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  It was like some fate or something was against her making this work.

  Next stop, hairdresser’s.

  She sat down with the manager, and waited, and waited.

  Checking the time, she saw it was already lunchtime and winced. By the time the manager came back, she clucked her tongue and said she didn’t have the right image. Not only was she looking for a cleaner to fit the image of her work, but also a part-time cutter as well.

  Yep, she hadn’t taken any courses in beauty and so that job was also a bust.

  She rushed to the DIY store and it was still open, but it appeared the manager was taking his lunch break at the diner.

  Damn it.

  Luck was not on her side today, and she wasn’t in the best of moods. He’d not been long gone.

  After going to the diner, she ordered herself a burger and fries, and then spotted the man she needed to talk to.

  Desperation called and rather than take a chance, she sat down at his table. There was no sign of anyone else sitting here.

  “Mr. Graves,” she said.

  “Do I know you?”

  “Not officially. I’m Ann Adams. It’s a pleasure.” She held her hand out and he took it.

  “Okay, darlin’, I don’t recognize you. You don’t look like a lawyer, so I want to know what a pretty little lady like you is doing crowding my lunch.”

  She put the paper down. “I really need a job.”

  “Are you an ex-addict?”

  “What? No.”

  “You seem kind of desperate. I didn’t know if you were in interrupting my lunchtime for something important.”

  “I know and this is really rude of me, but I’m hoping what you will see from me is dedication.”

  “You work at the law office though, right.”

  “I do, yes.”

  “So how do I know this isn’t some kind of hoax?”

  The guy she met at the counter had warned her Mr. Graves was a little eccentric. He liked to ask whatever questions he wanted and he didn’t understand the first thing about privacy. Right now, she was seeing what the man meant.

  “Er, I don’t do hoaxes or anything. I’m not really sure how to answer that one.”

  “Well, I want to know if someone is trying to bug my business. Have you got an entire crew listening in on our conversation? Because me, I don’t give nothing away.”

  “Sir, Mr. Graves, I’m in a desperate situation. My hours at the law office have been reduced. I need to make a living, and so I wanted to talk to you in person and to show you I will work really, really hard. I promise you. I’m a good worker. I won’t complain. I can work holidays as well.” It wasn’t like she had a family waiting for her back home. Sure, there was Eli and Katie but she doubted they would invite her over for Christmas. She was a stranger.

  Mr. Graves sat back.

  “This is certainly new for me. I’ve never had a pretty girl come to my lunch, interrupt it, and all for begging for a job.”

  “Please, I know this is really inappropriate, rude, and I shouldn’t have come. I am sorry.”

  “You don’t need to leave,” he said, holding out his hand as she went to grab her tray to leave.

  “I don’t?”

  “No, I actually like the company. I don’t come here to be alone. If I wanted to be alone, I’d take a bag of lunch to go. I like it here. There are people and where people are, no one can hurt you. If someone is listening in then you don’t have to worry about them catching everything. There is always someone out there listening. Speaking of, I don’t do no cell phones either. You come to my shop, your cell phone stays out.”

  “Oh, right, of course. Yes. I can do that.”

  She couldn’t exactly afford to keep her cell running at the moment so it was dead and in her drawer back home.

  She wasn’t going to waste money on service or charging it when she was saving every cent. The same for her car. She was thinking of driving it and selling it as well. She’d get some money for it. It wasn’t completely banged up yet, but again, she wanted to hold off, hoping luck was on her side.

  “No devices, and you’re going to have to wear proper clothing. None of that girly stuff. I don’t want you screaming to me every time you scuff a shin or something.”

  “I’ve got good clothes.” She was currently wearing a sundress, this one in a pale blue. “Does this mean I’ve got the job?”

  “This means you can try the job. I don’t have time for any crap in my place. Hard work, and the customer comes first and is always right, apart from when they’re not right, got it?”

  “I totally get it. Completely, totally, I promise you, sir, you won’t regret it.”

  “Don’t call me sir. The name’s Mr. Graves. Don’t you change it to nothin’ either. I’ve got no time for pranks or stuff.”

  She nodded, already on cloud nine.

  ****

  “What’s the matter, Daddy?” Katie asked.

  Eli turned his attention back to his little girl. “Nothing, sweetie.”

  “Is it because Ann is talking to that man and she hasn’t come over to say hi?”

  He should have known his daughter would have spotted something like that. “You know, you see way too much for your age.”

  She giggled. “I don’t mind.”

  He couldn’t help but look again.

  Okay, in his ground rules, they had all been focused on Katie and how they would deal with a relationship between the two of them while his daughter was present, but he hadn’t broached the subject of exclusivity, or had he?

  He shouldn’t be jealous of her talking to Mr. Graves. Eli didn’t know the man’s first name as everyone referred to him as Grave, Graves, or Mr. Graves. He’d never been in the DIY store.

  Was that why she was talking to him? Having lunch? Did she need some repairs on her house?

  The last time he’d been in her house, it looked fine.

  Unless there was something wrong with it and she didn’t want him to know. Picking up a fry, he couldn’t help but look toward her table, and again, he didn’t like this.

