shouldn’t annoy him, but it did.
And the fact that it annoyed him annoyed him even more.
When Tom sat down in Dr. Brandt’s office a few hours later, that annoyance was still there. Right on the surface.
“You seem a little distracted today, Tom. Are you uncomfortable being here without Rachel?”
He rubbed his chin with one hand. “No. It just seems a little pointless for you and me to talk. These sessions are for her.”
Dr. Brandt smiled her Mona Lisa smile. “These sessions are for both of you. No one grieves in a vacuum, and it’s helpful for us to talk one-on-one occasionally. So let’s start with whatever is on your mind today, shall we?”
He looked out the window. It was still warm, but some of the leaves had started to turn. Autumn was usually his favorite time of year. But the holidays would be here soon. He’d face his second Christmas without Connie, and probably without Rachel. Last year he’d hidden inside a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and had paid for that with a hangover until January.
“There is this woman at work and she irritates me.” He blurted out the words and wanted them back in an instant. But there were no take-backs in this office.
“Irritates you in what way?”
“I don’t know, exactly. She’s just… always
there
. Always wants to chat. And she wears these little T-shirts with cartoon characters on the front, so I constantly catch myself looking at her chest. It annoys me.”
“Why does that annoy you?”
“Because I’m supposed to be working, not staring at her breasts all day. Her shirts are too tight. No offense, Dr. Brandt. I’m all for women’s equality, but there’s a reason why women shouldn’t work construction.”
Her smile seemed genuine for the first time ever. “All women, Tom, or just this woman?”
Tom pondered this a moment. He’d actually known plenty of women who could do his job, but those were sensible women who knew to wear steel-toed shoes. And long pants. He looked out the window at the park next to Dr. Brandt’s office.
Smiling mothers sat on wooden benches and sipped coffee from paper cups, or pushed happy children on swings. The scene was idyllic, but it left him empty.
“Maybe just this woman.”
“Are you attracted to her?”
His stare returned to Dr. Brandt. “Why would you ask me that? I just told you she annoys me.”
She raised a brow a fraction of an inch, as if preparing to explain some significant revelation.
Before she could say anything, Tom shook his head. “You know what? Never mind about Libby. Could we
I always get the
entire
job done, Miss Hamilton?
What had possessed him to say that? It was practically a flirtation, and he had tried very hard overthis past week to establish himself as disinterested in anything of that sort. He’d heard Libby and her sister talking about some commitment-phobic boyfriend out in San Diego, and Tom was not about to be her rebound experiment. It didn’t matter how long those legs of hers were. Or that her smile left him weak in the knees. He wasn’t interested. His only priority in this building was to do his job and turn this place into an ice-cream parlor for Peter Hamilton. Outside of that, his only priority was convincing Rachel to come and live with him.
But Libby Hamilton was a persistent flirt, batting lashes so long he swore they created a breeze. And then there were her tiny little T-shirts with the goofy pictures on the front, like a penguin wearing a red sombrero, or a honey badger. He’d been way off base thinking she was the serious sort. She might be practical, but she was definitely not serious. She was funny and bright and far too pretty. Everything about her knocked him off-kilter, from the purple socks peeking out of her boots to the way she couldn’t seem to keep all of her hair inside her ponytail holder. Streamers of it were constantly swirling around her face, like she was in a shampoo commercial. That shouldn’t annoy him, but it did.
And the fact that it annoyed him annoyed him even more.
When Tom sat down in Dr. Brandt’s office a few hours later, that annoyance was still there. Right on the surface.
“You seem a little distracted today, Tom. Are you uncomfortable being here without Rachel?”
He rubbed his chin with one hand. “No. It just seems a little pointless for you and me to talk. These sessions are for her.”
Dr. Brandt smiled her Mona Lisa smile. “These sessions are for both of you. No one grieves in a vacuum, and it’s helpful for us to talk one-on-one occasionally. So let’s start with whatever is on your mind today, shall we?”
He looked out the window. It was still warm, but some of the leaves had started to turn. Autumn was usually his favorite time of year. But the holidays would be here soon. He’d face his second Christmas without Connie, and probably without Rachel. Last year he’d hidden inside a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and had paid for that with a hangover until January.
“There is this woman at work and she irritates me.” He blurted out the words and wanted them back in an instant. But there were no take-backs in this office.
“Irritates you in what way?”
“I don’t know, exactly. She’s just… always
there
. Always wants to chat. And she wears these little T-shirts with cartoon characters on the front, so I constantly catch myself looking at her chest. It annoys me.”
“Why does that annoy you?”
“Because I’m supposed to be working, not staring at her breasts all day. Her shirts are too tight. No offense, Dr. Brandt. I’m all for women’s equality, but there’s a reason why women shouldn’t work construction.”
Her smile seemed genuine for the first time ever. “All women, Tom, or just this woman?”
Tom pondered this a moment. He’d actually known plenty of women who could do his job, but those were sensible women who knew to wear steel-toed shoes. And long pants. He looked out the window at the park next to Dr. Brandt’s office.
Smiling mothers sat on wooden benches and sipped coffee from paper cups, or pushed happy children on swings. The scene was idyllic, but it left him empty.
“Maybe just this woman.”
“Are you attracted to her?”
His stare returned to Dr. Brandt. “Why would you ask me that? I just told you she annoys me.”
She raised a brow a fraction of an inch, as if preparing to explain some significant revelation.
Before she could say anything, Tom shook his head. “You know what? Never mind about Libby. Could we
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