Read Online Trouble In Spades by Heather Webber - Free Book Online
Authors: Heather Webber
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explained. "I had a feeling this would happen, so I took a few things home with me last night."
"You think he'd break in here to steal your African violet?" "It's award-winning. And her name is Sassy."
Holding in a smile, I remembered that she was part of a local African violet club and took it very seriously. I gathered up my backpack, thinking that pregnancy was making her a little bit nutso.
Not trusting myself not to say something that would make her cranky, I beat a hasty retreat. "I'll be in my office should you find any more evidence."
Her right eyebrow dipped. "Are you mocking me?" I gasped and teased, "Never."
The sign on my door read nina quinn, president. I hated that sign. "President" sounded so hoity-toity. I kept it only because Tam had insisted, I still wasn't clear why. Something about being in charge and showing it. Nina Quinn. Quinn. Hmmph. I still needed to decide if I was keeping that last name too. I hated to admit it, but I'd kind of grown fond of it. And going back to being a Ceceri seemed like a step back into full-blown dysfunction. Still, it was his name and he was persona non grata these days. However, next to Riley, Kevin's name might be the only other good thing I'd gotten out of my marriage. Rain beat against the windowpane inside my office, and I groaned. My schedule had taken a backseat to Mother Nature. Not that there weren't things to do, there were. Bills, invoices to double and triple check, design plans to create, presentations to complete . . .
I had six employees all together, three part-time, three full-time. Tam, Kit, and Deanna Parks worked full-time; Marty Johnson, Coby Fowler, and Jean-Claude Reaux worked part-time, except for summers, when Marty and Coby, full-time students, worked more than forty-hour weeks. No one was quite sure what Jean-Claude did in his free time. No one wanted to know.
Since all my employees came to me through Ana, they'd all been on the wrong side of the law at one time or another. We all suspected Jean-Claude was still on the wrong side, but what he did on his own time was his own business. Until it affected his work, I'd stay out of it.
The phone rang and I heard Tam pick it up.
I booted my computer, and waited for it to clear out the cobwebs. I thought about the Fryes and how I'd agreed to do a mini for them.
The things I do for my sister.
I hadn't heard from Maria yet that morning, but I knew it was just a matter of time. I hoped she'd call with good news.
Forcefully, I pushed thoughts of Maria and Nate away. Work. I needed to get some work done.
"Nina, call on one," Tam called through my open door.
Picking up the phone, I said, "Nina Quinn."
"Hi there."
My stomach did a happy little flip. He didn't need to say who it was—with my body's reaction, it could only be one person. Robert MacKenna.
"Hi," I said.
"You haven't returned my calls. I was worried your stash of Almond Joys had run out and you'd fainted somewhere." I told my stomach to knock off its happy dance. Nothing good could come of this f riendship MacKenna and I shared. Nothing. He was married. Off limits. I was on the rebound. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Still, I didn't want to let him go. So I compromised. "Robert, I can't talk right now. Lots of work to do."
"Liar!" Tam shouted from the other room.
"I'll talk to you later," I said, while giving Tam the Ceceri evil eye through the wall.
"Wait!" MacKenna said. "You've been avoiding me, Nina. Why?"
"I . . . It's complicated."
"Is it because I'm Riley's vice principal?"
Oh jeez. I hadn't even thought of that.
"I've got to go," I repeated.
"Liar, liar," Tam yelled.
I was seriously thinking about wringing her neck.
"I thought we had . . . something," MacKenna said.
"We . . . did." I swallowed. "We do."
"Then why?"
Taking a deep breath, I let all my misgivings hang out in a big rush of words. "I can't be the other woman, Robert. I can't. Not after what Kevin did to me, and even if he hadn't. It's just
"You think he'd break in here to steal your African violet?" "It's award-winning. And her name is Sassy."
Holding in a smile, I remembered that she was part of a local African violet club and took it very seriously. I gathered up my backpack, thinking that pregnancy was making her a little bit nutso.
Not trusting myself not to say something that would make her cranky, I beat a hasty retreat. "I'll be in my office should you find any more evidence."
Her right eyebrow dipped. "Are you mocking me?" I gasped and teased, "Never."
The sign on my door read nina quinn, president. I hated that sign. "President" sounded so hoity-toity. I kept it only because Tam had insisted, I still wasn't clear why. Something about being in charge and showing it. Nina Quinn. Quinn. Hmmph. I still needed to decide if I was keeping that last name too. I hated to admit it, but I'd kind of grown fond of it. And going back to being a Ceceri seemed like a step back into full-blown dysfunction. Still, it was his name and he was persona non grata these days. However, next to Riley, Kevin's name might be the only other good thing I'd gotten out of my marriage. Rain beat against the windowpane inside my office, and I groaned. My schedule had taken a backseat to Mother Nature. Not that there weren't things to do, there were. Bills, invoices to double and triple check, design plans to create, presentations to complete . . .
I had six employees all together, three part-time, three full-time. Tam, Kit, and Deanna Parks worked full-time; Marty Johnson, Coby Fowler, and Jean-Claude Reaux worked part-time, except for summers, when Marty and Coby, full-time students, worked more than forty-hour weeks. No one was quite sure what Jean-Claude did in his free time. No one wanted to know.
Since all my employees came to me through Ana, they'd all been on the wrong side of the law at one time or another. We all suspected Jean-Claude was still on the wrong side, but what he did on his own time was his own business. Until it affected his work, I'd stay out of it.
The phone rang and I heard Tam pick it up.
I booted my computer, and waited for it to clear out the cobwebs. I thought about the Fryes and how I'd agreed to do a mini for them.
The things I do for my sister.
I hadn't heard from Maria yet that morning, but I knew it was just a matter of time. I hoped she'd call with good news.
Forcefully, I pushed thoughts of Maria and Nate away. Work. I needed to get some work done.
"Nina, call on one," Tam called through my open door.
Picking up the phone, I said, "Nina Quinn."
"Hi there."
My stomach did a happy little flip. He didn't need to say who it was—with my body's reaction, it could only be one person. Robert MacKenna.
"Hi," I said.
"You haven't returned my calls. I was worried your stash of Almond Joys had run out and you'd fainted somewhere." I told my stomach to knock off its happy dance. Nothing good could come of this f riendship MacKenna and I shared. Nothing. He was married. Off limits. I was on the rebound. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Still, I didn't want to let him go. So I compromised. "Robert, I can't talk right now. Lots of work to do."
"Liar!" Tam shouted from the other room.
"I'll talk to you later," I said, while giving Tam the Ceceri evil eye through the wall.
"Wait!" MacKenna said. "You've been avoiding me, Nina. Why?"
"I . . . It's complicated."
"Is it because I'm Riley's vice principal?"
Oh jeez. I hadn't even thought of that.
"I've got to go," I repeated.
"Liar, liar," Tam yelled.
I was seriously thinking about wringing her neck.
"I thought we had . . . something," MacKenna said.
"We . . . did." I swallowed. "We do."
"Then why?"
Taking a deep breath, I let all my misgivings hang out in a big rush of words. "I can't be the other woman, Robert. I can't. Not after what Kevin did to me, and even if he hadn't. It's just
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