Sold!: A Holiday Romance

by J. L. Campbell

She focused on the computer screen, conscious that her temperature had shot up a few degrees in the last minute without her moving a muscle. Hoping her skin hadn't given her away by flushing, she sat up when Carsten chuckled and said goodbye to his caller.

  "Have you eaten yet?"

  She shook her head, cursing her stupidity before she finished making that mistake.

  "Have lunch with me?"

  "D'you normally have lunch with your employees?"

  Without a beat, he answered. "As and when I feel like."

  "I don't—"

  "Consider it work. While we're eating you can tell me if you think we need to do anything differently or whether you have any new ideas for this arm of the company."

  She licked her lip but didn't respond, unsure how to take what she now considered an order.

  Carsten's lips twitched and then curved while his eyes twinkled. "Don't tell me you're gonna make me beg."

  "Of course not. I was just thinking—"

  "How to get out of eating with me."

  "I was not."

  "Right."

  He got to his feet. "Come on. You have to eat. It might as well be with me."

  "How far are we going?"

  "Why is that a concern?"

  "I'm expecting an important call and I don’t want to miss it."

  His eyes lit up with amusement when he said, "That's why we have people who answer the phone and take messages."

  His relaxed attitude puzzled her. She didn't doubt he was making money hand over fist, but his easy-going outlook made it seem as if he took work lightly.

  But she knew that wasn't true based on what he'd told her about that employee who'd been dishonest. If anything, the way he treated his workers convinced her Carsten was kind, but wasn't a fool.

  While he got to his feet, Feechi shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the back of her seat.

  "D'you mind if I leave this here until we get back?" Carsten said, getting ready to drop his jacket over the chair. "I had a meeting this morning, but with the sun … "

  "It's fine."

  She didn't like it much, but couldn't object since she was doing the same. The last thing she wanted was anybody starting a rumor about her that involved the boss. She'd probably never live that down, considering she was still having problems dealing with her stupidity over Dennis.

  While all of that chased through her mind, she slipped her handbag over her shoulder and walked past Carsten out the door, which he shut behind them.

  The trek through the front office made her uncomfortable although the receptionist acknowledged them in a professional manner. The trip down in the elevator and through the front door of the building set her nerves hopping and she was relieved when they didn't meet anyone she recognized from the company.

  A five-minute walk up the road brought them to a popular hangout where she'd never eaten. She couldn't afford anything inside, so hadn't ventured into the restaurant. Her stomach quivered as she clutched her purse. Her credit card was inside, but that didn't mean she planned to do any spending beyond what was in her meager budget.

  The air-conditioning was on full blast, which made her regret leaving her jacket. Although The Grill had a reputation for being expensive, the décor gave the place a laid-back atmosphere. The glass-covered wicker tables and matching chairs with padded cushions were scattered around the room. The lush clusters of silver queen plants added to the deceptively casual atmosphere.

  One look at the patrons told Feechi what she already knew. These people were out of her income bracket. She squared her shoulders and remembered her mother's advice.

  Stand tall, lift your head high and even if you're out of your depth, nobody else has to know.

  With that mantra in mind Feechi opened the menu, homing in on the everyday items. The price of the fried chicken pulled a soft gasp from her. She disguised it with a cough and raised her head.

  Carsten's brows were lowered and his forehead wrinkled. "Are you okay?"

  She nodded and put a hand to her neck. "I'm fine."

  "Have you decided what you're having as yet?"

  "I'll have a sandwich."

  "I haven't eaten all day, so I'm going for the oxtail."

  She would have loved some of that, but not at the going price.

  The waiter collected the menu and was back with drinks before they exchanged any more words. The color of the liquid in the fluted glass puzzled her and when she met Carsten's eyes, he said, "Coconut Lavender Lemonade."

  "I've never heard of that before."

  "Try it. I have a feeling you'll like it."

  A couple of sips later, she made a satisfied sound in her throat.

  "Good choice, right?"

  "Yes, it's an interesting take on lemonade."

  Their waiter arrived with their lunches and for the next few minutes, they were silent. After eating a third of his lunch, Carsten interrupted the mix of jazz and reggae she'd been enjoying.

  "I'll be back in Mandeville this weekend. Are you coming?"

  His casual tone implied that the trip wasn't important, but Feechi wasn't so sure and didn't have time to finesse her answer. "Uh, why?"

  He wiped his mouth and then sipped fruit punch while she waited.

  "I promised Jack on Saturday when you were busy with the dog."

  "You promised Jack?"

  "Mmm-hmm, something wrong with that?"

  "No, but usually you ask the parent that sort of thing … you know, since they have the responsibility."

  "True, but I didn't think you'd say no. He didn't mention it?"

  "Actually, he did, but I thought he was just being Jack."

  Carsten chuckled. "Seems Jack knows what he wants and doesn't mess around."

  "Say that again." She waited until their gazes locked, then she said, "Next time, ask me first, okay?"

  She took his slight nod and lop-sided smile for an apology. "Sorry about that. You'd think I know better considering the size of my family and the number of kids in it."

  "No worries, but we still can't go."

  "Why not? I'm sure Jack will be disappointed."

