Toxic

by Debra Jupe

  “Quinn’s inside? When I worked here, I was outside nearly the whole day. What’s changed?”

  “Nothing. She just stays in a lot.” Krystal gave an exaggerated eye roll. “She and Vivian have something of a friendship.”

  “I thought the new foreman had whipped everybody into shape. No more goofing off. Her inside sounds like goofing to me.”

  “You’re right, it is. Ethan works more with the supervisors and crew chiefs. I don’t think he enjoys interacting with Quinn either. She’s more of an internal issue, anyway.”

  “Still, I’m surprised Mike puts up with her not doing her job.” Gracie relished in the cold blast from the air conditioner as they entered the building. “And Vivian’s been his office manager for years. She knows better.”

  “You’d think.” Krystal rolled her eyes again. “Those two have become tighter than pages in a book.”

  They separated to take care of their business, agreeing to meet in Krystal’s private office once they’d finished.

  The indoor staff remained subdued. Doubtless the news of Ethan’s near demise had reached them. Gracie walked down the short hallway, passing Mike’s private sanctuary. His door was shut, but a hint of muffled voices seeped through the thin wood. He and Ethan must be continuing their pow-wow inside. She found the usual animated sales team was also low key. Ethan’s episode had really affected everyone.

  After she placed her order, she went to find Krystal, who was in her one windowed office, the smallest in the building. Seated behind a large, laminate desk, she waved at a worn chair across from her before she returned to typing into a computer from the Stone ages. Piles of file folders, plant magazines with pages eared to be read later, and a soil sample kit, among other work related odds and ends surrounded her.

  Krystal entered in another notation before her attention returned to Gracie. “Is the new deli in the town square okay for lunch?”

  “Works for me.” Gracie fidgeted now feeling cold from the blowing cool air after being in the heat for so long. “I need healthy. I ate a pan of brownies for dinner last night. With nuts.”

  Krystal studied Gracie with a worried expression. “A whole pan?”

  “With nuts.”

  “Must be a hell of a mess. As a matter of fact you look like you’ve already been through the wringer today, and I’m not talking about the earlier chemical disaster. What’s up?”

  “Nothing much.” She paused. “Stewart stopped by yesterday.”

  Krystal’s eyes widened.

  “To tell me he’s getting remarried.”

  “Didn’t he move in with his girlfriend before the ink dried on your divorce papers? I’m surprised he’s bothered with legalities.”

  Gracie winced. She tried not to let the fact bother her that her ex-husband had another woman on the side during the final two years of their marriage except she was a mere mortal, and the thought still kicked her in the stomach.

  “Yeah, but here’s the wrinkle. He isn’t marrying the one he left me for. She’s new.”

  “Not so shocking. Statistics show when men leave their wives for someone else, they rarely marry the other woman. He probably found this squeeze while still with the one he left you for. Once a cheater, always a cheater, right?”

  Gracie raised her eyebrows. “Just make that up?”

  They burst into giggles.

  “So how are you? You like to put on a brave front, but the situation upsets you, doesn’t it?”

  Gracie could be honest with Krystal without judgment. They bonded years ago, but what made them close is their marriages disintegrated at the same time, and they leaned on each other through the rough days and even rougher nights. Both ended up head of households, working single mothers. “I’m confused and I am mad. It’s almost as if he betrayed me again. Is that crazy or what?”

  “Understandable. He’s found someone and he’s happy. You’re alone. You didn’t do anything wrong except love him. You were a good wife. He treated you like crap and forced you to seek a divorce, and he made the failure of the marriage your fault. No, it’s not fair.”

  Gracie folded her hands and placed them in her lap. “He put me through hell. I jumped through hoops, leaped tall buildings at a single bound, and groveled at his feet, yet I couldn’t make him happy.” Her voice cracked. “I almost killed myself trying to please him, and I failed miserably.”

  “Things have been rough for you, but you’ve done quite well for yourself. You have every reason to be proud of what you’ve accomplished. You’re so much stronger now.” Krystal stopped briefly. “When’s the big day?”

