send some men to come pick up the other order. Don’t worry about it, little lady.
You’ll get used to these things.”
Before she could retort, the phone clicked in her ear. She flipped it shut and put her head down none too gently on the hood of her truck. She told herself cursing wouldn’t cure her frustration, nor would screaming ease the anger. It didn’t stop her from kicking the bumper, however.
“Well, I’m glad the anger’s not aimed toward me.” Neil turned at Gib’s voice.
Her frustration and anger were replaced with pleasure, then irritation. She hadn’t known what Gib meant by “hands on” until he started showing up every day like an employee. Neil had hoped after the baseball game that he’d leave her to do her job. Instead, he felt like a co-manager. He wanted to bounce back ideas, she wanted to get the work done. The worst part was, he trusted her to do the best job she could do.
It would have been easy to put up a wall between them if he hadn’t trusted her so. Neil wanted to lean on him, because she knew she could. A part of her wanted that so badly. If she told herself Gib was a part of the team, then it’d be okay to share the burdens. She had so many of her own that maybe it would be all right to share the ones that were work-related.
“My anger isn’t directed toward you today, but you’ll be just as mad after I tell you what that jerk Greg said.” She explained it to him, feeling better as his expression changed. When she was done, he cursed just as she had wanted to do, earlier.
“My exact thoughts. What do you want me to do?”
He settled himself beside her on the truck. He wore his signature white shirt, and it stretched comfortably across his chest when he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I can’t picture the cottage any other way.”
“We’ll wait, then, and next time we’ll order from somebody who won’t tell me to not worry my pretty little head about his screw-up.”
Out of the corner of her eye she could see him grinning. “I’m surprised you didn’t reach through the phone and choke him.”
“I did have to remind myself to stay professional and not tell him to stuff it.”
Gib laughed, a big-bodied laugh that washed over her. “Well, I came here today for my usual visit, and I wanted to tell you that tonight I’ve got to fly out to San Francisco.”
She straightened. “What’s going on?” For the second time since she’d met Gib, he looked uncomfortable. “My father has summoned me. He wants to talk to me. I’m sure it’s about the business. It’s always about the business with him.”
The way he said it made her think there wasn’t much love lost between the two men. She hesitated, and then asked, “Do you think he’s sick again?”
Gib snorted. “His idea of sick is him being in a coma. That’s what it was the last time I took over the business for him.”
“I didn’t know that. It wasn’t in any of the papers.”
“My mother wanted it that way. My father’s paranoia rubbed off on her. Since he reinvented the wheel, per se, people have been trying to ruin my father’s businesses. It’s the reason why he’s so adamant that I take over, not an ‘outsider’ as he puts it.”
Reading between the lines always got her into trouble, but she couldn’t help thinking Gib wanted her to see the not-so-obvious. It made her realize things between them had already begun to change.
The part of her that longed for his companionship made her ask, “And you don’t want to?”
He ran a hand over his unruly hair. “Not taking over the business is not an option for me.”
What about what you want? Neil wanted to ask. She was about to voice her question when Jason pulled up beside them in his truck.
“Hey, Gib.”
Gib nodded, but didn’t move from his spot. Neil, glad for the interruption, went to the truck. She could feel herself getting pulled into Gib’s troubles. She was caring a whole lot more than what someone in a
You’ll get used to these things.”
Before she could retort, the phone clicked in her ear. She flipped it shut and put her head down none too gently on the hood of her truck. She told herself cursing wouldn’t cure her frustration, nor would screaming ease the anger. It didn’t stop her from kicking the bumper, however.
“Well, I’m glad the anger’s not aimed toward me.” Neil turned at Gib’s voice.
Her frustration and anger were replaced with pleasure, then irritation. She hadn’t known what Gib meant by “hands on” until he started showing up every day like an employee. Neil had hoped after the baseball game that he’d leave her to do her job. Instead, he felt like a co-manager. He wanted to bounce back ideas, she wanted to get the work done. The worst part was, he trusted her to do the best job she could do.
It would have been easy to put up a wall between them if he hadn’t trusted her so. Neil wanted to lean on him, because she knew she could. A part of her wanted that so badly. If she told herself Gib was a part of the team, then it’d be okay to share the burdens. She had so many of her own that maybe it would be all right to share the ones that were work-related.
“My anger isn’t directed toward you today, but you’ll be just as mad after I tell you what that jerk Greg said.” She explained it to him, feeling better as his expression changed. When she was done, he cursed just as she had wanted to do, earlier.
“My exact thoughts. What do you want me to do?”
He settled himself beside her on the truck. He wore his signature white shirt, and it stretched comfortably across his chest when he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I can’t picture the cottage any other way.”
“We’ll wait, then, and next time we’ll order from somebody who won’t tell me to not worry my pretty little head about his screw-up.”
Out of the corner of her eye she could see him grinning. “I’m surprised you didn’t reach through the phone and choke him.”
“I did have to remind myself to stay professional and not tell him to stuff it.”
Gib laughed, a big-bodied laugh that washed over her. “Well, I came here today for my usual visit, and I wanted to tell you that tonight I’ve got to fly out to San Francisco.”
She straightened. “What’s going on?” For the second time since she’d met Gib, he looked uncomfortable. “My father has summoned me. He wants to talk to me. I’m sure it’s about the business. It’s always about the business with him.”
The way he said it made her think there wasn’t much love lost between the two men. She hesitated, and then asked, “Do you think he’s sick again?”
Gib snorted. “His idea of sick is him being in a coma. That’s what it was the last time I took over the business for him.”
“I didn’t know that. It wasn’t in any of the papers.”
“My mother wanted it that way. My father’s paranoia rubbed off on her. Since he reinvented the wheel, per se, people have been trying to ruin my father’s businesses. It’s the reason why he’s so adamant that I take over, not an ‘outsider’ as he puts it.”
Reading between the lines always got her into trouble, but she couldn’t help thinking Gib wanted her to see the not-so-obvious. It made her realize things between them had already begun to change.
The part of her that longed for his companionship made her ask, “And you don’t want to?”
He ran a hand over his unruly hair. “Not taking over the business is not an option for me.”
What about what you want? Neil wanted to ask. She was about to voice her question when Jason pulled up beside them in his truck.
“Hey, Gib.”
Gib nodded, but didn’t move from his spot. Neil, glad for the interruption, went to the truck. She could feel herself getting pulled into Gib’s troubles. She was caring a whole lot more than what someone in a
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