He glanced down at her signature. It was quirky and complicated, a lot like the woman in front of him. “You need to read the entire document.”
Molly looked up. From the slow, distracted smile on her face he’d say her mind was still on the second appendix. “You’re an honest man, Jacob. I don’t need to see what you’ve written to know that it will be fair. A brief summary is all I need.”
“It’s an Independent Contractor Agreement, Molly. If I summarize the document, I’ll leave something out.”
Molly shook her head and ignored him. Appendix two was obviously more interesting than reading about their rights and responsibilities in the main part of the contract.
What had surprised Jacob, was how much time it had taken him to create appendix two. Listing every photo he wanted hadn’t been as easy as he’d first thought. It had grown from ten short bullet-points to a comprehensive schedule of requirements spread over three pages.
He’d spent a lot of time reviewing realtor websites and finding the companies that specialized in million dollar rural properties. He’d studied the images they’d taken, the interactive maps and aerial footage they’d used to tempt prospective clients.
Marketing commercial property was very different to residential property. The type of clients he wanted to attract wouldn’t be interested in return on investment rates, depreciation values or state tax laws. He wanted them to be able to imagine living in Montana, being part of the things they’d heard about from friends, family and the media. If that included cowboys, rodeos, and a landscape filled with wildflowers, then that’s what he’d give them.
Jacob held the fifteen-page contract in his hand. “I don’t know if I’ve listed every photo I’ll need, but I’ve done the best I could.”
“’Tis a comprehensive list, Jacob. You have a fine way of describing the look of the images you want, but what do you want your clients to feel?”
“Feel?”
Molly pointed to appendix two, bullet point six. “I can take a photo of a potential building site, but what do you want the people looking at it to feel when they see it?”
“They don’t need to feel anything. I want them to know that they won’t be flooded and that their house will be sheltered from the worst of the weather. I want them to know where the sun rises and sets, what the view of the lake will look like. I think I’ve also listed access points and roading options for each lot.”
Molly turned the page. “That you have. It’s bullet point fifteen, sub-clause three.”
He frowned at the Irish beauty with the turned-up pixie nose. “Are you making fun of me?”
Molly put down her copy of the contract and sighed. “You asked me to help because I tell stories with my images. We need to create a story for your clients.”
“Drainage and access points don’t require a story.”
“They won’t sell your property for a pretty price, either. You almost got there with your bullet points about sunsets and wildflowers, but it didn’t touch on the heart of the matter.” Molly tilted her head to the side, then smiled. “I’d like to try a little experiment. Are you willing to let me have my way with you?”
Heat shot through Jacob’s body. For the last year, he’d wanted Molly to have her way with him. But each time he’d tried to talk to her, she’d walked away.
Molly’s grin grew wider. “Not in the physical sense, but in the emotional way that feelings go.”
Jacob gave up trying to understand her. She was confusing the hell out of him and she knew it. “What clause in our contract does ‘having your way with me’ relate to?”
Molly laughed. “Bullet point fourteen, sub-clause eight. I believe you referred to this section as, ‘other duties as required’.”
Jacob watched the way Molly’s face lit from the inside. A kitchen was a strange place to feel so much attraction for another person. But it was there, no matter how hard he tried to fight it. “I like the way your mind works.”
“As long as it’s my mind that’s the attraction, we’re going to get along fine. Hold my hand, Jacob Green.”
“Why do you…” Molly wiggled her fingers and he placed his hand in hers.
“Now tell me what you feel,” she said softly.
Jacob frowned at their linked hands. If he told her he felt like a lightning bolt had shot straight to his heart, she’d run a mile. So he kept to the obvious and discounted the rest. “I can feel the warmth of your hand. Your skin touching mine.”
A blush skimmed Molly’s cheeks. “That’s a man’s way of the world. Now close your eyes.”
“I don’t know what difference that will make,” Jacob grumbled. Except he did. He could already feel his heart thumping in his chest, a trickle of sweat running between his shoulder blades.
Molly waited, but not quietly. “Your eyes are a pretty shade of green, just like your lake.”
Jacob closed his eyes. It was hard enough sitting beside her, holding her hand, without hearing sweet nothings whispered in his ear. Well, not exactly in his ear. Molly wasn’t anywhere near his face, but she might as well have been. Butterflies were jumping along his…he sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes.
“What did you do?” His voice was a husky rumble of noise filling the kitchen with surprise.
Molly smiled at him. “Showing you the difference between what something looks like and what it feels like. Close your eyes and I’ll do it again.”
Jacob wasn’t the least bit interested in having his hand caressed again. Goose bumps had shot along his spine, igniting a need that burned brighter than the sun. He moved his arm away from her. “I get the idea.”
“You do?”
He nodded and cleared his throat. “What would you suggest for the feel of the images?”
Molly looked at him suspiciously. “I’ve got an idea that you’re leading me on a merry chase, Jacob Green. Are you truly interested in my opinion or trying to wiggle out of telling me yours?”
Jacob wasn’t the least bit confused about what he was interested in. He was heading toward the wiggle option at a hundred miles an hour. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m interested in your opinion.”
