The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two)

by Longley, Barbara

  “Do what?”

  “The commander stare.” Ryan lifted an eyebrow. “Are you telling me you didn’t know Ted has a thing for your sister?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Well, he does, and it chafes his chaps that she and I have been spending time together after she turned him down.”

  “I see. Ryan—”

  “Let’s get to work, Boss.” He headed toward the elevator, eager to end the conversation before Noah started in on him about why he shouldn’t be spending time with his sister. “The morning is wasting away.”

  Noah grunted again, but at least he let the subject drop.

  The minute the door of the lift opened, Ryan’s gaze went straight for Paige, and his feet followed. “You OK, darlin’?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” She kept her attention on her laptop.

  “I think your idea about building the retail venue is exactly right.”

  She straightened and turned to him. “Of course it’s exactly right, but Ted brought up a good point. It would take manpower Langford & Lovejoy doesn’t have.”

  “What if you stayed?” He kept his voice low. “I’m sure Noah and Ted would hire you in a tail wag.”

  She snorted a laugh. “In a tail wag?”

  He nodded. At least she hadn’t said absolutely not, and he wasn’t going to give her the opportunity. He’d planted the idea, and unless he’d completely misread how excited she’d gotten when she’d shared her ideas, the notion would germinate. “Thanks, by the way.”

  “You’re welcome.” Confusion clouded her features. “What are you thanking me for?”

  “For having my back in that meeting upstairs.”

  Shy, sweet Paige made an appearance, and a small smile lit her face. Ryan’s breath hitched in his throat.

  “You’re welcome. Maybe someday you can return the favor.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Paige couldn’t believe it was Wednesday already. Two more days until her rodeo date with Ryan. Four days until she headed back to Pennsylvania and the hard reality of her situation. She had to talk to Ted and Noah about the glassblower before she left. If they didn’t go for the idea of carrying some of his pieces, she needed to call the artist and relay the message before he showed up with his portfolio.

  Glancing around the workspace, she soaked up the sight of the three men working in harmony. Ted was applying another coat of acrylic to a changing table. Noah was at the jigsaw, and Ryan worked on the sign that would soon be hanging above their storefront. The place hummed with productivity. She loved being in the midst of the men while they worked with their hands, loved the down-to-basics craftsmanship of their enterprise.

  Her eyes settled on Ryan. He must’ve felt it, because he lifted his head and winked at her. She couldn’t suppress the answering smile that broke free. “Hey, I got confirmation from the Evansville magazines. Your ad will be in the September issue of both.”

  “Great.” Ted nodded.

  She slid off her stool and walked closer. “I know you don’t want to expand your retail venue, but I talked with a glassblower at the fair in New Harmony. Would you be interested in looking at his portfolio?” She shrugged. “I got excited about his stuff and kind of suggested it’d be a nice addition to your storefront.” All three men stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Heat rose to her cheeks. “I know. I overstepped.”

  “It’s all right. We’ll take a look.” Ted turned back to his task. “We don’t get a lot of traffic here, though.”

  “You might get more once the ads come out. I put a few lines in about the discount on samples.”

  Noah peered at her through his safety goggles. “If it’s a steady enough increase, we’ll think about hiring a clerk part-time.”

  Her heart turned over. Someone else would take over her…No, not mine. She had a goal. Of course, it would help if she’d heard from at least one of the places she’d applied to for a job. Paige shook it off. It hadn’t even been two weeks yet, and the application deadlines hadn’t closed. “Sounds good. I’ll call that glassblower and set up an appointment.”

  By the time she completed her call and came back downstairs, it was quitting time. The three men began their closing routine, turning off the equipment, sweeping the floor, and putting tools and materials away. Paige shut down the computers, grabbed the dirty coffee mugs from around the room, and headed for the sink to wash them. She’d only been here for a little over a week, but they’d already established a seamless routine, as if they’d worked together for years. She’d miss the relaxed atmosphere once she returned to the corporate world, with all the office politics and one-upmanship. Filling the little tub with warm water and dish soap, she wondered where she’d end up.

