As if he read her thoughts, Carsten asked, “Who’s the interior decorator?”
“Dee. She missed her calling.”
“What does she do for a living?”
“Event planning.”
“That’s not too far off.”
“Yeah, she does get to do some decorating for the functions she does. Half the time though, she gets in the way of the professionals she hires to do the job.”
Carsten had made himself at home on the large sofa, which was where she normally sat with Jack. Before she settled next to Carsten she asked, “Would you like anything?”
He shook his head. “I’d like to ask you something though.”
“Go ahead.”
“Have you given any more thought to my offer?”
To avoid looking at him, she rubbed a lock of hair between her fingers. “I thought you’d given up on that.”
“I must not have told you I don’t give up.”
“Of course you remember, and so do I.”
He shrugged, “Well then, you can’t expect me to act as if I never asked.”
"Why would you want to mix things up? I've gone on some kind of date with you today, which I enjoyed by the way—as odd as that might sound—considering how we spent the day."
"I enjoyed it too, considering … "
They both laughed and right then, she was grateful to him for putting up with having to arrange things around her and Jack. Not every man would go on a first date with a child in tow.
"So, we've worked together and we've played together in some kind of way, which means we're compatible."
"I'm not so sure about that," she said, softening her words with a smile.
"Having seen your work, I'm more than pleased with that side of things, so I have no doubt we'd make a great team."
Her mouth opened but before she could get a word out, he held up one finger.
"Plus being with you today was all kinds of interesting."
"I could say that too," Feechi added, biting one corner of her lip, "which is why—"
"We'd work well together."
She folded both arms across her stomach and let out her breath.
After a bit of silence, Carsten asked. "What dreams do you have that you still haven't actualized?"
"What makes you ask that?"
"Just tell me, then I'll say what's on my mind."
Scrunching her brows, she considered all she felt she’d given up because of her stupidity and an early pregnancy. A thread of sadness tugged at her, but she ignored it by looking at Carsten. A good-looking man had the power to take her mind off things she didn’t want to think about, although her troubles had started with one such man.
“At this point, there are things I’d like to do for Jack that are not entirely possible.”
“From watching you with him, I can tell you love him very much.”
She let her smile say what she didn’t. Jack hadn’t come at the time she’d planned, but if possible, she loved him more because of that fact. He interrupted her thoughts by running into the living room with Max a couple of feet behind. The dog sniffed at Carsten’s jeans and when he raised one of his back legs, Feechi came close to screeching.
“Jack, please take Max into the back yard. Now.”
“Can I have some orange juice when he’s done?”
“Yes, hon. Just get him outside quickly.”
Carsten had a smile on his face when she met his eyes.
“I bet you wouldn’t be so amused if he’d peed on your shoes. His bladder seems to be the size of a thimble, so I know he meant business.”
Carsen laughed outright, a deep, booming sound that charmed her into sharing his amusement.
“True, but then I’d get to keep you company while you sorted out my pants, shoes and socks.”
The image of muscular, caramel-colored thighs forced her to swallow hard and look away from him. She cleared her throat and got up. “I think I better see what they’re up to out there.”
She went to the refrigerator and poured a glass of juice for Jack, which she left on the dining table. Then she stood in the kitchen doorway, calling for Jack. When he didn’t come, she went around the side of the house.
Jack was kneeling next to a mixed bed of ten o’ clock and heather that Dee had planted in her absence. The rich soil was moist and clumpy where it clung to Max’s feet.
Jack’s hands were covered in dirt, which he was trying to push back into the bed, where Max had gotten loose and dug it out. Feechi shook her head and rested both hands on her hips. “I swear that dog got out of hell on a holiday.”
She sighed as she stood over Jack. “I’d ask why you didn't call me to help, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me this has something to do with Max.”
“He pee-urinated and then before I could stop him, he dug out the dirt.”
“Max, you’re a bad dog, but then you already know that.”
On hearing his name, the dog sat on his haunches and cocked his head to one side.
“Don’t try that look with me.” Feechi wagged her finger at him. “You’re still a bad dog.”
“Mommy, Auntie would say he’s doing what dogs do.”
“Yeah, until she comes back and sees what he did.”
Jack looked at the uprooted flowers and then back at her, wearing a similar expression as the dog at his side. “Mommy, can you help me fix the flowers?”
“Yeah, when Carsten leaves, we’ll fix it. Meantime, go wash your hands while I do something about the dog.”
Jack got to his feet, brushing at the knees of his jeans.
Max also stood and prepared to follow Jack, but Feechi shook her head. “No, Max, stay. Jack, bring a towel please and tell Carsten I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
He sped toward the house, yelling over his shoulder. “Okay.”
“Come, boy.” Feechi tapped her leg and Max trotted beside her to the front of the yard. She grumbled as she squatted next to the pipe. “The things I do to keep you lot happy.”
She turned on the tap and knelt in the grass beside Max, gently washing the soil off the dog’s paws with the hose. He shrank away from her at first, because he didn’t like bathing.