“I’ll believe you this time, but only because my granny told me it was impolite to bite the hand that feeds you.”
Another surge of heat joined the first. He was about to say something that would have gotten him into trouble, when his dad walked into the kitchen.
“How’s the contract negotiations going?” The humor in his dad’s eyes made Jacob realize just how strange this whole deal must seem to his family.
“Your son is doing a grand job of showing me how logical he is. We have fifteen lovely clauses with enough sub-clauses to put your Declaration of Independence to shame.”
Jacob’s dad grinned. “Is that so?”
“Would you be wanting a nice hot cup of tea, Mr. Green?”
“Not at the moment, Molly, but thank you for asking. I came to see if Jacob wanted to stay the night and go for a ride in the morning.”
Jacob forgot about the contract with Molly and looked closely at his dad. “Are you feeling all right?”
His dad reached across the table and took one of the cookies his mom had left on a plate. “I’m as strong as an ox. Alex is heading over to the Gallatin River for a little fishing. I thought you might want to come?”
“What time are you leaving?”
“No later than seven o’clock.”
Jacob needed to be in town tomorrow afternoon for Tess and Logan’s wedding. If he took his own truck, he’d be able to get a few hours of fishing in before he needed to leave. “Sounds good to me.”
“What about you, Molly? Have you ever been fly fishing?” Jacob’s dad looked expectantly at Molly.
She shook her head. “It’s not a sport I’ve ever tried. I’m helping Tess with her wedding tomorrow, so I won’t be able to join you. It will be makeup and curling irons for me.”
Jacob’s dad nodded thoughtfully. �
�Next time, then. Wish Tess and Logan all the best from Kristina and I.”
“I will, Mr. Green.”
“You can call me Jim, if you’d like to, Molly?”
She shook her head. “It wouldn’t seem right, but thank you all the same.”
His dad looked at them. Jacob didn’t like the assessing look on his father’s face or the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he thought his son wasn’t watching him. His dad was putting two and two together, and coming up with ten.
He stared silently at his dad, hoping he’d get the telepathic hint he was sending him and leave the kitchen. Jacob was sure they’d forgotten something in their contract. He glanced down at the paperwork and tried to work out what it could be. But his brain had stopped functioning when Molly said she wanted to have her way with him. No sub-clause he’d ever seen covered that contingency, but he could see the benefits.
Just when it looked as though his dad was leaving, Alex banged his way into the kitchen. “Are you two still working on your contract?”
Molly grinned. “It’s important business, to be sure.”
Alex pulled a chair out and sat at the kitchen table opposite Molly. “Has Jacob been behaving himself?”
“If you discount an over-cautious nature that makes my head spin, then yes. He has been the perfect gentleman.”
Alex picked up one of his mom’s cookies and bit into it. Jacob glanced at Molly, half expecting her to offer his brother a cup of tea. She smiled back. The gleam in her eyes distracted him from his family’s sudden interest in the kitchen.
“Would it be a cup of tea you’d be after, Alex?”
Jacob ignored the grin on Molly’s face and glared at his brother. “Haven’t you got something you need to do? Isn’t there a fence that needs mending or a stall that needs mucking out?”
“Nope. I’m finished for the day.” Alex smiled at Molly. “I’ll get a coffee soon. Mom wouldn’t be impressed if she came in here and saw you making me a drink.”
While Alex was being his normal charming self, Jacob’s dad had been rummaging around in the pantry. By the time Alex had eaten his second cookie, his dad had returned to the table with a plate of cake.
Jim Green smiled at Alex. Jacob wondered if there was a secret conspiracy happening that he didn’t know about. A conspiracy where everyone tried to find out what was going on in his life before he knew.
“Looks as though we’re all finished for the day,” Jacob’s dad said. “Why don’t you ignore my eldest son for a while and tell us about yourself, Molly?”
“I’d be happy to, Mr. Green. What would it be that you’d like to know?”
Jacob sighed. His dad and brother looked as though they wouldn’t be going anywhere in a hurry. Pretty soon his mom would arrive home and she’d join them.
Molly would be convinced that she needed to stay for dinner. And if he wasn’t careful, his mom would call Gracie and Trent to see if they wanted to come over for dinner, too.
It would be a regular family dinner, with too much noise and too many stories.
He just hoped no one pulled out the family photos. His relationship with Molly was strictly business, and the sooner everyone remembered that, the better off they’d be.
Even if he wanted Molly to have her way with him.
CHAPTER FOUR
Molly was sitting in the middle of The Beauty Box, one of the best hair salons in downtown Bozeman. It was Tess’ wedding day.
When they’d started The Bridesmaids Club, they’d never imagined that within the first year, Tess would be getting married. With Annie and Sally’s weddings fast approaching, it was going to be one of the best festive seasons Molly could remember in a long time.
She didn’t know what it was about weddings, but they seemed to bring out the best in everyone. It was a joyous day, a day when bygones were forgotten and the future celebrated. Molly had been looking forward to this day for so long that it made her heart sore for all of the love around her.
She watched Loretta, the owner of The Beauty Box, twist Tess’ blonde hair into a fancy knot on the back of her head. Molly lifted her camera, waited a moment, then took a photo.
