She soon found herself working in tandem with Jeb to rinse dishes and put them into the machine. Kate tackled the stovetop. Jeremiah wiped down the island bar. Chloe stood on the stepstool next to Amanda at the sink, helping to rinse dishes. She got in the way more than anything, but Amanda wanted her to experience a joint effort and feel part of a family. Someday, when Chloe grew up, Amanda hoped she would jump in to help with meal preparation and cleanup.
Amanda couldn’t help but notice how easily she and Jeb established a rhythm. If it hadn’t been for the way her heart leaped when they accidentally touched hands or bumped into each other, they might have been doing dishes together for years. It felt strange and yet nice. She got her injured finger wet and was glad that she’d thought to slip some fresh butterfly bandages into her pocket. Before leaving for Crystal Falls, she would re-dress the cut.
All too soon, Jeb signaled that it was time to go. Amanda rinsed her coffee cup and put it in the dishwasher. While Jeb rinsed his, she quickly changed her bandage and went to hug her daughter good-bye. Distracted by a box of clear Christmas tree balls and acrylic paint in an assortment of colors, Chloe returned the quick embrace and resumed her study of the ornaments. Apparently Kate planned to make yet another mess this afternoon, creating tree decorations.
Once outside, Jeb encircled Amanda’s shoulders with one arm as they made their way across the ice to his truck. Ever the gentleman, he opened the passenger door and gave her a boost onto the seat.
When he joined her inside the cab and started the engine, he said over the rumble, “On the way, I’m hoping we can have a discussion and make some decisions. We don’t get much opportunity to talk about serious matters with Chloe around.”
Tension stiffened Amanda’s spine and she asked with trepidation, “What are you hoping to discuss?”
She braced herself for his answer.
Chapter Ten
Amanda waited for Jeb’s response as he focused on a treacherous curve in the road. When it straightened, he returned his attention to forming a carefully worded reply.
“For starters, I want to readdress the job offer.” He turned off Clark Road and headed toward the town center, where he would exit onto North Huckleberry and access Highway 97 at the edge of town. “You haven’t accepted it yet, and I personally feel it’s the best option you have. For both of you.”
Amanda already knew that. She would soon be in debt to Jeb for an incredible amount of money. This employment opportunity gave her the only real chance she had to improve her financial situation and pay him back. She refused to think of his loan as a gift. She’d settle the debt, no matter how long it took.
“I know it’s a very good offer,” she told him. “It’s just—do you want the absolute truth?”
He chuckled. “Hell, no. I want you to lie. Of course I want the truth.”
“This whole situation makes me extremely uneasy,” she confessed. “And I guess my pride is also getting in the way. We barely know each other, and now you’re about to give me a huge amount of money. It’s insane.”
He crossed North Huckleberry Bridge, heading north. “You know what, Amanda? A lot of time isn’t always necessary for people to become well acquainted. From the start, we’ve been in a crazy situation together. Think of it this way. Somewhere on a battlefield right now, men and women are fighting for their country and trying to stay alive. What do you think they do when they’ve just met and the enemy is coming at them? Do they huddle in a bunker back to back, ready to protect each other with their lives? Or does the woman say, ‘You’re a total stranger. Why would you want to risk dying for me?’”
Stymied by the question, Amanda studied Jeb’s sharply chiseled profile, admiring the straight bridge of his nose, the square strength of his jawline, and the way his toffee-colored hair lay in a wave over his high forehead.
Before she could answer, he continued. “And after the danger has passed, when they have observed each other under fire, do you think they still feel like strangers? Or are the moments they shared engraved forever in their minds, making them feel they know each other better than anyone, ever?”
“We aren’t on a battlefield,” she pointed out. Saying it gained her a little thinking time.
A muscle ticked in his lean cheek. “The hell we aren’t. For us, it’s the life of a child that’s on the line. I’ve got her back—or maybe I should say that I want to have her back. But you’re holding things up, second-guessing my motives, and, well, just generally being a difficult pain in the ass.”
A laugh erupted from Amanda. It came so suddenly and with such force that it startled her. “I guess I am,” she admitted. “I’m sorry. I’m having a hard time accepting that I need help to protect Chloe. I’m her mother. I should be able to do it on my own, and the fact that I can’t frightens me.”
“Fair enough. But I do need help with my house, and I think you know it. If you don’t take the job, I’ll hire someone else. Yet you act as if I’m offering you charity. It’s only a job, not a lifelong commitment. As soon as you’re financially able, you can quit and move on to bigger and better things, no hard feelings.”
“All right!” she cried. “I’ll take the damned job. But on my terms. Five hundred a month with room and board.”
“Nine hundred,” he countered.
“We went over this last night. If I keep my cafeteria job, I can’t work for you full-time. That’s way too much money to pay me. Six.”
“You’ll work a lot more than you think,” he retorted. “No less than eight.”
“Seven,” she shot back.
He grinned while keeping his gaze on the road. “Deal. But I have to say, you drive a hard bargain in reverse.”