  Katie laughed. “You keep staring.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

  He was determined not to let Ann get to him. Whatever she did on her own time was her own business and he wasn’t going to invade them. They weren’t in a relationship. They were fuck buddies, if they were even called buddies.

  He’d been out of the loop for so long, he didn’t even know if a term was even required for casual sex.

  Ann and Mr. Graves left the diner and neither of them looked his way. He watched as they left and headed in the direction of the store.

  He and Katie finished their meal and walked all the way home.

  Ann’s car was in the driveway and as they were about to enter, she came out with a small bag, placing it in the trash.

  “Ann, how are you?” Katie asked, rushing up to her side. “Did you get the puppy? Or dog? What about a cat?”

  “Wow, you’re excited, aren’t you? No dog, puppy, or cat, I’m afraid.”

  “We saw you at the diner,” Katie said. “You were talking to the weird man.”

  “Oh,” she said. “You were at the diner? I didn’t see you.” Her gaze landed on him.

  “Can I swim?”

  “Only if your daddy is okay with it.” Ann turned to him.

  “Yes.”

  Katie was already removing her clothing, having put on a swimsuit beneath her clothes. He laughed. “I didn’t see that one coming. Honestly, I didn’t assume she would want to come and swim.”

  “It’s fine. More than fine.” Ann laughed. Eli followed her back into her house. She stopped at the kitchen and he noticed Katie was poised at the edge of the pool.

  “Does she always do that?”

  “She’s waiting until I’m out in the yard. I don’t want her in the water unless an adult is present.” She grabbed a drink out of the fridge and three glasses, and they headed outside.

  He took a seat
beside her and looked around the yard. He’d also checked out her house, but again, he didn’t see anything that stood out and screamed for repair.

  The moment they sat down, Katie dived into the pool, screaming.

  “She does love the water.”

  “So, erm, do you have anything that needs repairing?” he asked.

  Katie was far enough away and too busy making her own noise and splashing around to hear.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your date with Mr. Graves,” he said. “If you need any repairs, I know my way around some stuff. I’m not trained, but I can do the odd job.”

  “Oh, right, no, of course not. A date. Why did you think I was on a date with Mr. Graves?”

  “You were at the diner.”

  Ann cringed. “Erm, it’s not what you think. Believe me. I’ve been hunting for new jobs. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. I did tell you. I was caught up at another interview. They kept me behind too long only to tell me I didn’t fit their image or what they were looking for.” She shrugged. “I was running late and rather than send a résumé, seeing as I didn’t have any previous or prior working experience in a store, I wanted him to see I was active and wanted the job.”

  “Did you get the job?”

  “I’ve been hired but it’s all subject to how tomorrow goes.”

  “I thought you worked at the law firm.”

  “I do and I still do, but don’t you remember I told you they were reducing my hours? I need an extra job.” She shrugged. “So now I have to work and prove to Mr. Graves I know my way around his shop. Thankfully, I’ve worked in a DIY store before, but I mean, very basic. Probably a third of the size of his. Have you seen that place? It’s huge.” She sighed and slumped down. “It has been a long day, and it’s only three o’clock. I’m exhausted.”

  “Is that what you’ve been doing all morning?”

  “Yep. All morning, that was me, begging for work. I know, you probably think I have no shame. I do, believe me, but I don’t want to lose this place.” She groaned and moved. “Drink?”

  “Ann, how bad is it?” he asked.

  “It’s nothing I can’t handle. I can work hard. I know how. I’ve got everything managed.” She poured them both a drink. “I think I’m going to take a dip in the pool. Will you keep an eye on her until I return?”

  “My daughter, remember?”

  “Yeah, right, sorry.”

  He watched her go, returning his gaze to Katie, who was floating on her back.

  Ann didn’t sound like she had a hold on it.

  She came back, wearing a swimsuit. He watched her ass, but she didn’t linger for too long at his side before climbing into the pool.

  For a couple of minutes, he watched her. Katie began to splash her and he loved seeing the two of them together. He shouldn’t be encouraging their relationship. One day, Ann was going to move on.

  “I’m going to use the bathroom,” he said.

  Neither girl stopped him.

  After going upstairs to the bathroom, he took a quick leak, washed his hands, and splashed his face. As he left, he paused outside of her room. The door was ajar and he saw her bed, unmade. What caught his attention were the books surrounding a laptop.

  Stepping inside, he leaned over and knew instantly these were Ann’s finances.

  Titling the book toward him, he saw her notes on the figure. This was the money she currently had, alongside were her bills, mortgage, and essentials.

  She had even calculated food expenses as well. She’d put the money she made from the law firm and circled around that was another figure with DIY next to it.

  Ann wasn’t doing okay. She would need a second job to be able to stay afloat.

  Tapping his finger at the side of his leg, he wondered what he could do. He didn’t have to worry about money. The house next door, he’d purchased it outright. He hadn’t used a mortgage in a long time.

  This was … why didn’t she come to him for help? He could have given her the money.

  Stepping out of the bedroom, he called his friend at the bank. The one whose name he saw on her list. There was something he could do, and he was going to make sure her mortgage was no longer an issue.