She turned her chair around and Annie came into view. She was as pretty as any picture Molly could ever take. Her dark hair had been cut into a short elfin style, perfect for her slender frame. With a little bit of teasing, her hair looked glossy and sleek, a perfect match for the bridesmaid’s dress she’d chosen.
Rachel had been given the job of looking after Stacey, the groom’s niece. The little flower girl was sitting in a chair waiting for a circlet of flowers to be added to her head. Stacey’s red curls bounced in time with feet that hadn’t stopped swinging in the air since she’d sat down.
Sally was in her element. Lotions and potions surrounded her and she couldn’t have looked happier. She visited The Beauty Box at regular intervals to have streaks added to her mahogany curls or to try something a little different.
Sally smiled at Molly. “Kate will be ready to shampoo your hair soon.”
Molly shook her head. “I don’t need my hair done. It’s so short that it looks after itself.”
Tess’ reflection stared at them from the mirror in front of her. “I’ve booked everyone with Loretta and Kate. Enjoy the pampering, Molly.”
Molly took another photo of Tess before she turned around. Kate was walking toward her with a determined look on her face.
“Come on, Molly. Time to put that camera down and get your hair washed.”
Molly glanced at herself in a mirror. “I look fine. Once I change into my bridesmaid’s dress and put a little color on my cheeks, no one will know that I haven’t had my hair done.”
Kate flicked a bright pink cape in front of her and smiled. “I will. Anyone would think you didn’t like having your hair styled.”
Molly looked at Tess, then at Sally. Both women smiled at her. “Where would you like me to sit?” she sighed.
Kate grinned at her. “Come with me. I’ll look after you, I promise.”
Molly had no doubt that Kate would do as she said. But it wasn’t Kate that worried her. It was her camera, or more accurately, the lack of a camera in her hands. When she didn’t have her camera with her, she felt as though something was wrong. It didn’t feel right if she wasn’t able to frame a view, change a light setting, or see the world through a special lens.
Kate wrapped the cape around Molly’s shoulders and leaned her back against the basin. “What have you been doing since I last saw you at Dan’s birthday?”
Kate was married to Dan Carter, the Deputy Chief of Police. Molly had gone to his birthday party about a month ago with Tess and Logan. It had been a lovely night and everyone had enjoyed the barbecue on his family’s ranch.
“Molly’s going to exhibit some of her photos in a fancy gallery in Los Angeles,” Tess said. “It’s going to be amazing.”
“When does this happen?” Kate asked.
“In about five weeks,” Molly answered. Kate’s fingers pushed against her scalp. She closed her eyes and decided to enjoy having her hair washed.
“Your photos are amazing. How is the rest of your business going?”
“It’s working out fine. Better than fine.”
Sally’s voice echoed across the hair salon. “Molly’s taking the real estate photos for Emerald Lake, the subdivision Jacob’s selling.”
Kate rinsed Molly’s hair, then massaged conditioner into her scalp. “It’s a beautiful property. Dan and I had dinner with Jacob a couple of months ago. It must be difficult photographing everything.”
Molly thought about the list of images she needed. “Jacob has narrowed down the photos he wants me to take. It makes it easier when the person you’re working for knows what they want.”
A giggle erupted from the other side of the salon and Molly sighed. Stacey was happy about something and Molly knew it probably would have made a lovely photo.
Kate rinsed her hair. “You can sit up now and see what yo
u’ve missed. Just don’t tell Loretta that I didn’t let the conditioner soak into your hair.”
Molly sat upright and looked around the salon. Loretta had pinned a circlet of white roses to Stacey’s hair. It looked beautiful. “I need to get a photo before Stacey destroys her flowers,” Molly said quietly to Kate.
Kate nodded. Stacey’s hands were already patting the pretty arrangement. “I think that’s a wise move,” she whispered back. “But be quick. Tess is watching us.”
Molly jumped out of the chair, picked up her camera, and took half a dozen photos in quick succession.
Before Tess could say anything, Molly was sitting in another chair waiting for Kate to blow-dry her hair.
“Slick move, O’Donaghue,” Tess said.
“I’ve had years of experience,” Molly said with a grin. She looked more closely at Tess. “Are you all right?”
Tess nodded. “I was just thinking about getting married. It’s a big step.”
The conversations around the salon fell into silence. “That it is,” Molly said carefully. “But when you find the right person, it can be the best step of your life.”
Tess nodded. “You’re right. I know Logan is the man for me. It’s just that sometimes I think about today and I get so nervous. I wonder if we’re doing the right thing.”
“I’m glad you didn’t elope,” Annie said with a smile from under a hairdryer. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had anywhere to wear our bridesmaids’ dresses.”
“And I’m glad you’re getting married,” Sally added. “You love each other. It’s a wonderful celebration of your new life together.”
Tess blew her nose and dabbed her eyes. “Thank you.”
Sally hugged Tess and handed her more tissues. “You might need to give me some positive reinforcement when I get married.”
“I’m being silly,” Tess said with a watery smile.
Molly shook her head. “There’s nothing silly about looking after your heart.”
Sweet on You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 4) Page 6