Just then, Amanda recalled that he’d offered her seven hundred last night and realized he’d somehow herded her into accepting that amount. “It’s too much, but because you are such a difficult pain in the ass, I’ll accept it.”
It was his turn to laugh. “Call me all the names you like. I’m happy with the bargain. You have no idea just how happy.” He glanced over at her. “Now that that’s settled, I need to know where I stand for this consultation with the attorney. Would you like me to go in with you, or would you prefer that I butt out?”
Amanda considered the question. She’d be telling the lawyer some of her darkest secrets, which she preferred that Jeb not hear. But this wasn’t about her; it was about Chloe. “I need you to go in with me. I might forget to ask a question or, even worse, be so nervous that I’ll forget everything he says.”
Expression solemn, Jeb stared straight ahead. “He’ll probably want to view the photographs. They’ll come up on the screen. Unless his monitor faces away from us, I’ll see the pictures again. Are you okay with that?”
Amanda swallowed hard. “You’ve already seen them. I won’t like it. I’ll feel horribly exposed.” She clamped her hands over his knees. “But in the end, all that matters is Chloe. How I feel doesn’t count.”
“It counts with me,” he told her, his voice going husky. “I’m sorry you have to endure this.”
“You caused none of it. My mistakes got me and my daughter into this mess. I wore rose-colored glasses when I fell for Mark. I had unprotected sex with him. We were together only once before we got married, but that was all it took. I was pregnant, thought I was in love, and Mark offered to marry me. I was dumb and said yes.”
“You were young and innocent, not dumb,” he corrected. “And it’s easy to be fooled by a guy who’s all sweetness and charm until he gets a ring on your finger. I’ve met women who seemed wonderful at first, and then they turned into witches.”
“You never married one of them.”
“Nope. I wasn’t seventeen, and I wasn’t pregnant. When you attend university, you grow up and learn a lot. By the time I graduated and moved back to Mystic, I had a load of experience with women under my belt.”
Amanda relaxed against the seat, feeling a vast relief that defied explanation. “You honestly don’t think I’m stupid.”
“I think you’re sharp as a tack. And if you doubt my assessment, take a long gander at Chloe. She’s a bright and well-spoken child. You raised her. From what I’ve heard, Mark only showed up to complain, knock you around, and, in the end, abuse your daughter. And, to your immense credit, you managed to get her out of there. And on foot, I might add. When I think of how you waited until the timing was perfect and started getting cash withdrawals off credit cards to collect enough money to run, I’m amazed.”
Amanda shot him a startled look. “I never told you about the credit cards. How do you know that? Did Chloe tell you?”
She saw him wince and then witnessed in his expression the battle he waged to tell her the truth. “I read your notes.”
“My what?”
“The notes you threw into the wind. About fifty of them landed on my property. I was plenty pissed at first. I thought someone was driving by and tossing trash out the window. Then I noticed there was writing on the strips of paper.”
Amanda recalled writing about her credit card scam one night and gleefully wondering how Mark had reacted when he’d started getting all the bills. “I never dreamed I’d meet anyone who’d read those messages.”
“Well, you did. I’m sorry I didn’t fess up sooner, but I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
Amanda thought of all the secrets she’d shared on those slips of paper and wished she could melt and be absorbed into the leather of the bucket seat.
“I decided the notes were blowing in from the south, probably from Elderberry Lane. I started to obsess about you, wishing I could find you and at least be your friend. You sounded very lonely. So when the storm hit, and Tony Bradley pounded on my door for help with the neighbors, I chose to cover your road, hoping I’d meet you. Your house was the last one, and it looked vacant. But as I turned around, I noticed disturbed snow in front of the porch. So I pulled over, still not sure that the old house was occupied, and when I knocked, the door cracked open, and there you were.”
Amanda remembered how frightened she’d been to let him inside, but in retrospect she now knew it was the best choice she’d ever made. Her voice trembled as she said, “I thank God you knocked. I thank God you refused to let me and Chloe stay there. I thank God for the winter clothes. I just have trouble telling you thank you. I’m sorry for that. I should be thanking you with every breath I take.”
“Well, sweetheart, from now on you’ll be working and paying your own way.” He cast her another quick glance. “And just for the record, I’m thankful, too. Before you came along, I was lonely. Rattling around in that huge house with only a dog for company. My life felt empty and sometimes pointless, though I hated admitting it, even to myself. It wasn’t how I imagined it would be when I turned thirty.”
“My life isn’t what I imagined it would be, either. I planned to become a teacher. English was my favorite subject, and I pictured myself making kids love the language as much as I do. Instead I never even went to college.”
“You’ve done a fine job of teaching Chloe her English, and you’re young. You can still become a teacher if that’s what you really want.”
“My priorities have changed. Raising and protecting Chloe have become my focus. Thank you for helping me do that.”
“You’re absolutely welcome. This isn’t about charity, Mandy. I firmly believe it’s about fate.” He redirected his attention to the icy road. “I’m in love with your daughter. And you may laugh because, according to you, we’re barely more than strangers, but I think I’m also falling in love with you.”
