“That’s a lot of jobs. A hard worker. I like it,” his father complimented.
“Thanks. It’s not hard work except for the fact that it’s tiring and physical a lot of the time, but I’m almost done with school. I have one more class in order to get my associate degree in business. Then I hope that will help me get into an office management type position where I can make higher pay, secure healthcare benefits, and one day toss my old hand-me-down junker my sister gave me. Well, if I ever get it back.”
His dad, who I later found out was named Marco, pointed at me. “You work for what you get. This is admirable. It will mean more. When you get that degree, you come see me at our offices. We’re not a huge construction business, but me and my other son Luca run the jobs. We have about thirty men under us. Our office manager is leaving us in six months to have a baby. She wants to be an at-home mother raising her children. We’ll have an opening…”
“You just met me and you’re offering me the possibility of a job?” I pressed my hands to the table so they wouldn’t see them shaking with excitement.
“I like people who are hard working and driven. Willing to work three jobs in order to make something of themselves. That’s all I need to know about you. The rest being you came here with my son who wouldn’t bring a woman to his mother’s home if she didn’t mean something to him. And he’s a good judge of character, being a junior profiler in the FBI hunting down madmen. Doesn’t hurt you’re beautiful. Part of the job is dealing with people so that helps. You’re social and outgoing. We’ll have you meet Luca, do a walk around, learn about the job, get details from Lisa who’s leaving us, and see if you’d make a good fit.”
“Wow, this is so unexpected, and I…well, I don’t know what to say.” I covered my pounding heart with my hand.
“Say you’ll come check out the offices. Meet my men. Meet my other son.”
“Definitely. I’d love it. Um, we might have to wait a little bit but let me go ask Jonah.” I hopped up and out of my chair excitedly sprinting into the living room.
“Jonah, you’re never gonna guess what your dad just offered me!” I called out to his back. He flicked his gaze my way and held up a hand to ward me off.
He’d have to do a lot more than hold up a hand if he was going to get me to listen. I had news and he needed to be the first to hear it.
“You didn’t hear me!”
“Simone. Not now,” he grated through his teeth and then faced the doorway again. His entire body was stiff and wired to the point I thought he might jump at whoever was opposite him.
“Jonah, come on, this is ridiculous. Take the check!” I heard a high-pitched woman’s irritated voice screech.
“I don’t want your money, Helen. I don’t want anything from you, or from my brother.”
“Don’t be that way. It’s not his fault and you know it. Frankly, the fact that you are playing blameless in this is rich. Just like you to play the victim,” she sneered.
“It’s not me who fucked Luca. That was you.” He pointed and scowled as I pressed up close to his back, my hands curled around his biceps.
I didn’t speak but I could tell in the line of his body that he was angry and concealing that anger by being as passive as possible. He was hurting and whoever this woman was, she was the source.
I curled around his side, ducked my head under where he was holding the door jamb, and pressed my cheek to his pec. “Hey.” I waved to the tall brunette whose hair was cut at a severe line at her pointed chin. She was super thin, with an angular, pretty face. A little like Sandra Bullock from her Speed movie days. “I’m Simone.”
“Helen. Here.” She handed me an envelope, one I just accepted automatically, hoping it would make her leave.
“I can’t believe you came here. How could you?” Jonah groused.
“It’s Thursday, same night of the week you have dinner with your folks when you are in town. I took a shot.”
“I wish you hadn’t. Please leave and don’t ever come around again. It’s over in a way it’s never not going to be over.”
“Cash that check. Half of the money is yours. And, have a nice life, Jonah. I know I will without you,” she huffed snidely.
“Fuck you.” He spat the words as though he couldn’t get them off his tongue fast enough.
She made a pinched ugly face. “Nice. Real nice. Good luck with that one, Simone. You’re gonna need it.”
“Aw, thanks. I’m pretty happy with what I’ve got. You know, you should look into some Botox for those frown lines around your mouth.” I canted my head to the side and pursed my lips. “Nah, never mind. You’ll still be ugly. Don’t bother.” I let out a long breath. “Well this was fun, but I need to tell my man some really great news and you’re kinda putting a damper on my joy. Hope to see you never.” I curled my hands around Jonah’s hips and pushed until he let go of the doorjamb and backed into the house. I gave a jaunty wave before slamming the door.
“Guess what!” I pressed my hands together still holding the envelope. “Your dad offered me a job!”
Jonah looked at the door, then at my face, down to the envelope, and back up to me. “What?”
“Your dad said he needs a new office manager. I told your parents about being one class away from my associate’s degree and he practically offered me the job at his company!” I bounced up and down on my feet. “Honey, this is huge for me. Ginormous. Gargantuan.”
He shook his head as if to clear it. “Big news. Got it.” He pointed to the door. “Do you uh, have questions about what just happened with my ex-wife?”
The word wife had me clamping my mouth shut for a moment before I blurted, “That was your wife?”
“Ex-wife.”
“Huh. And she cheated on you with some dude named Luca.” I frowned for a moment as I put it all together. “Oh, hell no!” I covered my mouth in shock. Then my entire body got hot. Sweltering hot. Burning with rage. I clenched my hands together, my wounded one smarting a bit as it was just scabbing over, so it didn’t need more than a couple bandages to cover it. I narrowed my eyes and reached for the door. I pulled it back so hard it jarred my shoulder which I barely felt.
Jonah looped me around the waist and pressed me back against his form, grunting in the process. “Where are you going?”
I shook out of his hold. “I’m going to start one helluva cat fight with that skank! She fucked your brother! She deserves to have her ass beat!” I roared and pushed myself further out the door.
Jonah hooked me more firmly around the waist and hauled me up and off my feet like he’d done at Navy Pier today bringing me right back inside. “Easy, tiger.”
I smacked at his arm. “Let me go. She’s gonna get away,” I argued. “That woman is the worst of the worst. Not only did she cheat, she broke every girl code known to mankind, not to mention her vows to her husband! Eww. She’s the scum on the bottom of your shoe. Now let me go rub her face in it!” I fought until Jonah whirled me around once more, locked his arm around my waist, and smashed his lips to mine.