Page 27 of Help Wanted

“Your mother still nagging you to take over the business?” Zane guessed.

“Yep. I don’t know what part of I’m happy she’s not hearing. Maybe she doesn’t care what makes me happy.”

Zane would have argued, but he wasn’t sure it wasn’t true. The woman’s priorities were out of whack.

“So do you really want to buy a boat?”

“My mother accused me of acting like an irresponsible playboy. I figure an irresponsible playboy should have a boat. The more pretentious the better.”

“Shouldn’t the irresponsible playboy also be either irresponsible or a playboy?” Weston was neither of those things. Despite all his money, he never acted like he was anything other than a friendly guy.

“Right. I’m working on that.” Wes had dated a few girls in school, but he was far from being a player. “We’ll start with the boat.”

“There’s a boat show coming up. I should be able to find you something there.”

“Thanks. You can hang out up here when you deliver it.”

“Sounds good.” They hung up and Zane smiled, knowing he had another reason to get out of the office.

* * *

Kenley poured out the coffee from the day before and put a new filter in the machine. She didn’t drink coffee and before she started the pot, she contemplated if anyone else would drink it. The chances of her being completely alone in the office for the third straight day were pretty good.

She still felt bad about the poor older man she’d trapped for forty-five minutes when he stopped in to pay his bill.

The service guys in back assured her they didn’t need anything, not even her company. They had their own restroom in the shop, so there was nothing to bring them to the office.

At her last job people had stopped by her desk on an hourly basis to ask a question, pick up a report, or just to chat.

It had always seemed distracting. She never realized how much she would miss social interaction until she had none. Of course, even if Zane was in the office, it didn’t mean there would be social interaction.

He wasn’t one for interacting at all.

Zane had left last week for Milwaukee and, according to his last email, he was now in Baltimore. She’d called him a few times and left messages. He never called back, just responded with a brief text or email.

She understood the modern world didn’t require face-to-face or even verbal communication, but she did. She was going crazy. She almost thought about getting a plant so she had something to talk to. Maybe that was how it had started with Sidney.

The worst part wasn’t just that Zane wasn’t there physically. It was also the emotional distance between them. She’d really felt like they were getting somewhere at lunch—before he had to run off.

She’d sent him a few funny texts and emails, but his responses were all business. She couldn’t be upset by that, this was a business. But it was also sort of a partnership. It would be easier to anticipate his needs if she knew him better. Maybe in time.

“I’m going batty,” Kenley confessed to Vanessa the next week. Paul had stopped in, and a few of the other guys came in to pick things up, but they weren’t up for chatting. Brady hadn’t even flirted with her, which was odd.

“I also think I’m unattractive.”

“Why do you think that?” Vanessa laughed.

“The company flirt stopped flirting with me. He’s taken on a big-brother thing.”

“Wear something that shows off your boobs,” she suggested.

“First, I don’t want him to look at my boobs.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s intimidating.”

“But you want him to flirt? I don’t get it.” Of course she didn’t. Kenley was losing her mind.