“Don’t worry, boy. It’s not bath time. We’re just getting rid of the dirt, okay?”
He yipped as if he understood and went quiet as she finished the job of cleaning his feet.
Jack stood at her side by the time she finished and handed her one of Max’s towels.
She picked up the dog and wrapped him in the terry cloth while drying him. He wasn’t quite due for a visit to the groomers, but she reminded herself to get it done before the Christmas holidays swept down on them and they wouldn't be able to find a spare minute.
Jack stuck close to her as she retraced her path into the kitchen.
On the way past the table, Feechi pointed to the glass of orange juice. “Remember, you asked for that.”
He reached for the glass and immediately gulped from it.
“Don’t get in a hurry, the dog isn’t going anywhere.”
“I know,” he said and put the glass to his head again.
The confidence in his voice sent a pang through her chest. Of course, he didn’t have a clue how big a sacrifice she was making for him to be able to keep the four-footed bundle of mischief that Suzanne had saddled her with.
Her worry about the garage bill came back and sat squarely on her chest and she sighed. The day out with Carsten had pushed her troubles aside, but now they were back in their enormity. It would be so easy to give in to what he was asking, but nothing easy ever worked out to her advantage.
Squaring her shoulders, she put the dog down and folded the towel. She sucked in a deep breath and walked back into the living room. “Sorry for disappearing on you. The dog got into something and you know how that is.”
“Jack told me.”
“Be back in a second.”
“Sure. Take your time.”
She went to th
e bathroom and dropped the folded towel on the edge of the shower enclosure. She'd move it later.
A glance in the mirror had her stopping to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. It was the weekend, she needed to chill and stop looking so stressed.
The sight that met her in the living room had her holding in her lip with her teeth to contain her smile. Max had gotten between Carsten's legs and lay with his head propped on one of Carsten's loafers.
She sat opposite Jack, who was watching cartoons and directed a smile at Carsten. "Clearly, he likes you."
"Yeah, especially since we got to change the channel," Jack said.
Carsten raised his brows and one side of his mouth curved upward. "I was outvoted two to one."
He shuffled his feet and when Max moved he got up. "I'm going to leave you now."
Jack took his gaze off the television for a moment. "Bye, Uncle Carsten. We'd love to go to the country again."
Feechi's eyes widened and she gasped. "Jack!"
Carsten's smile reappeared and he said, "I'll see what I can arrange."
Hoping she wasn't as flushed as she felt, Feechi led Carsten outside and faced him by the grille. "Sorry about that. You know how kids can be."
"Yes, they say exactly what they mean." He laughed, captivating her. "Kinda like Dee."
She couldn't help smiling at him. "Yeah, exactly like that, but don't feel obliged to do what he asked."
Lowering his voice, he said, "I wouldn't be doing it out of a sense of obligation. I don't do anything I don't want to do just to please other people."
She didn't know how to respond to that, so she shifted, hoping he'd take a hint and leave.
To her surprise, he pushed a few stands of hair behind her ear and then gently tugged the lobe. "I enjoyed today. We'll talk tomorrow."
She didn't question why he'd call her on Sunday, what he had in mind, or the way her skin warmed under his touch, but she realized Carsten had a way of making things work in his favor, despite what she wanted.
Chapter 7
The cherry daiquiri was heavenly. After taking a sip, Feechi studied Carsten's face. "I'm not sure I can figure you out."
"What d'you mean?"
She glanced around the interior of the bar that was simply a patio topped by a thatch roof to give a rustic atmosphere. The place was quiet and restful, with hidden speakers pouring out jazz selections. This was the first time she'd been inside and liked the casual flavor.
Her gaze landed on the rich, fuchsia blooms on the bougainvillea bush behind Carsten and then shifted to him. His navy shirt contrasted with his skin, giving him a mysterious air, which threatened to derail her thoughts.
"You took me on a date yesterday and today you're back on the idea of me working for you."
"There's a certain method to my madness." He eased back in his seat, shifting his tumbler so the ice tinkled.
"I'm listening," she said.
"There's no sense hiding from what is obvious. I find you attractive, but I also know you're nowhere near ready for a relationship with anybody."
She would have asked him how he knew so much considering they had no prior conversation about her love life, but she was more interested in where he was heading with their conversation.
"And that's part of the reason why you want me to work for you?"
"That's right. I figure you'll use the fact that we're drawn to each other as a reason to say no, but we've already proved we can work together."
She didn't deny her attraction to him, which would have been a waste of time. Staring at the creamy skin in the opening of his shirt, she narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think it will work? You being my employer, I mean."
He sipped from the tumbler before supplying an answer. "Since you're not in for anything more than what we have now, I don't see why we can't use this situation to our advantage."
He waited a bit before finishing his thought. "I need your help and you need … "
She heard nothing he said after that, because she got stuck at I need your help. The last time a man had said that to her, she'd turned into a fool and Jack was the result of that mistake.