  "Well, the two of you should have consulted me before you made plans."

  He gave her another one of those smiles halfway between contrition and amusement. "True, but what are you doing that will prevent you from going?"

  "It's the weekend, I have stuff to do."

  "Like what?"

  "Wash, cook, clean."

  "I'm sure Dee can help with that."

  "And there's shopping and other things."

  "Do your shopping on Friday and go with me on Saturday."

  She sighed then. "I can't. There's that thing about us working together and not mixing business and pleasure."

  "Who said anything about pleasure?" He smiled to take the sting out of his words. "This trip is strictly business. I'm meeting a couple other people at the house we visited last weekend. You could learn something about the real estate side of my business."

  She cocked an eyebrow. "Like what?"

  "You'll see an architect and a valuator at work. I need to approve the plan for the changes to be made to the house."

  "You're doing a major overhaul?"

  "I'm not a hundred per cent sure yet, but between the architect and I, we have some ideas."

  He made it sound interesting, so she was tempted. Jack would be excited and she'd be …

  Her gaze went to his hands on the table and back to his face. Then, she picked up where her thought had trailed off … she'd be heading down a road she wasn't sure would lead her to a good place, but the change would certainly do her some good. Plus, she'd be learning more about what he did.

  She wasn't fooled by his 'strictly business' comment. Maybe he was deluding himself, but she didn't see how she could be in a casual setting with him and not relax in his company.

  She swallowed and licked her lip before bobbing her head. "We'll go."

  His bright smile, instead of lifting her mood, sank
her spirit. It confirmed he was all too pleased to have her along and also made it clear neither of them knew what the heck they were doing.

  Work and attraction had never been a good mix in her world and here she was, skirting the same situation that had put her in a pickle with Dennis.

  Chapter 10

  Why it felt right to have Feechi in this space, Carsten couldn't say. Having her next to him in the van also had a certain rightness to it he'd also questioned.

  She stood across the room, staring through the window as if engrossed by the scenery below.

  Jack hovered by Carsten's side gazing at the blueprint of the house the architect and he held down at both ends.

  The little boy pointed to a section of the drawing. "What's this, Uncle Carsten?"

  "This is an upstairs bedroom and that's the attached balcony."

  "Oh." Jack took a closer look before pointing to an adjacent section. "What's that?"

  "A linen cupboard."

  "And that."

  "A bedroom closet."

  "Wow, that looks huge."

  With a slight shake of the head, Carsten discouraged Feechi from coming over to them. The moment Jack asked the first question, she'd turned away from the window, frowning as if she thought he was misbehaving. From being around his nephews, Carsten knew Jack's questions were only natural.

  Mitch, the architect, rolled up the blueprint and slipped it into the case, speaking as he did. "So, you'll email me confirmation of our discussion, including the amendments?"

  "Yes, I'll get that done later this evening."

  As they shook hands, Carsten sensed Feechi standing behind him.

  "Nice to have met you, Feechi," Mitch said, holding out one hand.

  "Same here," she said, as they completed their handshake.

  Mitch held Feechi's hand a little too long and his smile was a tad too wide. In Carsten's view, Feechi seemed a bit too receptive, or maybe he was delusional and his observations were the product of his imagination.

  As Carsten studied the man he'd worked with for three years, he wondered when he'd stop messing around and go where his instincts were leading him. He'd complicated things by offering Feechi a job, but despite how he felt about her, he did have a legitimate need which she'd been efficiently filling.

  He wasn't sure he liked the turn his mind had taken because since their lunch—and before that, if he was honest—she'd been occupying space in his mind.

  Matter of fact, even before that she popped into his thoughts when he least expected and since then, he'd wondered if maybe he shouldn't be paying more attention to what his head was trying to tell him.

  He'd been forced to pay attention when on his last date, the woman he'd been kissing goodnight turned into Feechi. Not only had he felt bad about shortchanging Marcie, he'd gotten the sensation he was letting Feechi down, which was ridiculous.

  Taking Feechi to lunch had been a way to prove to himself that he wasn't about to get sidetracked with her, but instead of setting things straight, he'd made another date with her.

  Fast-forward to today. He was determined to see if this thing he had for her would take them anywhere.

  Mitch walked away saying final goodbyes, and Jack's voice pulled Carsten back into the room.

  "Now that we've taken care of business, we can get something to eat," he said, looking at his watch.

  "Sounds good." Feechi walked away from him, trailing Jack's footsteps and just as he knew she would, she warned the boy to be careful. Of course, Carsten wouldn't say a word about her being overprotective.

  Jack gave her a bright smile and went to stand by one of the back windows grabbing on to the grille.

  Feechi followed him, trailing her hands over the carved mahogany railing of the staircase as she passed it and let her gaze roam over the columns and walls in the living space. She moved as if she appreciated being in the house and seemed to belong there. Carsten could picture it furnished and see her living in it.

  Weird.

  She stopped beside Jack, curving an arm around his shoulder.

  He giggled, throwing his head back so he could see into her face.

  With her other hand, Feechi chucked him under the chin, which made him laugh harder.

  Carsten watched them, and it wasn't the first time since their outing that he was wondering what it would be like to have a family of his own.

