“I want to fire her and hire you.”
“You what?” Claire turned toward him in her seat. “You want me to give up my job for six weeks of full-time cooking? Because I sure can’t do both.”
Noel tried to plead with his eyes. “You once wanted to. I hoped you still did.”
“That was for three months of work. We’re down to like half that. When do you need somebody by?”
He hesitated. “Monday morning for breakfast?”
She slammed her hand against the wheel. “You’re kidding me, right? I have to give two weeks notice or be black balled in this town. There’s no way on God’s green Earth I can do both jobs. You’re too late, Noel.”
He’d messed up. “But —”
“Look, I need to go home and get some sleep. Would you mind getting out of my car?”
She couldn’t make him. But what good would it do to antagonize her further? Nothing.
Noel pulled on the door handle, and cool air swirled into the car. “Claire, please. Please tell me you’ll think about it.” A stroke of genius shot through his brain. “You need to pray about it, right? You can’t just go making a snap decision without consulting God.”
She sat there for a second, her brown eyes boring into his. “I pray about everything.”
“See? Give it until tomorrow. No need to make a final decision tonight.”
“Do you?”
Noel stared back. “Do I what?”
“Pray about things. Amber told me you were raised in a Christian home, so I know you understand the concept.”
Ouch. “Sometimes. Okay, not as much as I should.”
“If you feel you ‘should’ pray, it’s not the right attitude.”
“Pardon me?”
“A relationship with God isn’t based on what we should do. It’s based on want to. It’s based on Him loving us and us loving Him, and both of us wanting to do things for each other. I want to follow God’s will, not because I should, but because He’s been so awesome to me and made me happier than I’d ever dreamt.” Claire’s back straightened. “He has. So when I pray, it’s because I really care about His answer and want to follow His leading.”
“But that’s . . .”
“That’s what, Noel? Crazy talk? It’s the way I live my life.”
And all this while he’d been shoving God off into a corner. “You honestly think God has made you happier?”
“I know it.”
“But how? How can you know that? You might’ve been happier . . .” He waved a hand around. “I don’t know, snorkeling in Australia, or being a pharmaceutical rep in Missoula.”
She grinned, but the tired lines stayed on her face. “I’ll leave that one for Shawn. Trust me, I know the peace I have when I’m in God’s will. It’s worth everything to me.”
There wasn’t much he could say to that. He climbed out of the car, walked around it, and leaned back in the driver’s side window. “How do you know it isn’t God’s will for you to work for Enterprising Reforestation if you don’t ask Him?”
She opened her mouth and closed it again, those brown eyes catching the light from a nearby streetlamp.
“Claire? You’re —” No, he shouldn’t go there.
Her eyebrows went up.
He reached out and slid his fingertips down her cheek, just once. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Okay?”
Claire bit her lip, her eyes fixed on his. “Okay.”
**
She tossed and turned most of the night. After that horrid confrontation with Nevin, had Noel’s offer been some kind of a sign? But she’d been braver a few months ago. She hadn’t known his company from Adam then. Didn’t know Noel Kenzie was a crazy attractive man with the potential to make her heart go wonky.
She couldn’t make enough money in six weeks to be worth dropping The Sizzling Skillet. She’d also need an assistant. Back then she’d have had time to find someone.
But there was Tony. The boy wanted to learn how to cook, but he was still in school for a couple of more weeks. Could she manage breakfasts on her own if Tony worked for her after class every day? He could pack lunches and help with supper prep and clean up. It might be enough.
The moon peered in Claire’s window. This was crazy. She shouldn’t even be considering it. She’d told Noel “should” had no part in her life. Was it better to say she was dumb to think about it?
He’d challenged her to pray . . . and then said he didn’t pray himself.
She couldn’t marry a guy like that.
He hadn’t asked her. He’d asked her to cook for six weeks. No one had said a thing about lifetime commitment.
It had been in his eyes, though. And he’d bitten off more than one sentence without speaking them. And his touch . . .
A tremor ran through Claire’s body even now, remembering. She longed for more from him, more than the times he’d touched her cheek so gently. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, to run her hand over his perpetually unshaven cheeks and chin. She wanted to feel his arms around her, tightening, pulling her close. She wanted to do the same to him. And more.
Claire flung the blanket off, stuffed her feet into slippers, and padded down the hallway to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and stared at herself in the dim glow of the nightlight.
The real question was, could she work for Noel and not dissolve at the sight of him every time he came near? Could she keep her work and her . . . love life . . . apart?
But it wasn’t a love life. Her list was much shorter than Amber’s, but the very top item was the same. He must love God with all his heart.
Noel didn’t. So he wasn’t marriage potential.
Period.
But did she? She talked a good spiel about following God. What if it had been God’s will for her to marry Graham and travel the world with him, helping people in need? What if she only followed when she liked where God led?
Her mind slid to the second item. Being devoted to life here on the farm. Noel talked about snorkeling in Australia. He’d mentioned other places as though he traveled frequently.
She wasn’t into that.
Period.
What if those things changed?
Claire turned from the bathroom mirror. There was no reason to expect they would. She couldn’t bank on it.
