The Bachelor's Stand-In Wife
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“One that grandmothers use.” Before she could say anything, he held up his hands. “Truce.”
“Why should I agree?”
“I was taking out my bad mood on you. I apologize.”
She eyed him for a few seconds, then shrugged. “Okay.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t do it again or I’ll fire you.” She grinned.
He gave her a slight salute and reached for her notes and preliminary drawing.
“Were you mad because David put me in charge or because I was critical of how the property looked?” she asked.
“Wow. You’re direct.”
“Saves time and energy.”
Hannah called Belle into the water. Her daughter’s laughter was contagious.
“Dixie—my girlfriend—walked out on me this morning.”
Valerie angled her head toward him. She wasn’t surprised he confided in her, as many people did. She didn’t know what it was about her, but even strangers, like this Joseph, poured out their hearts to her.
“Then two of my employees didn’t show up for work. Then David called and said I needed to fix the yard, and I should do whatever you said.”
Valerie chose the issue that probably bothered him the most. “I’m sorry about your girlfriend.”
“She’ll be back. It’s a pattern. Except she was a little more ticked off than usual this morning.”
She wanted to direct the conversation away from his problems. “As for doing whatever I say, that’s not true, Joseph. I have a vision, but I don’t even know if it’s doable. We need to work together.”
“I got it, okay? Teamwork.” Then he pulled a pencil from his back pocket and redesigned her entire plan.
David chose to drive the Falcon so he could feel the wind in his hair. He’d been shut in the office with Valerie too long for comfort.
She’d smelled good, but not flowery. Not like perfume, but soap. Fruity soap.
And woman.
He downshifted hard as he headed into a turn, an image of her burned into his memory. She’d worn a proper outfit of cotton slacks and a blouse, buttoned to the neck, her hair twisted into some kind of knot, a plastic clip holding it in place. Which left her neck exposed, long, slender, that fruity scent drifting… Peaches, maybe?
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