“What? No.”
“You seem kind of desperate. I didn’t know if you were in interrupting my lunchtime for something important.”
“I know and this is really rude of me, but I’m hoping what you will see from me is dedication.”
“You work at the law office though, right.”
“I do, yes.”
“So how do I know this isn’t some kind of hoax?”
The guy she met at the counter had warned her Mr. Graves was a little eccentric. He liked to ask whatever questions he wanted and he didn’t understand the first thing about privacy. Right now, she was seeing what the man meant.
“Er, I don’t do hoaxes or anything. I’m not really sure how to answer that one.”
“Well, I want to know if someone is trying to bug my business. Have you got an entire crew listening in on our conversation? Because me, I don’t give nothing away.”
“Sir, Mr. Graves, I’m in a desperate situation. My hours at the law office have been reduced. I need to make a living, and so I wanted to talk to you in person and to show you I will work really, really hard. I promise you. I’m a good worker. I won’t complain. I can work holidays as well.” It wasn’t like she had a family waiting for her back home. Sure, there was Eli and Katie but she doubted they would invite her over for Christmas. She was a stranger.
Mr. Graves sat back.
“This is certainly new for me. I’ve never had a pretty girl come to my lunch, interrupt it, and all for begging for a job.”
“Please, I know this is really inappropriate, rude, and I shouldn’t have come. I am sorry.”
“You don’t need to leave,” he said, holding out his hand as she went to grab her tray to leave.
“I don’t?”
“No, I actually like the company. I don’t come here to be alone. If I wanted to be alone, I’d take a bag of lunch to go. I like it here. There are people and where people are, no one can hurt you. If someone is listening in then you don’t have to worry about them catching everything. There is always someone out there listening. Speaking of, I don’t do no cell phones either. You come to my shop, your cell phone stays out.”
“Oh, right, of course. Yes. I can do that.”
She couldn’t exactly afford to keep her cell running at the moment so it was dead and in her drawer back home.
She wasn’t going to waste money on service or charging it when she was saving every cent. The same for her car. She was thinking of driving it and selling it as well. She’d get some money for it. It wasn’t completely banged up yet, but again, she wanted to hold off, hoping luck was on her side.
“No devices, and you’re going to have to wear proper clothing. None of that girly stuff. I don’t want you screaming to me every time you scuff a shin or something.”
“I’ve got good clothes.” She was currently wearing a sundress, this one in a pale blue. “Does this mean I’ve got the job?”
“This means you can try the job. I don’t have time for any crap in my place. Hard work, and the customer comes first and is always right, apart from when they’re not right, got it?”
“I totally get it. Completely, totally, I promise you, sir, you won’t regret it.”
“Don’t call me sir. The name’s Mr. Graves. Don’t you change it to nothin’ either. I’ve got no time for pranks or stuff.”
She nodded, already on cloud nine.
****
“What’s the matter, Daddy?” Katie asked.
Eli turned his attention back to his little girl. “Nothing, sweetie.”
“Is it because Ann is talking to that man and she hasn’t come over to say hi?”
He should have known his daughter would have spotted something like that. “You know, you see way too much for your age.”
She giggled. “I don’t mind.”
He couldn’t help but look again.
Okay, in his ground rules, they had all been focused on Katie and how they would deal with a relationship between the two of them while his daughter was present, but he hadn’t broached the subject of exclusivity, or had he?
He shouldn’t be jealous of her talking to Mr. Graves. Eli didn’t know the man’s first name as everyone referred to him as Grave, Graves, or Mr. Graves. He’d never been in the DIY store.
Was that why she was talking to him? Having lunch? Did she need some repairs on her house?
The last time he’d been in her house, it looked fine.
Unless there was something wrong with it and she didn’t want him to know. Picking up a fry, he couldn’t help but look toward her table, and again, he didn’t like this.
Katie laughed. “You keep staring.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie.”
He was determined not to let Ann get to him. Whatever she did on her own time was her own business and he wasn’t going to invade them. They weren’t in a relationship. They were fuck buddies, if they were even called buddies.
He’d been out of the loop for so long, he didn’t even know if a term was even required for casual sex.
Ann and Mr. Graves left the diner and neither of them looked his way. He watched as they left and headed in the direction of the store.
He and Katie finished their meal and walked all the way home.
Ann’s car was in the driveway and as they were about to enter, she came out with a small bag, placing it in the trash.
“Ann, how are you?” Katie asked, rushing up to her side. “Did you get the puppy? Or dog? What about a cat?”
“Wow, you’re excited, aren’t you? No dog, puppy, or cat, I’m afraid.”
“We saw you at the diner,” Katie said. “You were talking to the weird man.”
“Oh,” she said. “You were at the diner? I didn’t see you.” Her gaze landed on him.
“Can I swim?”
“Only if your daddy is okay with it.” Ann turned to him.
“Yes.”
Katie was already removing her clothing, having put on a swimsuit beneath her clothes. He laughed. “I didn’t see that one coming. Honestly, I didn’t assume she would want to come and swim.”
“It’s fine. More than fine.” Ann laughed. Eli followed her back into her house. She stopped at the kitchen and he noticed Katie was poised at the edge of the pool.
“Does she always do that?”
“She’s waiting until I’m out in the yard. I don’t want her in the water unless an adult is present.” She grabbed a drink out of the fridge and three glasses, and they headed outside.
He took a seat beside her and looked around the yard. He’d also checked out her house, but again, he didn’t see anything that stood out and screamed for repair.
The moment they sat down, Katie dived into the pool, screaming.
“She does love the water.”
“So, erm, do you have anything that needs repairing?” he asked.
Katie was far enough away and too busy making her own noise and splashing around to hear.
“What do you mean?”
“Your date with Mr. Graves,” he said. “If you need any repairs, I know my way around some stuff. I’m not trained, but I can do the odd job.”
“Oh, right, no, of course not. A date. Why did you think I was on a date with Mr. Graves?”