She should pray God would change Noel. Maybe God wanted to use her to do that. Maybe she should accept the position.
Maybe she should stop using the word should.
Chapter 15
Someone had flipped the coffee pot on before Claire made her way into the kitchen on Saturday morning, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.
“Hey, Claire!” Amber sounded way too perky for so early in the morning.
Claire squinted at the clock. Scratch that. Ten. She’d slept in after a miserable night.
Amber jumped up from the table where she’d been seated around the corner from Sierra. “Come sit down. Let me get you breakfast.”
Claire shook her head. “I just want a piece of toast is all. I’ll get it, but thanks.”
“If you’re sure . . .”
“Yeah, I’m good.” She focused on the girls at the table as she pushed the toaster button. “What’s up?” She hated working afternoon shift and rarely connecting with the others all weekend long.
“Shawn went to see the log cabin with Zach.”
Claire poured a coffee and inhaled the deep aroma. She needed this in the worst way. Jo had gone off coffee, cold turkey, choosing locally grown herbal teas rather than supporting distant businesses and freight lines. Claire understood the sentiment, but wasn’t ready to make the choice. Simply choosing fair-trade organic would have to do for now. At least in the mornings. Mint tea worked fine the rest of the day.
“Anyone check email lately?”
Sierra shook her head. “Just my own.”
Claire took the mug over to the computer desk and logged onto the Green Acres email. Her eyes bugged out. Three more inquiries? One wedd
ing, a family reunion, and a retreat group?
This couldn’t be right. Surely she was only seeing what she wanted to see. “Sierra, come here. Please.”
Both girls came to look over her shoulder. She should mind about Amber, who was only a client after all. But more. As their first—and as Noel’s sister—she’d become a friend. That relationship had crept up on Claire, but it couldn’t be denied.
Sierra let out a low whistle. “Things are taking off. So cool.”
Claire opened the calendar and transferred the three new dates into it. In pencil, as they weren’t confirmed. Every event requested a weekend. Nevin would never allow her to stay at The Sizzling Skillet if she asked for this much time off.
Maybe she should say yes to Noel.
“Your toast popped,” said Amber. “What do you want on it? I’ll get it.”
Claire blinked. “Butter and some of that organic cheese, thin sliced. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Obviously Amber felt like one of the family. She’d been here enough weekends lately, and though Green Acres charged her room and board for her stays, they weren’t getting rich on her by any means.
One of the family. Claire’s gaze followed Amber to the kitchen. What would it be like to have Amber for a little sister all the time? Claire gave herself a mental shake. She knew better than to go there.
“We’ve got Amber’s wedding roundtable right after lunch. You good with that?”
Sierra’s voice pulled Claire back to the sun-streaked great room. “Right. That sounds fine.” What was she supposed to have done by this meeting? Menu choices? She’d made some notes the other day. “Did we ever hear back from Isobel and Greg?”
Sierra nodded. “They’re on for the second weekend in September, but we won’t start working intensively with them for another month or so.”
Claire looked the calendar over. By then she’d be nearly done working for Noel, if she took the job. They’d be heavy into planning these upcoming events. New possibilities landed in the inbox several times a week. Of course, some of them — possibly many — wouldn’t come to fruition, but lots would.
She took a deep breath. “I’m quitting at The Sizzling Skillet.”
“You’re what?” Sierra grabbed Claire by the shoulders and twisted her in the revolving chair. “Seriously?”
Claire pointed at the calendar. “Every event is on a weekend. Nearly every planning meeting is on a weekend. The restaurant isn’t a job that’s compatible with what we’re trying to do here, unless Nevin puts me on weekday shifts. He’d never do that. Beatrice has worked those forever.”
“But —”
“I know what you’re going to say. I’ve been worried about money.” She glanced at the kitchen, where Amber hummed to herself as she prepped Claire’s toast. Claire lowered her voice. “I still am. But Noel asked me last night to finish the season with the planting crew, and I’m going to take him up on it. It’ll be crazy nuts for six weeks, but it will match many months’ worth of shifts at The Skillet, dollar wise. Then I can focus on the farm.”
“But what if . . . what if it doesn’t take off?”
Claire shook her head. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it and pray I don’t need to.”
“But you can’t do all that by yourself. You said you’d need a helper, and I’ve got office hours now.”
“I’m pretty sure I can find someone.”
“Like who? Maybe Jo part time, but she can’t do every day.”
Jo. Bingo. She’d probably be able to fill in around Tony. “I need to call Tony and offer him a job.”
“Who’s he?”
“Kid Nevin fired last night. Been washing dishes at The Skillet for a month or so.”
“Seriously, don’t you need someone with more experience? Someone who hasn’t been fired? And besides, a kid? Doesn’t he need to be in school?”
Amber set the plate beside Claire’s elbow. “What’s up? What kid?”
“Tony. He’s keen on learning to cook, and always a good help when I needed him for a few minutes between dishwasher loads.”
Amber frowned and took a seat nearby. “I don’t get it.”
Claire took a deep breath. “I’m going to work for your brother.”
