Read Online Undone (A Country Roads Novel) by Shannon Richard - Free Book Online

in his teens. He was wearing a baseball uniform, which he easily filled out. Apparently he’d had muscles from an early age; they were just bigger now. His arms were stretched across the shoulders of a woman and a little girl. All three of them were wearing matching baseball hats and laughing as they looked at the camera.
    “So,” Paige said as he made a right. “Are you really not going to tell me what you wanted in exchange?”
    “Not a chance,” he said glancing over at her.
    “Why not?”
    “Because, if I show you the cards in my hand, I’ve got nothing left to bargain with. And with the way you need favors, I’m sure I’ll be able to get that offer back on the table.”
    “When did we start playing poker?”
    He just looked at her and grinned.
    “Fine,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “But I’m not much of a gambling girl. So don’t hold your breath.”
    “We’ll see.”
    They pulled into King’s Auto and Paige jumped out of Brendan’s truck before he made it around to help her. She didn’t need him touching her again, because every time he did, all rational thought went out the window. She followed him into the office, where he pulled a folder off his desk and opened it.
    “I just need you to sign here,” he said, putting the paper on the desk. “It just says you agree to pay the full amount for the work that was done.”
    “What about the payment plan?” she asked, looking at him.
    “What are you going to be able to do?”
    “I can pay half with my first pay check, and half with the second.”
    “That’s fine.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah.” He nodded and grabbed a pen from one of many in a coffee cup.
    “Why?”
    “What?”
    “Why are you doing this for me?” she asked. “I know this isn’t part of your normal billing options.”
    “And how do you know that?”
    “Because when you offered it, Oliver looked at you like you were crazy.”
    “He often looks at me like that,” he said, handing her the pen.
    “Brendan?”
    “I know what it’s like to have everything fall apart. Sometimes you just need a little time to get back on your feet,” he said, not elaborating.
    There was a glimpse of pain in his eyes and she really wanted to ask him about it but refrained because she had no desire to discuss what had happened to her, or the credit card and student loan payments that she hadn’t been able to pay for months.
    “Half with the first paycheck, the other half with the second,” he repeated.
    “Thank you,” she said, genuinely grateful.

Chapter Four
    One of the Gals
    O n Thursday, Paige walked into Adams and Family to loud hammering. The viewing room was in complete disorder as the pews had been shoved to one side of the room and the carpet was being ripped out.
    Paige turned to see Tara leaning back against her desk, a cup of coffee in her hand, as she watched two men carry out a piece of rolled-up carpet.
    “What’s going on?” Paige asked.
    “Mr. Adams has been here since six this morning and so have all of these men. Apparently, the little renovation in your office has inspired him,” Tara said, handing Paige a steaming cup of coffee that had been sitting on her desk.
    “Thank you,” Paige said, dropping her purse onto a chair and grabbing the cup. She leaned against the desk next to Tara and watched the chaos ensue.
    “I’m hoping the wallpaper is next,” Tara said, pointing to the walls.
    “You don’t like that either?” Paige asked, taking a sip of her coffee that Tara had fixed perfectly the way she liked it. Paige had to give her credit, the woman was observant.
    “God no,” she said, shaking her head dramatically. “This place has needed a makeover for decades. And you were just the thing to put a bug up Mr. Adams’s butt.”
    Paige inhaled her coffee and started choking.
    Bad visual. Bad, bad visual.
    “You okay?” Tara asked, slapping her on the back.
    “I will be.” Paige coughed, eyes streaming.
    “So what’s going on with