  “Hey,” Ted spoke up behind her. “Do you have any plans tonight?”

  “Ted, we discussed this.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I don’t want to date you.”

  “I know.” One side of his mouth turned up. “Does that mean we can’t be friends? It’s ladies’ night at the Hoosier Bar and Grill. I thought we could go have a few beers and a burger.”

  “Definitely, we can be friends, but—”

  “You about ready to go, darlin’?” Ryan came around the corner, and even though he spoke to her, his expression and posture held a challenge turned toward Ted.

  Ted stomped off without a word. Paige shook her head and sighed. She rinsed the last mug and put it in the rack to dry. “You two didn’t work things out upstairs?”

  “Sure we did. Everything is copacetic between us.”

  “Sure it is.” She grabbed a paper towel and dried her hands. “What was that all about, then?”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about. Noah and I are ready to go, and you rode in with us.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and aimed her toward the back door. “That’s all there is to it.”

  “Ryan—”

  “Come on, darlin’. There’s a frozen pizza with my name on it waiting in my freezer. I’m hungry.” He squeezed her shoulders. “And I’m willing to share. I have cable. We can watch a movie while we eat.”

  “Gee. Frozen pizza. Who could resist such a gourmet treat?”

  “I know, huh? I’ll even dress it up a bit.” Ryan steered her toward her purse and jacket, picked them up, and thrust them into her hands. “I think I might even have a few cans of generic cola in the fridge.”

  “Whoa. Generic cola. You really know how to impress a girl.” She couldn’t help laughing.

  “Don’t forget the grocery-store-brand chocolate chip cookies.”

  “No!” Paige placed a hand over her heart. “Cookies too?”

  Ryan ushered her outside and turned to lock the doors. “That’s right. You in?”

  “Gosh. I think I’ll wait to see what Ceejay has to offer first,” she teased. “If it’s leftovers at the Langfords’, I’m in for dressed-up frozen pizza.”

  “Fickle—that’s what you are, darlin’. I can’t believe you’d throw me over for a home-cooked meal.” He opened Noah’s truck door with a crestfallen expression.

  “I like this side of you.” Paige patted his cheek before climbing into the backseat.

  Ryan settled into the front. “Noah, do you know what your wife has planned for dinner tonight?”

  “Why? Are you angling for an invite?” Noah started the truck down the alley.

  “Naw. Idle curiosity, is all.” He winked at her over his shoulder.

  “I have no idea. Ceejay doesn’t consult me about the menu.”

  Ryan twisted around to look at her. “Is that a gamble you’re willing to take?”

  “I’ll let you know.” She relaxed and peered out the window at the passing scenery for the rest of their short trip home. Her mind went back to L&L. At some point, they’d have to hire more help. Maybe she could do some consulting with whoever took over the marketing end of their growing business.

  In no time at all, Noah turned into the gravel driveway and bou
nced along the ruts to the house. Paige noticed an unfamiliar car parked next to Ceejay’s minivan. It had a rental car sticker on the back bumper. She turned to the veranda.

  “Oh, crap.” Her stomach dropped, and her heart seized. Her father sat at the table with Toby on his knee. Ceejay and Lucinda took up another two chairs. “Did you call him, Noah?”

  “No.” He parked and sent her a sideways glance. “I told you to let him know where you are, though. Did you?”

  “I figured I’d be home by Sunday. There was no need.”

  Ryan opened his door, climbed out, and held the seat forward so she could scramble out. Her mouth had gone completely dry, and she couldn’t draw enough breath.

  “Do you want me to stick around?” Ryan whispered close to her ear.

  “No. It’s fine.” She tried for a confident smile, certain it was more akin to a grimace. “He is my dad.”

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “All right. You know where I’ll be if you need me.”

  “Thanks.” Paige wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and walked with Noah to the porch. Her dad stood up and handed Toby to Ceejay. He moved to stand by the railing.

