“I hate to see you so invested in a store that you don’t even own or co-own. You’re in a position of authority, but ultimately you answer to Mr. Woodworth, right? It’s because of him and his policies that you’re spread so thin, all of you that work there.”
“He wants to implement some of the strategies Leah has been suggesting. I told him we would give some of them a try. Things will get back to normal once she’s done with her experiments.”
“What if the bottom line shows improvements initially and he gives her leave to make other changes? What if the changes directly affect you?”
Juliana was becoming a little irked at Ash for pushing so hard at this sore subject. Part of her knew he pressed because he cared about her, but she was hoping for a change of topic. She didn’t want their evening together to end on a sour note.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, darlin’, have you thought that you may be training your replacement?”
Juliana sighed and sat back in her chair. He was too close for comfort now. “Could we talk about something else, please, Ash? Please? I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It is what it is, and I’m sorry if I seem so pig-headed about it.”
“I’m sorry. I got to thinking about it last night, and you must be going in way before the store opens and staying until after it’s closed, not occasionally but every day, including Sundays. How can you have a life if the store claims that many hours in a week?”
“It won’t always be that way, and those people are like my family. I don’t feel like my life is that hard.”
“What about relationships and the holidays and vacations? In a way, the store holds you hostage under the guise of responsibility. You should be allowed a life, time off with friends. Time for a relationship—”
“Ash.”
“With me, Juliana. Where would you fit in time for me?” he asked, leaning in so his question was asked as he stroked the top of her hand. He took her completely by surprise with his question, laying it on the line like that.
The events of the last few days had thrown her completely off-kilter, especially the last twenty-four hours. He pushed her buttons like crazy, he’d undressed her, seen her naked, washed her hair for her, and he still hadn’t really kissed her.
He was pushing her to examine her lifestyle because he wasn’t the type to sit on the backburner for long. With so many thoughts flitting through her mind, she wasn’t sure how to answer his question.
“I’m sorry, Juliana. I know I made you uncomfortable but I care about you.”
She smiled at him, hoping he would see that she wasn’t upset with him. “You made some valid points. I’ve developed this habit of spending all my time at the store, getting wrapped up in it until it’s become my life. If you were to become a prominent part of my life, I’d change things. I need to sit down with Leah and give her more responsibility. I wanted to go slow with her, you know?”
“Do you think you can succeed in doing that?” he asked, smiling but looking skeptical.
“Sure. I never intended to become a workaholic, but I guess I am. I’m good at what I do. When I’m given responsibility, I take it seriously, like anything I care about. Ash, I care about you,” she said, twining her fingers with his on the tabletop. “Do you think you could give me time? You know I can’t change the way things are overnight.”
“I’m hung up on the part about you caring about me, darlin’. I was afraid you were using the job as a shield so people couldn’t get too close.”
“No, I don’t think I do that. And yes, I am aware I may be training my replacement. Doug has been good to me over the years, and I’ve taken good care of his family’s store, so I don’t anticipate being fired or anything like that, but a change may come. I think it’s only natural for him to want to see his daughter running one of the family businesses. I hope it’s not until after she’s ready for the responsibility and I’ve secured another opportunity somewhere else.”
“It’s good to hear you talk like that. So you want to start dating?”
“Well, that would sort of be backing up, wouldn’t it? I mean you’ve already seen me naked. I think that train has left the station. But we have gotten off to an interesting start, haven’t we?” she asked with a chuckle, taking a sip of her iced tea. “To be honest, I’m not sure what our next move should be.”
“For right now, I want to see you feeling better and not looking so tired. It’s six-thirty right now. How would you like to go back to your house and watch a movie?”
“I could do that, but, Ash, I have to work tomorrow like normal.”
“I know, darlin’, me, too.”
“I’ll sit down with Leah, and we’ll make some changes in her duties and my work schedule. But it will be gradual. I hope you understand that. I can’t cut back to forty hours in one week, but I’ll start shaving off a few of my early morning hours this week.”
“That’s good. I’m proud of you.”
“Ash, I would—No matter what happens, I’d never want for you to feel like I was too busy for you.”
“I’d do the same for you, Juliana. I know how it can get. Sometimes my hours are long and unpredictable. I’m glad that you’re willing to carve out time for a life outside the store.”
Ash took her home and stayed to watch a movie, but he left after it was over and he’d tucked her into bed. She’d taken a shower, and he’d applied a fresh dressing so he knew she was well prepared for the morning. Juliana had assured him she would be fine and agreed readily when he offered to bring her lunch.
“Is there anything else you need before I go, darlin’?”
The small lamp by her bed provided the only light, and he waited as she looked at him from her pillows. Her eyes traced over his handsomely chiseled face and his firm jaw, covered by his sexy muttonchops sideburns and moustache. She nodded as she hooked a finger in the neck of his shirt and pulled him to her. When he realized what she wanted, his eyes crinkled at the corners, and he smiled as he lowered his full lips to hers.
