Page 42 of Love Notes & Lifelines
“But my business won’t run itself, and from the looks of things, there’s some shady shit happening I wasn’t aware of.”
The taste of copper fills my mouth when I bite down harder because I don’t know what to say to that.
He observes me for so long that my skin itches. His eyes crinkle at the corners and his upper lip twitches. Does he do that on purpose? Is he aware of how he affects me?
“What will it take for you to come with us?” he drawls. A southern accent he works hard to suppress seeps out thicker than I’ve ever heard it.
“Excuse me?” I ask, choking on the excessive amount of saliva in my mouth.
“Name your price. Help me help these girls so I can save my company from what I fear is going on behind my back. Name your price.”
“You don’t work with liars.”
He raises a brow. “Are you a liar, Stella?”
“Not intentionally. Not when I have a choice. I?—”
“That’s what I thought.”
“W—Why me?”
He stares again in that way that makes me think he’s seeing to the very heart of me and isn’t afraid of what he finds.
“Because you’re you, Stella. You’re the only person all three of us are comfortable around, and that’s not something that comes to me easily. I spent hours last night wondering if I was losing my mind. When I was mostly certain you were Jane, I spent the rest of the night trying to figure out your angle here, and unless you’re the best goddamn con artist in the world, I can’t find a single thing that would harm me, the girls, or my company. You helped me because you needed a job, and you’re damn good with kids. You’re playing taxi driver because you obviously need money, but I see no signs of drug use or unsavory debts.”
I scoff indignantly. “I’m not a petty thief or a con artist. I’m not a bad person and I’ve never once touched drugs of any kind. I hardly even drink.” I straighten and tilt my chin up. I may be a lot of things, but I’m done allowing other people to paint my story for me—not anymore.
A slow smile creeps over his face. That crooked one that makes me want to throw caution to the wind, but it’s his dimples that wreck me. There’s one on each side, and it makes him seem so much younger when they’re on display.
“That’s the same conclusion I came to, Stella Jane. So I’m assuming it all boils down to money. How much do you need to live comfortably without forty-five different jobs?”
My chest beats and rattles like a snare drum.How much do I need?The idea has never been plausible before. What the heck do I ask for? Emmy snuggles in closer and it’s hard to breathe.
“It’s not just money, though.” I need time to consider this. “I have obligations here that I can’t miss.”
“Name your terms.” He’s so cool and confident and I’m unraveling faster than my ex’s lies.
I stand with Emmy on my hip and practically run to the opposite wall, hoping the distance will kick my brain into gear. What do I need?Think, Stella, think.
All the while his gaze sets my body ablaze as he studies me with Emmy.
“I need Saturdays off and a way to get back to Raleigh for the entire day.”
His brows furrow, but he nods. “Done.”
What?
“And I need to come back one night a week. Same deal. I need reliable transportation back and forth. I don’t even know where Sailport is.”
“Sailport Bay,” he says. “It’s in the Outer Banks.”
That makes me pause. “Like the TV show?”
This stinking man rolls his eyes. “Yes, like the TV show without all the drama. What else?”
“Um.” I bite my lip so hard I almost break the skin. “Ah, well. There’s always the chance I’ll have to rush home. If there’s an emergency, I mean.”
“Obviously. Are you expecting many of those?”