  He shoved both hands in his pockets and walked in the opposite direction to lean against one of the living room walls.

  He didn't see the trees laid out as far as the horizon, nor the cows dotting the pastures. What rolled through his head were scenes that included him—and the woman behind him—living inside this house. He couldn't explain it, but being with her in this space gave him a sense of completeness, which was crazy.

  He was cautious in his relationships, with good reason, so this thing with Feechi was enough to make him nervous. She was independent and sensible, but didn't seem like the kind of woman who'd make unreasonable demands on him.

  The thing that disturbed him was that he couldn't seem to stay away from Feechi, which was why he'd decided to explore this thing he had for her.

  He shook his head to clear his thoughts and followed them into the back yard, where a huge bougainvillea bush dominated one corner.

  "Feechi."

  She turned where she stood in the empty gazebo in the middle of the yard.

  "Are you ready to eat?"

  "Yay!" Jack shouted and jumped down the steps of the gazebo.

  Feechi pushed a hank of hair behind her ear, frowning. "We have to leave now?"

  By this time, Carsten stood on the bottom step. "You sound as if you don't want to go."

  Her face lit up with a bashful smile. "I like it here. It's restful and that house is beautiful."

  "You weren't so sure of that last time." Folding both arms across his chest, Carsten pointed with his chin. "There's someone who enjoys this place more than you do."

  A few feet away, Jack ran with both hands out, simulating an airplane. When he stopped and held on to the fence, Feechi tensed and bit her lip.

  "He'll be okay," Carsten said. "He can't get past the fence."

  "I know." She dragged her gaze from Jack to him. "You've seen the size of our yard, so this is heaven for him."

  "Imagine what Max would do if he was here."

  Feechi cut her eyes at him. "You had to mention that mad dog."

  "Don't look at me like that. It's your dog."

  "No, he's not."

  "Did you hear from your friend? The one who owns Max, I mean."

  "Last night, actually. Now she says she won't be back until January and she wants me to think about keeping Max. If I don't, she may sell him since her plans are up in the air right now."

  "I bet Jack is happy about that."

  The wind ruffled Feechi's hair and she pushed the strands behind her ear. When she spoke, her tone was grumpy. "Yeah, he's ecstatic."

  Her hair came loose again and without thinking, Carsten tucked the strands behind her ear. "Come on, chin up."

  "You're not the one who has to live with that mischievous little fuzzball."

  Carsten laughed. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

  "'Course not. He's not tearing up your shoes and stockings."

  "But since he makes Jack happy then I guess it's all right."

  "There is that," she said, lowering her voice.

  Her attention drifted to Jack before she faced Carsten. "So since we have to leave, where are we eating?"

  "I never said we were leaving."

  "Well, how … "

  "Follow me to the van and I'll show you."

  "Jack, come here."

  When the boy stopped beside her, Feechi took his hand and followed Carsten. "Let's go."

  Jack stood his ground. "Are we leaving?"

  "No, hon, we're just going to the van to get something to eat."

  "Really? How come I didn't smell any food in there?"

  Carsten spok
e over his shoulder. "'Cause it's all wrapped in cling wrap."

  "Did you bring any food that I like?"

  "I'm not sure. What is your favorite food?"

  "Fried chicken and potato salad."

  While opening the back door of the van, Carsten kept up his end of the conversation. "Well, I don't have any potato salad, but I have roast chicken. Will that do?"

  Jack frowned and turned to his mother. "I don't know if I ate roast chicken before. Did I, Mommy?"

  "Maybe, a while back."

  "Here, Jack." Carsten said, handing him a blanket and the ball Feechi had carried. Standing up straight, Carsten asked, "Would you prefer eating in the car or … "

  "You have to be kidding," Feechi said. "Since you have a blanket, the back yard would definitely be better. We can have a picnic."

  "What's a picnic?" Jack asked.

  "That's where we get to eat in the fresh air."

  "But what if ants get in our food?"

  "They won't. Don't worry about it," Feechi said, taking his hand.

  "Hang on to this and I'll bring the rest of the stuff." Carsten pushed a couple of cushions and a small bag into Feechi's hand and picked up the wicker basket his household helper had packed.

  They went back inside the house and washed their hands before moving through the kitchen and into the back yard again.

  "So what's in the basket?" Feechi asked as they crossed the grass.

  "You'll see in a minute." He squinted across the yard. "Under the bougainvillea is a good spot."

  "Looks like it. I'll spread the blanket."

  She caught up with Jack and steered him toward the bush, then attempted to take the blanket from him.

  "I want to help," he said, hanging on to one edge.

  "I'm going to spread it on the grass."

  Gently, Carsten squeezed Feechi's arm. When she turned her head, he whispered. "Let him help."

  She nodded and then told Jack to stretch out the fabric when she shook it in the air.

  Once she had the padded floral material the way she wanted, Feechi gave Carsten permission to put down the basket.

  Jack lay at the end of the blanket, arms behind his head, staring at the sky. The ball lay abandoned beside him.

  "You need me to help you with that?" Feechi pointed to the basket.

  "Yes, thanks. The plates are in that bag I gave you."