  In one swift transaction, he paid for her house. Now, she wouldn’t need to go hunting for another job. She would be free to be at his beck and call, whenever he wanted her.

  With that plan laid out, he didn’t overthink his reasoning for paying her mortgage. He went back to his girls and watched them in the pool.

  This with Ann wasn’t going to go anywhere. They were having a little bit of fun, that was all. It didn’t mean anything.

  She was just some fun to pass the time, and while ever he believed that, he was going to stick to it.

  Chapter Six

  “A hammer.”

  Ann pointed out the hammer.

  “A wrench.”

  She held it up.

  “Tape.”

  This had been her life for the past couple of hours. She wondered if Mr. Graves even realized they were going over the same old ground. He would ask, and she would point. They were going around in circles.

  “I think we’ve got it,” he said.

  “We do?”

  “Yes. You haven’t lost your temper, which is good. Some customers are so fucking annoying. They want the same thing, three times, then when you bring them to the register, they moan about why they’ve gotten three of the same thing. Undecided and rude is what it is,” Mr. Graves said. “You can start today. Put all of these back on the appropriate shelves.”

  She gathered up her little test subjects, finally feeling like luck was on her side. Something had to be.

  Going to bed each night with her finances mocking her was more than she could take.

  She couldn’t stand it, in all honesty. Living like this, day to day, scared of what other bad news could fall her, she didn’t know how much she was going to be able to take.

  One more day. It was what she kept telling herself. All she had to focus on was one more day. If she could get through it, then she would be fine. Each day would get better, easier.

  She had to believe it or hope to believe in something.

  With all the objects back in their places, she walked around the store, getting accustomed to it.

  Yes, she could do this.

  It was simple so long as she learned everything.

  Returning to the register, she found Mr. Graves waiting. He held an apron out to her, along with a name badge.

  “You’re going to need these. I don’t like my customers giving me descriptions of employees who have pissed them off.”

  “Oh, okay. I don’t intend to piss anyone off.”

  “Good, I’ll let you go if you do. I’ve got way too much going on to even think about dealing with trouble. I don’t like trouble. Way too much trouble in the world.”

  She watched as he left the register.

  Standing behind the counter, she took a deep breath. At lunchtime, she had an appointment with the bank. She was hoping to drop down her mortgage monthly payments and extend it out.

  This was the last thing she wanted to do but she didn’t have much choice. If she didn’t, she was going to fail to make payment. Starving herself wasn’t an option either.

  Customers came and went all morning, which surprised her. Most of them didn’t need any help with what they were looking for.

  Every now and then, Mr. Graves came out to check, complaining there were bugs in the air, or rats beneath them.

  The customers didn’t seem to mind and kept him in small talk. Sometimes, he even came out with a bat.

  Again, no fear was shown.

  At lunchtime, one of Mr. Graves’s sons came to tend the register while he went out to lunch, and she grabbed her bag, choosing the opportunity to get to her appointment at the bank. This one she had no choice to keep, even if Eli called her.

  This was all business and it had to come before pleasure.
r />   She only hoped the bank didn’t keep her waiting. The last thing she needed was for it to run on and risk losing her new job.

  When no one was looking, she took a bite of her sandwich she’d stowed away in her bag.

  “Miss Adams,” a man dressed in a very expensive suit said.

  “Hello.” She quickly swallowed her mouthful of sandwich, hurting her throat as she did so. Great, this was supposed to show her being responsible and he caught her eating in a no-eating zone.

  “I’m Roger David.” He held his hand out and she took it, shaking it. “Follow me.”

  He walked toward his office, closing the door behind him. “What can I help you with today?”

  Opening up her bag, she pulled out her paperwork. “I was hoping to have a reduction and an extension for my monthly mortgage.”

  He took the paperwork, typed on his computer, and chuckled. “I’m sorry, Miss Adams, but you no longer have a mortgage.”

  “What? No, that can’t be right. I have one. I know I’m supposed to pay. I don’t understand.”

  “Your mortgage was paid in full yesterday.”

  “That’s not possible,” she said.

  “It is.” He turned his computer around for her to see. “Look, paid in full.” He clicked on his mouse and she saw her mortgage was paid in full.

  “I didn’t do this. Can you tell me who did this?” she asked.

  Don’t panic.

  It’s fine.

  Everything will be fine.

  It’s just a tiny mistake. Nothing to worry about.

  “Eli Bruce.”

  “What?”

  “The payment was made by an Eli Bruce.”

  She sat back, unable to believe it. “You’re sure?”

  “I am very sure. You have no reason to worry about your mortgage. All details will be mailed to you. I’m sure they will be with you within the next seven to ten days.”

  She nodded and got to her feet. She shook his hand and walked back to the store, a little … shocked.

  This wasn’t what she wanted.

  Don’t be ungrateful.

  Was it ungrateful, though? She’d not asked for him to pay her mortgage. She could pay.

  Mr. Graves didn’t seem to notice any change within her when she returned. He was talking about his fries and the cheese he had over them. He believed there were bugs in the cheese.