Page 60 of Twice as Tempting

“That’s right,” he muttered and looked back and forth between them as if he were trapped between two venomous snakes.

Kelly decided that he’d suffered enough—for now. “I came to see if you could get away for lunch.”

Damian glanced up at the wall clock and looked relieved. “Lunch sounds great. I’ll go wash up and meet you outside.” He scurried back into the shop before Kelly could reply, which left the two cobras alone.

He may have wanted Kelly to wait outside, but her job wasn’t done yet. “So, Lexie, what are you going to do for work when your uncle retires?”

Lexie narrowed her eyes at her opponent. “I was planning on asking Damian if I could stay on until I find a real job. I’m graduating from college in December, but it might take me a while to find something.”

“What field?”

“Human Resources.”

Figures, Kelly thought, a fluff job! Although some people said the same thing about her marketing degree.

“You ready?” Damian asked, reentering the room with a look of surprise that Kelly was still standing there.

“Yes,” Kelly said distractedly.

As they walked toward the door, Lexie called out, “Don’t forget about your one o’clock appointment, Damian.”

He just nodded and practically shoved Kelly out the door.

Kelly didn’t speak until they were a half a mile down the road. “Is A&W ok?”

“Sure.”

There was an old-fashioned drive-up A&W nearby, and Kelly pulled up next to the speaker and shut off her car. She placed their order for Coney dogs, fries, and root beer and then turned sideways to face Damian.

“Just curious. How come you never mentioned your co-worker before?”

“Kell…”

“Just answer the question.”

“I don’t really think of her as my co-worker. She’s Jim’s niece, and she only works part time. I didn’t think it was important.”

“Just like you didn’t think that it was important to mention me to her?”

“Kell…are you…jealous?”

“Ha! Right! Jealous of a teeny bopper? No way!”

“She’s not a teenager; she’s twenty-two years old.” At her scowl, he added, “Not that it matters.”

“Did you know that she wants to stay on after she graduates?”

“No.”

“Well, you better break the news to her soon.”

“What news?”

“That she won’t be staying. As your marketing consultant, I would highly recommend against it.”

Damian tilted his head back and burst out laughing. When his laughter subsided, he said, “And that advice would have nothing to do with jealousy?”

“I just don’t think it would be a wise business decision. You need to portray a professional image to your customers, so the front desk person should probably be an older, more mature person, and preferably a male.”