Feechi emerged from her thoughts when Carsten held the glass to his lips. His gaze was expectant, but she had no idea what he'd just said. She said the first thing that came to mind and hoped that on some level she'd been listening to him with at least half her brain. "You do know I have a job, right?"
"Yes, and I'm willing to give you time to part ways with your present employer."
One corner of her mouth tilted in a smile she hoped didn't seem false. "Why would I do that again?"
"Pay attention, Feechi. I just told you. If it's a case that you need more money, we can negotiate."
"Hold on a second. When did we get to the point where we're negotiating?"
"I just said what I'm offering."
"You did?"
His wide smile blanked her thoughts and sucked her breath away for several beats of time.
"Like I said, you have to pay attention."
She sat forward, using one hand to support her cheek. "So, um, what exactly did you offer just now?"
The figure he quoted made her blink.
"That's for one month?"
His smile reappeared and she wouldn't have minded sitting before him for the rest of the day, basking in its brilliance.
"Yes. If the people who work for me are happy, I'm happy."
"What exactly are you offering and what is it you'd really want me to do?"
He took a couple of minutes to explain, while she stared at him, barely hanging on to her question.
"That sounds like a lot of responsibility. How d'you know I can manage what you're asking of me?"
"I've seen you at work and you come highly recommended."
"Marlon should stop talking about me."
Now, Carsten laughed and she joined him.
"I won't agree with you on that. If he hadn't been singing your praises, I wouldn't be making this offer."
"True, but … "
"Take some time and think it over before you say no, just because you think you should."
The music segued into something soft and sensual, making her think everything was conspiring against her when she needed to have her head on straight. She brushed at her lap, nearly dislodging her purse which she'd forgotten. After she saved it from crashing to the floor, she met Carsten's gaze. "I'll think about it."
"Good."
She sucked on her straw to avoid his gaze while wondering if she knew what she was doing. Carsten was more persuasive than she wanted to admit. Somehow, here she was allowing him to talk her into what he wanted and—
"Yesterday, I asked what dreams you haven’t realized yet, but Jack and Max stopped you from telling me."
Was he really interested in her answer or was he just asking for some reason only he alone knew? Carsten's slight frown and the way he tilted his head toward her convinced Feechi he really wanted to know.
"Since Jack, my focus has shifted to him."
"That's understandable. One of my sisters is a single parent and she lives for her son."
"Yeah, children do tend to change their parents' lives."
Carsten leaned forward, raising one of his eyebrows. "So, those dreams?"
"Why should I tell you, really?"
"Like I said yesterday, when you tell me I'll explain."
Feechi turned her eyes toward the ceiling and then caught Carsten pressing his lips together and watching her with an indulgent light in his eyes.
"Okay, I want Jack to have a good education and you know how expensive that is in Jamaica."
"What else?"
"I want him to be happy." She sighed. "And right now having that dog is the highlight of his life."
"So what's wrong with that?"
"In case you haven't noticed, that dog isn't exactly a mongrel."
Carsten shrugged and then frowned. "So?"
"A bright man like you must understand what I'
m trying to say."
Seconds passed, before the lines in his forehead flattened and his eyes cleared. "The dog is expensive to keep."
"Bingo! Think shots, groomers, special diet and so on."
"I gather you won't have him forever, so is it that you're worried about getting Jack a pet of his own?"
"Actually, I'm worried that my friend won't come for the dog and I'll have him forever."
"But what about Jack?"
She sat back in her chair. "What about him?"
"He'll be torn up if he's left without Max or a dog to replace him."
"Are you hearing what you're saying?"
He opened both hands. "What?"
"You barely know us and you're encouraging me to keep or get a dog I can't afford."
"I may not know you, but I know how a boy feels about his dog."
"It isn't his dog."
"So you say, but if he's been feeding it and taking care of it, as far as Jack is concerned, it's his."
"Be that as it may, I have different ideas."
Carsten bit one side of his lip in a boyish gesture before asking. "Didn't you just say you wanted him to be happy?"
She couldn’t help the laughter that burst from her. "You got me, but I can't … that dog is the limit."
"I think Max has a certain charm about him."
"You're just saying that because he managed not to pee on you."
"Worse things have happened to me."
"I'll bet."
He propped his jaw on his knuckles. "So what else?"
"Huh?"
"What big dreams d'you have that you want to see come true?"
She thought for close to a minute before answering. "I think I've shelved some of the things I wanted to do, like being a nurse. Someday, I'd like to take a Caribbean cruise and see some other islands."
"That's not unattainable, you know."
"True, but I like to keep both feet on the ground and stick with reality."
"There's nothing wrong with dreaming. Without dreams, we get firmly stuck in the mundane and forget about reaching for the stars."
"You have a point there."
"Which is why I want you to think about my offer. It comes with your own office, an assistant and some good perks."
"What will prevent you from changing your mind and trying to get with me at some point down the road?"
Sold!: A Holiday Romance Page 5