  “Hey, Dad.” Noah preceded her up the steps. “What brings you to Perfect?”

  Her father stuck his hands deep into his pockets and widened his stance. “Allie has been worried sick. Your sister hung up on her a few days ago, hasn’t returned any of her calls, and gave us no idea where she might be.”

  “So you came here?” Paige managed to stammer out. Somehow, she got her shaky legs moving up the veranda steps.

  “No. First I went to Ramsey & Weil.” He scowled at her. “I thought I’d surprise you for lunch and see how you’re doing.”

  “Oh.” Paige tried to swallow, but her throat wouldn’t work.

  “Oh is right.” He jangled the contents of his pocket. “Imagine my surprise when I found out you no longer work there.”

  Noah took a seat, and Ceejay herded the children inside. Damn. Why hadn’t she asked Ryan to stay? She fought the urge to follow Ceejay and the kids. “I—”

  “Next, I called Bob Meyer. I thought maybe he might shed some light on why you’re no longer at Ramsey & Weil.”

  “You know Bob Meyer?” she squeaked.

  “Of course I do. It’s my business to know everyone involved with construction throughout the tristate area.” His frown deepened. “How do you think you got the Meyer account to begin with? Bob did me a favor.”

  “You’re the reason I got that account?” The world spun, and dots danced in front of her eyes. She reached out for the railing. “I thought…” What could she say? How stupid could she be? She’d believed she’d earned the account on her own, or that it’d had everything to do with her background. Anthony’s betrayal came back to her in a rush, making her skin crawl. Had he known her father was the reason she’d landed the Meyer account? He probably believed he should’ve had it. How he must have resented her.

  I didn’t deserve the account or the office with the window. Damn.

  “Meyer says you let him down. What happened, Paige? I put my reputation on the line to give you that opportunity.”

  “Dad,” Noah interrupted. “You’re—”

  “It’s all right, Noah.” Her hands fisted at her sides, and all her distress morphed into anger. Her own father had proved once again he had no confidence in her by arranging her life before she’d even begun to live it. “I got fired, OK? I screwed up my first real job and proved you right. Are you happy now?”

  “Happy?” He grunted. “Why would you think this makes me happy? What are you talking about?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Tears clouded her vision. “I’m unemployed, but I have several applications in, and—”

  “Come home, Paige.” Her father jangled the keys in his pocket. “I’ll let you work at Langford Plumbing Supplies.”

  All the air left her lungs in a rush. “You’ll…You’ll let me work for you?” Hurt and mortification burned through her. “Wow, Dad. As wonderful as that offer sounds, I think I’ll pass.” Lifting her chin, Paige walked past Noah and her father into the house and continued straight through to the back patio doors and out again.

  Wanting to lick her wounds in private, she made a beeline for the river. She ducked under the hanging branches of the old weeping willow and sank down to the cool, soft ground. Hugging her knees to her chest, she leaned against the trunk just in time for the first sob to break free. Damn. Damn. Damn.

  Now, more than ever, she needed to prove to her family that she could succeed on her own. She didn’t need her dad to throw her crumbs. Tomorrow she’d get back to the job search with a vengeance. Maybe she could find another plumbing supplier willing to hire her. Wouldn’t that be sweet? She’d gladly work for her family’s competition.

  There is no revenge sweeter than success.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  RYAN EMERGED FROM AROUND THE corner of the Langfords’ porch. He should have felt bad about eavesdropping on Paige’s confrontation with her dad. But he didn’t. Where Paige was concerned, his protective instincts came out full force. Right now, the urge to go after her tore at him. First, he had a few things to say to Mr. Langford. He strolled around to the stairs, shoved his hands into his front pockets, and stared up at the tough SOB who’d just made his daughter cry. “You set her up with the Meyer account?”

  “Who the hell are you?”

  “This is Ryan Malloy.” Noah nodded toward him. “Ryan, this is my dad, Ed Langford.”