A long silence followed. She saw Jeb swallow several times as if his airway were restricted by tension. She had a feeling he was thinking, Open mouth, insert boot. Warmth pooled in her belly, but along with it came a measure of fear. She had grown fond of Jeb. When he touched her, she felt a strong and undeniable physical attraction. But she wasn’t ready to confess her feelings.
Unable to think what to say, she managed, “With all that experience with women under your belt, now you say you’re falling in love with someone you barely know.”
He flashed her a lingering look that made her skin burn. “Damn straight. I’m not all the way into the hole yet. Let’s just say I’m standing over it with one foot inside and the other on a banana peel.” He hesitated. “I’ve never done this before. I’m a virgin. Be gentle with me.”
The old phrase, normally said in reference to a woman, made her smile. “I’ll try.” She joined him in staring straight at the road. Her emotions tumbled within her like marbles being shaken inside a tin can. “I can’t say it back, Jeb. Please don’t let that hurt you. This whole situation makes me want to run. As far away as possible, in any direction.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw him nod. Relief swept through her because he understood.
“Do me a favor?” he asked.
“What’s that?” Her voice sounded as choked as if strong fingers had clamped over her larynx.
“When you run, run to me. Or at least give me some notice so I can run with you.”
Amanda knew this conversation was crazy, and she stared at the road through a blur of tears. “I’m not going to run. I have nowhere to go and no money to get there.”
He sighed, the sound floating toward her like a caress. “You do have somewhere to go. Straight into my arms. I don’t want to scare you off, Mandy. But I swear on my grandmother’s grave—and I loved her a lot—that I’m not talking about sex. Right now, all I want is to be your friend.”
More silence. Choosing her words carefully, she took a stab at changing the subject. “No one except my parents has ever called me Mandy.”
“Sorry. If it’s special to you, I won’t call you that. It’s just—well, ‘Amanda’ seems so formal to me. I’ve started to call you Mandy a dozen times and bit my tongue. Now that we’re talking, really talking on a personal level, it’s just popping out.”
“You have my permission. I like that name. Dad called me that all my life, and I miss it.” Amanda considered Jeb’s name, which she suspected was a shortened version. “What’s your actual first name?”
“Jebediah. I go by Jeb because it’s such a mouthful. My middle name is Paul.”
“Mine’s Marie.”
“Mandy Marie. I like that.”
“Dad called me that when I was being a difficult pain in the ass.”
Jeb chuckled. “I’ll remember that. When I tack on Marie, you’ll know my patience is wearing thin.”
Amanda grinned. “If I call you Jebediah Paul, you’d better duck.”
That brought a bark of laughter from him.
Emotions welled within her, all bewildering. “Thank you for being my friend.”
“You’re very welcome.” He executed another sharp curve. “Now, for the appointment with this lawyer. When you’re in there, facing him, if you start to lose it, remember I’m there beside you. If you need me to intervene, just reach over and squeeze my hand. I’ve been told that this guy has a heart of gold, but he also grills prospective clients. He’s good, really good. That’s why he’s such a jerk when you first meet him. He is way beyond accepting cases he can’t win merely to pad his pockets. Before he decides to take you on, you’ll have to convince him that you have a strong argument and won’t fold in court.”
Amanda tried to imagine facing a cantankerous lawyer.
“He’s older,” Jeb went on. “Close to retirement. He’s already built his career and reputation. I hope you don’t take offense, Mandy, but the truth is, you’re a little timid with men. If you start to feel as if you’re teetering and about to buckle, grab my hand. Okay? I’ll have no problem taking him on.”
Amanda appreciated Jeb’s offer, because she was timid with men. “I’ll squeeze. I promise.” Warmth
moved through her again. “I appreciate your offer to go in with me.”
“No worries. I’ll step in if he starts running over you.”
Amanda felt the tension drain from her body. She could do this. With Jeb beside her, she almost believed she could take on Mark and win.
* * *
The attorney, Clyde Johnson, was a partner in a large firm with offices in an impressive, even glamorous building. Just as Jeb had described him, he was an older man, stocky in build and gruff of voice, with a down-to-business attitude and an abrasive manner. Amanda was instantly terrified of him.
“Right up front, I want you to know that I may not choose to represent you. You’ll be charged for this consultation, and I will decide afterward if I want to take your case.”
Amanda had no idea what to say. He might not take her case? Panic swamped her. She groped for Jeb’s hand, found the warm, thick hardness of it, and squeezed with all her might.
Jeb cleared his throat. “I understand that you don’t mess around, Mr. Johnson, and that you aren’t willing to waste your time by taking on a loser. But, please, go easy on this lady. She’s been severely abused, and she’s easily intimidated.”
Johnson sank back into his plush leather chair. Amanda looked past him to his monitor and realized with rising panic that the screen faced them. Jeb would see the photos of her nude body again. She had a horrible urge to run, and it was all she could do to remain in her seat. Letting go of Jeb’s hand, which seemed to inject strength into her bloodstream, was impossible at the moment. She dug in hard with her fingernails, fearful that he might break her hold on him.