**
Noel pulled into the Green Acres driveway. This was getting crazy. Every time his sister beckoned, he was supposed to run to her rescue? If he didn’t want to see Claire so badly, he’d have told Amber he was too busy to come this morning. And if Claire turned him down — and she almost certainly would — he really would be too busy. He couldn’t handle the job himself, though. He was a decent cook for an occasional small party, but he knew his limits.
This better not be more wedding stuff. It was bad enough when a few of his friends had gotten hitched. They’d ditched the easy lifestyle in the blink of an eye and claimed to love every minute of it. Bewitched by some girl.
Maybe if it were Claire it would be worth it.
Almost, but not quite.
Claire sat on the deck swing alone. No Amber in sight.
Noel frowned even while his heart sped up. Was this some kind of set up? Was Amber capable of noticing someone else’s attractions when she was so deep in with Shawn? He swung out of the truck and approached the deck. “Good morning, Claire.”
She got to her feet and leaned on the railing, clad in blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. “Hey there.”
“Where’s Amber? She asked me to come over.”
“Yeah. She did that for me.”
Erratic heartbeats were supposed to be a negative thing, something people went to the doctor for. Noel kind of liked the feeling in his heart. He stopped right below Claire and looked up at her. The deck sat only a couple of steps up from ground level, so he didn’t have to tilt his head far. “Oh?” He parked one hand on either side of her on the railing.
Those brown eyes. They got to him every time. Her jaw worked for a few seconds. “I’ve decided . . . yes. If you still want me, I’ll work for you.”
“Really?” He couldn’t help the wide grin that crossed his face. “Really?” He bounded up the steps and grabbed Claire, whirling her around. “Oh, man, you’re saving my bacon.”
She put her hands on his arms, steadying herself as he let her feet hit the planks again. “Not sure how I’ll come up with groceries for the first few days. All the careful plans I showed you banked on having time to get suppliers in place.”
“I’ll help you. We can go grocery shopping together at Super One, and I’ll show you what Polly is leaving behind, plus the orders she’s already placed with the restaurant supply company. I can make the switch work.” He’d actually volunteered to go shopping? That was a first. Normally he avoided it like a rabid bear.
Claire let out a long shuddering breath but didn’t pull out of his hold. “I just don’t know when. We’re supposed to meet for Amber and Shawn’s wedding right after lunch, and I have to go to work at four.”
Noel’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re keeping your job? How will you manage?” She couldn’t. What did she have up her sleeve?
“I can’t quit with five hours notice, Noel. I have to work tonight and tomorrow. Even then I’m giving Nevin less than a week to replace me.”
And she looked exhausted already. “You’re going to be able to serve breakfast at four thirty in the morning after working until midnight?” Noel’s hands slid around her and pulled her closer. “It’s going to be ugly,” he murmured against her hair. “I’ll help you make the transition any way I can.”
She pushed back a bit at that, but not enough he needed to release her. “Did you say that to Polly, too?”
Noel chuckled. “Not hardly. You going to have help in the kitchen?”
“I need to call Tony. The kid who came out the door with me last night.” She sighed. “Nevin fired him.”
And that was a recommendation? “Rough evening?”
“You could say so.” She gently disengaged from his arm
s.
He felt chilled without her tucked up against him. “Is that what led to this yes?”
She rubbed her hands along her arms. “Partly. And also this morning we got a few more enquiries about doing events here at the farm. They’re all on weekends, and I can’t do weekends if I’m working at The Skillet.”
“If you’re honestly going to work your next two shifts, when will you prep for Monday? Need to hold off coming until Tuesday?”
“You give your crew Sundays off, right? And they don’t get meals that day, either?”
He nodded. “They cook for themselves or eat in town. Which is why this is a good time for me to switch, but I can see it isn’t for you.”
“I’ll have to do more with Amber via email and skip today’s meeting to get groceries before work. And get in touch with Tony so we can do as much prepping as needed tomorrow afternoon. If he’ll come. I better call him.” She dug into her hip pocket for her cell phone and turned away.
Noel wouldn’t spring the news on Polly until cleanup later tonight. He didn’t want to take the chance she’d quit before the evening meal. He’d even avoided Jess earlier this morning, not wanting to face her bombardment of questions, comments, suggestions, and complaints. Jess. One issue that’d come up with Amber and Claire yesterday. Why didn’t anyone believe they were only close friends?
**
Claire tapped the button to hang up from her call with Tony, and turned slowly around to face Noel. He leaned his elbows back against the railing when she approached. The smile in his eyes reached his mouth. “All okay?”
She forced herself to focus on his eyes, not his lips. This would be a challenging six weeks. “Yes, Tony’s willing and his mom says it’s okay. It’s a good thing the school year is nearly over. He’ll come over right after church tomorrow and we’ll pack all of Monday’s lunches and do the breakfast prep. I think we can do it in three hours before I have to go to work.”
And if she didn’t need any sleep Sunday night, because she wasn’t likely to get more than four hours in bed, tops.
A Farm Fresh Romance Series 1-3 (A Farm Fresh Romance Box Set) Page 38