  “Next month.”

  Krystal pursed her lips and whistled. “Kind of quick.”

  “Oh, did I forget to mention? She’s twenty-nine and pregnant? About three weeks. She prefers a lavish ceremony though that’ll take too much time to put together. She’s willing to sacrifice amenities as opposed to her pregnancy showing on their wedding day. Priorities, huh?”

  Krystal’s mouth dropped. “She’s young, but old enough to be aware of how not to get in that predicament.”

  Gracie flashed a cynical smile. “Unless she wanted to trap an affluent, well to do doctor.” She laughed. “Good luck with that. I begged him for another baby, and he refused. He didn’t want any more kids. Good thing, I suppose, he barely made time for the one we had.”

  “No worries there. Mason turned out to be a wonderful young man in spite of an inattentive father. Who’s the woman? Do we know her?”

  Gracie shook her head. “She’s new to the area. Stewart hired her to manage his office. He did slip and reveal she was engaged to someone else when they met.”

  “The two prizes deserve each other. Whether the relationship works or not doesn’t matter. He’s officially moved on.” Krystal gazed at Gracie. “Perhaps you should think about doing the same.”

  Gracie shifted uneasily. Krystal’s words stung. Her friend usually sugar-coated her advice. Her putting things in such a matter of fact perspective left the sugar off.

  Krystal propped her elbows onto her desk, her chin rested on her fists. “Probably the best way for you to get past this is for you to find someone new. When was the last time you had a date?”

  An image of Ethan McCarthy zipped through Gracie’s mind followed by a rush of heat. She shook away the picture and lifted her shoulders. “To be honest I can’t remember. Pretty sad, because I haven’t dated much since my marriage disintegrated.”

  “Well honey. Get out there. Find you someone. A younger guy would show Stewart you can go youthful, too.”

  “If I follow Stewart’s age range, my new guy would have to be about twenty-eight. That’s awfully young in man years, especially for a forty year old.”

  “Yeah, but they’re trainable. Youth equals more stamina. You need one who goes the distance and get you laid. A lot.”

  Hot sex with the hot and sexy, younger Ethan. Stop. “I don’t know…”

  “Well, I do. Believe me, once I met Charlie after I waited for so long.” She smiled, with a satisfied sigh. “Let’s just say I felt like a different women.”

  Gracie grinned, happy her friend found love again. “But what are the odds I’ll get a keeper like Charlie?”

  Krystal held up her hand, spread her fingers, and gazed thoughtfully at her new wedding band. “The right guy will find you if you let him. That’s how things happened for me. You never know. He may not be far away. Charlie and I were friends before we realized we were meant to be.”

  A loud knock hammered at the office entrance. Krystal opened her mouth. Before she had a chance to utter a word, Quinn peeked inside, a self-important smile painted on her face.

  “Yes, Quinn?” Krystal asked in a cool tone, her expression annoyed.

  “Ah-what’s happening.” She nodded toward the nursery. “Shouldn’t be talked about to just anybody.” Quinn glared at Gracie then pointedly scowled at Krystal. “Not everybody needs to know everything that goes on here.”

  Gracie sh
ook her head. Not for the first time wondered why Krystal kept this woman. She was so aggravating.

  Krystal’s eyes darkened. “Thank you, Quinn. Please shut the door on your way out.”

  “I’m only saying—”

  “Thank you, Quinn.”

  The door banged closed.

  Krystal returned to Gracie. “Sorry.”

  “I consider the source, although I can’t understand why Mike keeps her. Her behavior is so unprofessional.”

  “She is rough around the edges. Plus, she’s threatened whenever you’re here.”

  “She shouldn’t be. I’m happy doing what I do and have no desire to come back, even if I could. She ought to be secure by now.”

  “I’ve spoken to her about her behavior numerous times. Since we have a hard time keeping employees, we can’t always be choosy over manners. Quinn’s my third assistant since you left. I’ve scouted for a replacement, but applicants are slim pickin’s.” She gave Gracie a half grin. “I agree, her people skills suck, although when she puts her mind to it, she can be an asset. She does know her stuff.”