He braced his weight on his arms so that he didn’t press her into the bed at all, and gave her a gentle but searing kiss that curled her toes. Juliana laid an arm over one of his shoulders to keep him close, and he deepened the kiss, skimming the recesses of her mouth and dueling unhurriedly with her tongue. He backed off to trace his lower lip across hers and tickled her with his moustache, making her shiver and giggle, then he plunged in for another intense kiss. They were both totally absorbed in the other and breathless when he finally sat up.
“Now why in the hell have I not done that sooner?” Ash muttered.
“Because I was too busy being a heinous bitch, remember? Damn, if I’d known you kissed like that, I would have been kissing you the moment I hung up the phone with Lawrence on Christmas night.”
“Why, thank you, darlin’. You’re sweet as honey yourself. I’d better go now so you can rest.”
No, stay and don’t let me rest.
* * * *
On the way home, Ash had a weird, unsettled feeling. He didn’t like leaving her to fend for herself. He felt a burden of guilt for the condition she was in because of his lack of forethought the day before. She needed to get her rest, and he needed to be at the ranch for work early the next morning. Leaving her warm in her bed and going home alone to his empty, cold bed was depressing.
He should feel happy that she wanted to spend time with him and give the attraction between the two of them a chance to grow. Even walking into the house the ranch hands shared didn’t cheer him all that much when they all greeted him from the kitchen or living room where they were watching ESPN. After making small talk and answering their inquiries about Juliana, he went on to his bedroom, showered, and went to bed. As he stripped off his robe and settled naked under his sheet and blankets, he wondered if she was already asleep and hoped she was comfortable.
He lay there with the light from the moon shining on his bedroom window and remembered his encounter with the fair qu
een contestants earlier that afternoon. They’d flirted with him harmlessly, and one of them had asked him if he was married. Right about the time the young woman asked, he’d spied Juliana. He’d pointed her out to the girls and said, “You see that redheaded beauty over there? She’s my wife. She just doesn’t know it yet.” They’d all giggled and sighed telling him how romantic they thought he was. He’d meant every word of it.
Chapter Seven
Early Friday evening, Juliana took out her cell phone and dialed Ash’s number. Her stress level was going straight through the roof. “Ash?”
“Hey, darlin’, what’s up?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to work late tonight if I want to be off for Teresa’s wedding tomorrow. More freight came in, and they aren’t done rotating the Valentine’s Day stock out onto the sales floor. Two of my stockroom employees are down with the flu.”
“I’ve got two down with it here, too. Makes for a long day when that happens. I’m done for the day. Would you like me to come and help you?”
“It’s thoughtful of you, but if you came to help me, I’m not sure how much actual work I’d get done,” she replied with a chuckle.
“But I get brownie points for being willing?”
She smiled at the relaxed good humor in his sexy voice. “Big-time brownie points. Thank you for understanding.”
“I do. You’ve got a store to run. Will there be people there to help you? What about Leah?”
“Yes, I’ll have help. I’ve called in two other workers to come in, so I won’t be here alone. I didn’t ask Leah because she’s covering for me tomorrow evening so I can be there for the wedding.”
“She okay about the change in her duties?”
“She does seem a little disgruntled, and I think you may have been right in your assumption the other night, but I can’t talk about that right now.”
“I understand, darlin’. I hope you don’t have to work too late. Have you eaten supper?”
She wanted to kiss him for not lecturing her at the moment. “Yes. I was afraid you’d be upset. Thanks for understanding.”
“How are you feeling? Is your back still bothering you?”
“Yes, it’s twinging painfully. I think a nerve must have gotten damaged, but it’s okay otherwise. My wrist feels fine, awkward but fine. I’m sorry I won’t get to see you.”
“Me, too. Darlin’, I’m not your boss, but please don’t push yourself too hard.”
“I won’t overdo it. They just need someone to direct them and help out. If we can get it all off the five-highs and onto the sales floor, then they can stock it in the morning, but I’m looking at a mountain of boxes. That’s the part that has me worried because I know there’s Valentine’s Day merchandise in those boxes. It can’t stay back here.”
“Cupid waits for no man. Don’t work too hard.”
“Thank you. I’ll be careful. Bye.”
Juliana sighed in relief. The worst part about all this was telling Ash she wouldn’t see him that night. She’d been worried he’d accuse of her of not being able to give up her workaholic lifestyle. She’d sat down with Leah and Evelyn earlier and talked with them, detailing a few changes she was making in operations. Juliana had Evelyn’s full backing in the changes, which shaved a full seven hours off of her work week. Leah was happy with the current status quo because it left her a lot of time to enact some of her changes, which still weren’t bearing fruit. That newsletter had to go. Leah hadn’t been recalcitrant about the changes so much as trying to figure out how she would accomplish it all.
Welcome to my world.
Being given more responsibility had helped Leah’s outlook some. Juliana had already called Doug to let him know. He didn’t keep up with her hours and had no idea that it’d gotten that bad, but he was still pushing for Juliana to let Leah make her changes while supporting Juliana as she turned over more responsibility to his daughter. She should have felt relieved, but there was a small part of her that wondered if maybe Doug hadn’t been hoping to see that happen anyway. He’d hinted that he had some changes in the works for the store, though gave her no details. Doug was always one to hold his cards close, not letting others know what he was up to until the last minute.
