Page 17 of Help Wanted

By the start of the next week, Kenley was feeling pretty confident with her position. She also had an apartment lined up only a half mile from work, which meant she could walk when the weather warmed up.

Zane called twice to check in with Sidney, but Kenley hadn’t talked to him since he’d hired her. It seemed odd not to see her boss on a daily basis. It might also have been that she wanted to see him. A little. To thank him in person, of course.

* * *

Paul called as Zane was closing up for the day to head back to the hotel. He’d been doing a repair on a hull.

“Hey, did you see the email Kenley sent regarding the bid in Kenosha?” Paul asked. They were both hoping to get the job on the ’69 C&C-Belleville Frigate 36.

“Yeah. And then she left a message to make sure I’d seen it.” Zane didn’t mention how hearing Kenley’s voice made his stomach flip. For as much as she looked like his old crush, her voice was lower where Courtney’s was high and flinty. He’d listened to her message twice to make sure.

“I can get that if you want me to. You said you needed to be back in the office next week.”

Friday was Sidney’s last day, which meant next week it would be just him and Kenley at the office together. Alone. He was actually looking for a way to get out of it. Not that he’d be able to get out of it forever, but he needed another week or so to adjust. The ridiculousness of the situation made him snap in anger.

“I can do it, Paul.”

So what that Kenley was attractive and had a nice smile? He’d dated tons of pretty women. Okay, maybe tons was a stretch, but several at least. None of them inspired this kind of reaction.

It was because she reminded him of Courtney. He needed to find a way to move past it. Maybe once he got to know Kenley he would be able to separate her from the pain of his adolescence. But not yet.

“Sidney told me she wasn’t staying one minute past five on Friday. She’s not going to come in next week,” Paul reminded him.

“Sidney will understand and she’ll cover for me.” She always had his back when it was important.

“Okay.” Paul didn’t even try to cover his laughter. “Good luck with that.” While Zane still had his phone out, he called his sister.

“Why are you calling my cell?” Sidney complained. “You should be calling Kenley since she is going to be handling whatever it is you need.”

“Give me a break—”

“Here, I’ll put her on.”

“What? No. Don’t put her—” Too late.

“Hello, Mr. Jackson,” Kenley said. Hell.

“Please don’t call me Mr. Jackson. We’re the same age.” According to her paperwork, her birthday was two days after his.

“Sure thing. Some people like the formality because it makes them feel important.”

“I know I’m not important. Have you met my sister?” Kenley laughed at his joke, a warm throaty laugh that made him twitch in a good place. Note to self: Don’t ever make her laugh again.

“So what can I do for you today, Zane?” she asked in that sweet, sexy voice. Yep, he was completely hard now. Hearing her say his name, and asking what she could do for him had all kinds of ideas hovering at the tip of his tongue. But he couldn’t say any of those things, and she was waiting for an answer.

“Uh, I know Sidney wanted this Friday to be her last day, but I was hoping she could stay a little longer. I won’t be back in town until next Thursday.”

“Oh. Hold on.” He listened as Kenley relayed the request perfectly.

“What?” There was a shuffling sound before Sidney took over the call. “You said you would be back,” she accused.

“I know, but you also know how many times that plan falls through. I need to take care of that bid in Wisconsin before I can come home.”

“Paul can do the bid.”

“It would be better if I do it.”

“Fine, then do it. You don’t need me here.”