Read Online Underestimated by Jettie Woodruff - Free Book Online Page A

what I am trying to do.
    “No, not at all, but if you stick around too long, I
    might put you to work.”
    “Let me go home and change, and I would be
    happy to help you.”
    I was speechless for a moment. I was joking. I
    didn’t think he would take me up on it.
    I laughed. “Thanks, but I’m okay. You should get
    some sleep.”
    “I actually won’t go to bed until tonight. I am on
    days during the week, and if I sleep, I will be all messed
    up and won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
    “Thanks for the offer but I couldn’t ask you to help
    me.”
    “I don’t think you asked, Riley. I think I offered.”
    Now what the hell was I supposed to do? I could
    use some muscles to help me move the shelves, and I
    would really like to move the cash register counter closer
    to the door.
    “You’ll get dishpan hands.”
    “I’m a bachelor. I am used to dishpan hands.”
    Great, just what I need, a bachelor.
    I turned to look at him, trying to think of something
    to say. I noticed how handsome he was and how nice he
    looked in uniform. He had a military cut, and I could tell
    that he was very well built. He was wearing a five
    o’clock shadow and had the bluest eyes I had ever seen. I
    wondered if they were contacts.
    What the hell is wrong with you, Morgan? You
    are not getting involved with a man. Forget it.
    I broke our gaze and turned back to wiping the
    wall. I still hadn’t said anything, and had no idea what to
    say. I had never in my life said no to a man. I wasn’t
    trained that way.
    “It’s settled. I’ll see you in an hour.”
    Dawson left, and I sank to the floor. I didn’t want
    him to help. I didn’t want him around. I jumped when my
    cellphone started singing something about having a girl’s
    night out. I knew it was Lauren. Every time she was
    around she was changing the ringtone on my phone.
    “Where the hell are you? I was going to come over
    and eat your leftovers.”
    “At the shop cleaning, you can go over and eat my
    leftovers if you come here and hangout with me so that I
    don’t have to be alone with the sheriff.”
    “Why is the sheriff there?”
    “He saw the lights on and stopped to make sure
    everything was okay. He saw what I was doing and has
    now gone home to change so that he can come back and
    help me.”
    “Are you kidding me, Ry? That man doesn’t have
    an interest in women. He hasn’t dated since his wife left
    him.”
    “When was that?” I asked for unknown reasons.
    “Um, let’s see. I have been here for almost two
    years, and I think she left about a year before that so I
    would say three years or so.”
    I almost asked why she left and then remembered
    that I didn’t care.
    “Please come here. I don’t want to be alone with
    him.”
    “Fine, I will be there in a little bit, but I don’t
    understand you. Let me get Dawson Bade alone.”
    “Well, I will gladly go to the back so that you can
    do that.”
    “Yeah right, I have asked that man out three times
    now. My ego won’t take any more than that.”
    I was dreading the day ahead with Dawson. I
    didn’t mind Lauren and was glad that she was coming, but
    I really, really, really didn’t want Dawson to be there.
    Lauren showed up first, and Dawson was only ten
    minutes behind her. Lauren and I were talking about how
    handsome he was, or she was anyway. I was trying my
    best not to notice. That worked until he showed up in jeans
    and a nice fitting t-shirt.
    Oh, my God. Stop it, Riley.
    I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun we
    had. We all worked and talked. I was relieved that I didn’t
    have to answer any personal questions. I didn’t really
    have anything to talk about, but commented on the things
    that Dawson and Lauren talked about. We managed to get
    all of the walls washed down and after Lauren, and I
    moved all of the things from the shelves we all turned
    them. After three tries, I had them the way that I wanted
    them. I was proud of myself. I had a really hard time,
    telling them that I