  “I’m a friend of your daughter’s.” Ryan walked up the steps and took a seat. “Does the name Anthony Rutger mean anything to you?”

  “I’ve never heard of him.” Mr. Langford frowned. “Why do you ask?”

  “He’s the reason Paige got fired.” Relief coursed through Ryan. For a second, he’d wondered if Paige’s father had also set her up with the snake who’d caused her downfall. “I can fill you in on what happened at Ramsey & Weil.”

  “Paige told you, and she didn’t tell me?” Noah’s eyes widened. “I’m her big brother.”

  “And she needs you right now.” Ryan shot him a pointed look. “Sometimes it’s easier to share things with a stranger. Things you can’t bring yourself to tell family.”

  Mr. Langford jangled the contents of his pockets and leaned against the porch railing. “What do you know about this?”

  “Paige started dating this Rutger fellow shortly after she started working for Ramsey & Weil. Once he gained her trust, he started sabotaging her.”

  “How?” Noah’s brow lowered.

  “He’d offer to drop her stuff off at the mailbox, and instead, he’d hold on to it until he knew it would be late. Things like that. She was on the phone when the same-day courier showed up for the Meyer contract. Rutger offered to take it down to the lobby for her. She trusted him and handed it right over.” Ryan looked at Mr. Langford. “He never gave the courier the envelope. Meyer never got the contract. Paige lost the account for Ramsey & Weil and got fired.”

  “She should’ve known better,” Mr. Langford muttered.

  “How? How would she have known not to trust the guy she was dating?” Ryan shook his head. “Listen, that’s only part of what’s going on here. She’s—”

  “I don’t need you to tell me about my own daughter.” Ed Langford pushed off the railing and widened his stance.

  “Dad,” Noah chided. “Ryan’s only trying to help.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Ryan rose. “Do you mind if I cut through the house?”

  “Go ahead.” Noah told him. “But Paige is probably with my wife by now.”

  “Got it.” Ryan turned to glare at Ed. “You don’t want me to tell you what’s going on with her. Fine. I won’t. I just hope you figure it out before it’s too late.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Ed glared back.

  Ryan opened the screen door and walked into the Langfords’ house without answering. He found Lucinda sitting on the stairs l
eading to the second floor. “You eavesdropping, squirt?”

  “I don’t know. What’s ‘dropping eaves’ mean?”

  “Were you listening to the grown-ups talking out there?” He gestured with his thumb toward the screen door.

  She nodded.

  “Then ‘eavesdropping’ means you and I have something in common.” He touched the end of her nose. “Where’s your mom?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “She’s changing Toby’s stinky diaper.”

  “Is your aunt with her?”

  Lucinda shook her head.

  “Can you show me where Paige’s room is?”

  “I can, but she’s not in there.” The little girl looked up at him with solemn eyes. “Auntie Paige was crying.”

  “I was afraid of that. Where’d she go?”

  She pointed toward the kitchen “Out that way.”

  “Thanks.” Ryan started for the back patio doors.

  “Are you going to give her a hug and make her feel better?” Lucinda called after him.

  Ryan stopped and turned back. “Do you think I should?”

  “Yes.” She stood up. “You can make her feel better, and she can make you feel better.”

  “You’re one smart little kid.” He smiled.

  “You don’t look like Johnny Appleseed anymore.”

  “I know. Are you disappointed?”

  “No. Well, maybe a little.” She peered at him over the banister. “Better go find my auntie Paige.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her and made his way through the kitchen and outside. Glancing toward the river, he didn’t see her at first, then caught a glimpse of her blue jeans peeking out from behind the willow. He ducked inside his apartment, grabbed a couple of colas from the fridge and a few paper towels.

  He shut his apartment door behind him, glanced toward the big house, and headed for Paige. It broke his heart to see her huddled against the tree with her head on her arms. “Hey.” He slid down beside her. “I brought you generic soda.”

  “Thanks.” She made a watery snorting sound, but didn’t raise her head. “I’m sure brand-free soda will fix everything wrong with my life.”