  Gracie bit her bottom lip. She didn’t agree with her friend’s assessment, but she respected her enough not to argue.

  A salesman stuck his head inside to inform Gracie her order was ready. They settled on a lunch time before she retrieved her paperwork, and then she returned outside. She attempted to wave at several former co-workers, but everyone had their chins tucked to their chests, appearing too busy to look up. She supposed the recent incident had everyone on edge. She let the employees be and circled the trailer to inspect her material.

  “Ms. Desoto. I see you can follow instructions. I’m impressed.”

  Gracie jumped and turned. A powerful forced arced through her shadowed by sheer panic. Ethan stood next to her, arms folded over his chest, his crafty grin in place. Where were these odd feelings coming from? This man irritated her, yet she was fighting an unexplainable attraction. His smile widened as if once again he could read her thoughts.

  “Isn’t there someone else you can terrorize?” She tried to keep her response airy and carefree, although her attempt flopped miserably.

  “You’re the only one who can’t follow rules.” He gestured toward the trailer. “Material up to your high standards?” His easy, low voice impelled her amorous radar to soar, placing her desires on high alert.

  “Looks good.”

  The man was so much better than good. Moving away, Gracie needed to regain composure and keep this uncontrollable hormonal outbreak in check. She retrieved a pot from her trailer for something to do. “You’ve recovered quickly, but you should take things easy.”

  He strolled to where she stood and bent so his face was even with hers. “Careful Ms. D.” His tone was low. “I might start to think you care.”

  Gracie licked her lips, unsure how to respond. He stirred sensations she’d neglected for years, or maybe she was oblivious to their existence.

  “You found your sunglasses,” she observed weakly. “Any damage?”

  “Better shape than me.”

  She picked at a dead leaf from the flowerpot she clutched. Ethan straightened, simultaneously reaching for same withered foliage. Their fingers brushed. The contact scorched her hand. Her arm jerked, triggering the pot to vault and tumble to the ground.

  They glanced at the damaged plant before their gazes locked.

  ****

  Ethan intentionally held her stare. Her obvious discomfort was humorous, and he wondered if shyness invoked such a strong reaction or if something else made her so jittery. A tiny blip wished he was the reason of her uneasiness.

  Then he backtracked.

  He needed to keep his thoughts in check, no matter how minute. He didn’t travel in this petite woman’s social circle, anyway. Even in shorts and a tank top, she wore a solid air of refinement. Sun streaked hair smoothed into a ponytail. Cute little tendrils escaped and flowed over her dimpled cheeks. He’d always been a sucker for big, green eyes. And even though she didn’t look it, he guessed her to be slightly older than him. She may reject the idea of a younger guy.

  Therefore, he should forget about olive colored irises and watch his behavior. He had other things to concentrate on, like his job. Flirting with customers, even former employees, wasn’t a part of the plan and forbidden to boot.

  Her tongue slowly traced her top lip. “So you’re not as intact as your shades.”

  He wiped a hand across his forehead, trying to focus on procedure and ignore the sexy tongue swipe or the rising entity between his legs. “I’m a little queasy from inhaling so much poison. Mike insists I see a doctor. I’m on my way now.” If he hadn’t caught sight of her, he’d be halfway to his appointment, but he couldn’t resist. Maybe he’d huffed too much insecticide, and the fumes had affected his better judgment. She bent and scooped up the destroyed plant and the pot, exposing her tight round, butt. He became lightheaded again, but this dizziness wasn’t from the pesticide.

  His dick surged into his jeans zipper. “Nice.”

  She attempted to straighten, knocking the back of her head on the edge of the trailer. He fought to keep from smiling over her constant clumsiness. She ignored the thump and gazed at him with raised brows. “Did you say something?”

  “Nope.” Resisting the urge to touch where she’d hit, he forced his expression to remain cool though this woman had his libido wandering into a much warmer territory. “Just admiring your plants.”

  “Do you know anything about my plants? Or about any of the products in the nursery? Where did you get your education?”

