Page 34 of Resisting Fate
Ben kept pace with her. “You want something in writing? An official professional contract?”
“I don’t need it in writing. I’ll take your word.”
“Good, my word is gold.”
“I’m sure.”
He stopped short. “I’m serious. I won’t break my word to you. Ever. Especially when it comes to business. I’ll treat you like any other employee.”
He was saying all the right things, but part of her felt let down. Kind of disappointing after all their, um, chemistry. “Thanks, Ben. I’m looking forward to it.”
“See ya Monday,” he said brusquely and strode toward the exit.
She watched him go, admiring his rear view with just a hint of a swagger, and sighed. Why did she want him even more now that he’d sworn to be professional? It was just such an upright gentlemanly thing to do to put her at ease, even knowing she was just a temp.
The man was worse than trouble. He was irresistible.
~ ~ ~
After the eleven a.m. Mass the next morning, Missy exited the church and met up with the supersweet Mrs. Walsh, waving and smiling at her from the sidewalk. She wore a glaringly bright fuchsia puffy down coat with a matching fuchsia knitted cap over her wispy jaw-length white hair.
Missy put a hand on Mrs. Walsh’s arm. “Are you sure you should be out in this weather?” It was cold enough to snow, and she’d said she was coming down with something last week.
Mrs. Walsh’s breath came out in a cold puff of air. “I’m okay. I heard the craft bazaar was a huge success. Congratulations!”
Her gut twisted, shame over the stolen money nearly making her lose her smile, but Missy toughed it out. “Thanks, it was. Everyone worked really hard to pull it together.”
“Don’t be so modest. We all know you were the dynamo who made it happen.”
“It was definitely a group effort.”
“Bah. So, what’s new?”
Missy’s attention caught on the Harper family descending the stairs of the church. Rena, a petite brunette with long hair, struggled to get her two rambunctious sons, Todd and Will, to walk not run. Their older sister, Madelyn, ten years old and wearing a pink jacket a size too small, ducked her head and followed her family out. A weight pressed on Missy’s chest. She remembered vividly what it felt like to be ten years old with clothes that didn’t fit because no one had the money for more, and worse, to have your whole world turned upside down. That would be the first Christmas present she bought, a new winter coat for Madelyn. A small comfort, but sometimes the little things could mean the world to a child.
“Good morning, Rena,” Mrs. Walsh called. “Morning to you too, Todd, Will, and Madelyn.”
“How are you?” Missy called.
The boys were too busy shoving each other to notice the greeting.
“Hi,” Madelyn said softly, shoving her hands in her jacket pockets and staring at the ground.
“Morning,” Rena said, scooping a glove that had just fallen out of one of the boys’ pockets off the sidewalk. “Sorry, no time this morning. Got to get to the supermarket before the snowstorm hits.”
“Snow!” the boys shouted.
“I could go for you,” Missy said.
“That’s okay,” Rena said, shooing the boys down the sidewalk. “It’s part of an economics lesson for the kids too.”
They hurried off. Missy turned to Mrs. Walsh. “Is she homeschooling them?”
“No, they’re enrolled at Clover Park Elementary. I think she’s teaching them life lessons. Got to learn them some day, might as well when they’re young.”
“I guess.”
“Anything new with you?” Mrs. Walsh smiled, her brown eyes twinkling like she knew something. Had Mrs. Walsh spotted her at the mall in her elf costume?