It was a long evening for her, and by the time she fell into bed at eleven thirty, she was beyond exhausted, and her body simply ached. If Ash could see her now, he would fuss, and she’d have nobody but herself to blame. Using her arms and shoulders too much throughout the evening had made the pain in her back almost unbearable. During the evening, she’d hadn’t taken the pain reliever because it upset her stomach but took one right before she climbed into bed so that she’d be able to sleep.
After waking up early, Juliana had struggled through getting herself ready for work then stopped to pick up breakfast tacos for all the morning crew that had agreed to come in and help put the stock away. She took another pain reliever while she ate because she had a feeling she was going to need it.
* * * *
Ash found her in the stockroom, on the top step of a tall rolling stepladder. Her smile faded when she saw his face. She lowered the plastic-wrapped dresses on the extension pole to the employee waiting below then slowly descended down the steps. Ash held his peace while she gave directions to the employee about what else needed to be gotten down, and then she beckoned him to come with her through the stockroom to her office.
“I brought some lunch for you.”
“Thank you,” she murmured as she opened her office door. The succulent smell of cheese enchiladas from Rudy’s filled the room. “Oh, that is heavenly. Okay, you can fuss at me now,” she said as she closed her door behind him.
“I’m not going to fuss at you, darlin’, though I do question whether or not you are living within your limitations right now.”
“I’m used to doing that job. It’s easier for me to get up there and hand down what they need. Otherwise, they’d bring it all down at one time. I spent some time with Leah up there this morning, discussing the importance of separating the boxes by seasonal code before letting them stock the upper racks.”
“With both your hands being injured, it scared me to see you up there so high. What if you’d slipped coming down?”
“You saw how careful I was coming down. I take my time, and I’m careful while I’m up there. But I won’t be climbing anymore today. That was the last of it, which is a good thing because my shoulder is killing me.”
“Is Leah still put out about the changes you’re trying to make?”
“Oh, no. She came in this morning ready to learn. I think she talked to her dad. Leah’s teachable, and I like that about her. She doesn’t just want it done her way because it’s her Daddy’s store. She’s disappointed that she won’t have time for some of her projects, but I think she’s okay with the increase in responsibility. You’ll be happy to know I’ve scheduled myself for seven fewer hours next week, one per day.”
“Wow, what’s got into you, girl?” Ash teased, settling in the chair in front of her desk.
Juliana shrugged and grinned at him as she peeked in the Styrofoam box and rolled her eyes at the heavenly aroma. “Oh, there’s this guy…”
“Bet he’ll be relieved to see you not working so hard, taking time for yourself.”
“It’s not easy for me to release control like that when I’m so used to doing things a certain way. There’s more room for error.”
“But that’s how she’ll learn. They all will. You’re real big on taking responsibility, but they have to be responsible, too. Otherwise, it’s all on you. I’d like to see some of that burden come off of those pretty shoulders.”
“Sweet talker. Now if I could just get Doug to back off from making the big change Leah’s proposing. I don’t want to think about the fallout from all that.”
“All what?”
“She wants to eliminate commission sales and have everyone go to straight hourly status, or regular salaries like I am.”
“Shoot. Eve
n I know that’s not going to be a popular change around here. Commissions are what motivates a lot of your workers.”
“Exactly. But sometimes experience is the best teacher, and I’d rather do this with her during these months than during the Christmas holidays, you know? But things may get worse with my hours before it gets better.”
“Stick to your convictions, darlin’.” She was still overworking herself, but Ash admired the fact that her foremost concern was for her employees.
“I will, but, Ash, if it gets nuts for a while, please don’t think it’s because I don’t want it to get better. I worked myself into this mess, and I’ll need time to get through it.”
“I know it. Well, I’m going to get out of your hair now. Everybody’s out at the ranch playing worker bee for Grace, getting the food done and the decorations for the wedding put up. I’m going to help out with directing traffic and parking. What time are you taking off?”
“Three. I have an appointment to get my nails and hair done, so I won’t have to fiddle with it with my bum hands. My hair stylist is a good friend, and she’s going to help me get dressed at the salon.”
“I’m available to come and help if you need me,” he said, sitting on the edge of her desk.
She smiled up at him and said, “I know you are, cowboy, but I want to get back some of the mystery. You seeing me naked before the wedding is kind of anticlimactic. I’d rather show up looking pretty and put together, and my friend doesn’t mind.”
“On the contrary, darlin’, seeing you naked would be very ‘climactic.’”
“Har-har. Nope, you’ll get to see me all dolled up, without also knowing how much effort it took to get me that way. I want to surprise you.”
“Seeing you naked would be a great surprise.”
“Yeah, with my big, clunky cast and stitches all over my back, very sexy.”
“You’re beautiful no matter what, darlin’. You won’t go for it, so I’ll leave you to finish your lunch.”
Box Set: The Divine Creek Ranch Collection, Volume 2 [Book 4 - Rosemary's Double Delight (MFM), Book 5 - Spurs and Heels (MF)] (Siren Publishing Romance Collection) Page 25