  “Excuse me?” He wondered where this came from and what direction the conversation was about to turn. Instincts gave him a slight push, telling him to shut her questions down.

  “You’re the new foreman, and you’re whipping everybody into shape work wise, but how experienced are you in the industry.” She gave him a stern glare.

  Ethan almost chuckled at her tough-girl wannabe glower. This was too much fun to miss. Except to pull off the hard ass disposition she aimed for, she needed life to knock her down a few more times. “You’re interviewing me? I thought I already had the job.”

  “I’m just curious. A supervisor in this field should have a horticulture background, and since you insist on ordering me around, I’d kind of like to know if you’re qualified.”

  “You’re correct. One would need cultivation skills, and I don’t have any. I was hired for my management abilities, not for plant knowledge although it’s something I’m working on.” Ethan stepped forward and relieved her of the dumped pot. While he’d like to hang around for amusement sake, it was time to hit the road. “Does that answer everything, or have you prepared an entire questionnaire?”

  “Don’t get offended.” Her confident expression turned uneasy. “Management abilities or not, only certain types succeed in this line of work, and the environment seems too out there for someone like you.”

  A corner of his mouth lifted. “Again, you are correct.”

  This woman was far too intuitive. He enjoyed infuriating her, and he owed her a mass of gratitude, but the time had come to wind up their budding relationship.

  An expensive, newer model car roared into the parking lot and saved him from further conversation. Both turned their attention to the automobile as it screeched to a halt behind them. A well-dressed blonde stepped out of the driver’s side. She ripped off her sunglasses and glared at him, then she replaced her shades and hurried up the steps into the doublewide.

  Inwardly, he groaned as he glanced at Gracie. Her expression appeared a mixture of curious, surprise, and perhaps—disappointment? Nevertheless, he didn’t have time to analyze this intriguing woman’s reaction. He had a doctor’s appointment, and his attention was needed elsewhere before he could go.

  “I am forever grateful for your heroics today, but I have a date with the doctor.” He raised a hand and saluted her as he turned, holding up the damaged plant. “I’ll tell Reed to g
et you another one on my way out. You have an awesome life, Ms. Desoto.”

  Chapter 4

  “Sorry I’m late.” Gracie slid into a faux buckskin booth across from Krystal.

  She shuffled to get comfortable, tugging at her shorts, trying to alleviate the scratchiness against her bare thighs. “I had to make an unscheduled stop at a customer’s home to re-explain my crew’s instructions over the care of their new trees.” She shifted again still searching for a softer spot until she finally gave up. “My crews tell each customer how to take care of their new materials, and I give them explicit written outlines, yet some people still don’t get it. I mean, it’s not hard.”

  “The cons of being a business owner.” Krystal smiled as she slid a laminated menu over the Formica table to Gracie’s side.

  “Tell me.” Gracie glanced at the selections, then pushed the menu aside, already knowing what she wanted. “Was the rest of your morning calmer?”

  “Nope. The craziness escalated.” Krystal paused. “We’re waiting for someone from the sheriff’s department to stop by and question us on the Ethan situation and everyone’s panicked. Mike gave them your number, by the way. They’ll be contacting you since you were involved.”

  “I’ll keep my cell by me so I won’t miss their call.”

  The waitress interrupted to take their drink orders.

  “Then there’s the Quinn thing I had to deal with,” Krystal said, after she left.

  Gracie looked up, surprised. “What’s up with Quinn?”

  “I want all my ducks in a row and be able to answer the authority’s inquiries about any chemicals that may be missing.”

  “Makes sense. Quinn’s not cooperating?”

  “I’m at a loss on how to handle the woman.” Her expression morphed into a look of frustration. “To get to the bottom of this morning’s fiasco, I needed to examine her spray charts. Come to find out, she’s overdue in posting her logs—and she’s not just a little behind—she’s a lot. If OCEA were to come in, we’d be facing a hefty fine. Either way, I don’t think there is any way I’m going to be able to figure out if any chemicals are missing.”