[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
wants it done. So if we could work this out, you would be saving my life."
Kate didn't usually talk so much to a total stranger, but she was just a little
unnerved by the way he continued to watch her. Silently, intently watching.
She poured two cups of coffee, took them to the table and nodded toward
one of the chairs. "Please ... sit down. As you probably figured out, I'm Kate
Moore, and you're .. . ?"
He didn't answer immediately. Raising one hand, he wiped beads of
perspiration from his brow and drew in several unsteady breaths.
A moment later, without meeting her eyes, he said, "Smith. McKinsey
Smith."He had the most unusual voice she had ever heard. Low, soft, and
husky. A strange, almost erotic sound that shivered slowly down her spine
and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
She knew she was overreacting and told herself it was because this man had
caught her in a vulnerable moment, the kind of moment Kate was careful
never to let anyone witness.
Giving her head a small shake, she pulled out a chair opposite him and sat
down. "Why don't you tell me a little about your past employers and what
exactly you did "
Before she could finish the question, the phone rang. Excusing herself, Kate
rose to her feet and picked up the kitchen extension.
"Douglas!" she exclaimed with pleasure a moment later. "When did you get
back?"
As she listened to the deep voice on the phone, Kate's attention kept straying
to the man several feet away, who was still watching her closely, openly
listening to her conversation.
"I'm glad you had a good trip. Did you . . . I'm sorry, I can't tonight. I'm
having someone for dinner. Veda's first husband, as a matter of fact." She
laughed. "It's an inside joke. Junior Thibideaux is coming for dinner, and no,
you can't come too. You know you make Junior nervous. You do it on
purpose, which, I might add, is very childish of you."
When McKinsey Smith shifted in his chair, she glanced again in his
direction. His expression had changed. The stunned, nervous look had been
replaced by something she couldn't interpret. Anger? Pain?
"Can you call me back later, Douglas? You've caught me right in the middle
of something."
Hanging up, Kate turned back to the man at the table. "Is something wrong?
Are you ill?"
With visible effort, his features relaxed and he shook his head. "I'm fine," he
said.
Kate didn't press him, knowing that some men resented being ill and saw it
as a sign of weakness.
When she regained her seat, she noticed curiosity in his eyes as he glanced
at the piles of papers on the table. "I work here sometimes," she explained.
"Even though Veda gives me hell for being in her kitchen."
"What kind of work?"
She took a sip of coffee. "Have you seen the Quick Care Car Centers?"
He frowned in concentration. "The red-and- white car washes? I must have
passed a half dozen of them on my way here."
"Not quite. I have only six in the whole Dallas-Fort Worth area." She smiled
when she saw his surprise. "Yes, they're mine. I started the first one four
years ago. Now I have ten across the state and I'll be adding two more to the
Houston area in a month or so. Next year I plan to "
At that moment the back screen slammed with a loud bang.
"Okay," Ben said as he slid to a halt beside her. "Okay, I got it this time. I'm
gonna put up the walls first, then I'll cut out the windows and a door. That
way "
He broke off and let his gaze drift over the man who was slowly rising to his
feet.
The room was suddenly electric with some kind of energy, energy that
seemed to come directly from McKinsey Smith.
The tendons in his neck stood out as he swallowed twice, his gaze never
leaving Ben's face. He was openly staring at her son, just as he had stared at
Kate earlier. But this time there was something different in his eyes. It was a
poignant mixture that contained equal elements of urgency and joy and
uncontrollable sadness, and she wondered if her son had somehow evoked
painful memories for him.
"This is my son," Kate said quietly. "Ben, this is Mr. Smith. He's applying
for the handyman job."
"How handy are you?" Ben asked, his gaze measuring. "Do you know how
to build a treehouse?"
McKinsey Smith nodded.
"You're hired," the boy said, then turned to take an apple from a bowl on the
counter.
"Ben!" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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wants it done. So if we could work this out, you would be saving my life."
Kate didn't usually talk so much to a total stranger, but she was just a little
unnerved by the way he continued to watch her. Silently, intently watching.
She poured two cups of coffee, took them to the table and nodded toward
one of the chairs. "Please ... sit down. As you probably figured out, I'm Kate
Moore, and you're .. . ?"
He didn't answer immediately. Raising one hand, he wiped beads of
perspiration from his brow and drew in several unsteady breaths.
A moment later, without meeting her eyes, he said, "Smith. McKinsey
Smith."He had the most unusual voice she had ever heard. Low, soft, and
husky. A strange, almost erotic sound that shivered slowly down her spine
and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
She knew she was overreacting and told herself it was because this man had
caught her in a vulnerable moment, the kind of moment Kate was careful
never to let anyone witness.
Giving her head a small shake, she pulled out a chair opposite him and sat
down. "Why don't you tell me a little about your past employers and what
exactly you did "
Before she could finish the question, the phone rang. Excusing herself, Kate
rose to her feet and picked up the kitchen extension.
"Douglas!" she exclaimed with pleasure a moment later. "When did you get
back?"
As she listened to the deep voice on the phone, Kate's attention kept straying
to the man several feet away, who was still watching her closely, openly
listening to her conversation.
"I'm glad you had a good trip. Did you . . . I'm sorry, I can't tonight. I'm
having someone for dinner. Veda's first husband, as a matter of fact." She
laughed. "It's an inside joke. Junior Thibideaux is coming for dinner, and no,
you can't come too. You know you make Junior nervous. You do it on
purpose, which, I might add, is very childish of you."
When McKinsey Smith shifted in his chair, she glanced again in his
direction. His expression had changed. The stunned, nervous look had been
replaced by something she couldn't interpret. Anger? Pain?
"Can you call me back later, Douglas? You've caught me right in the middle
of something."
Hanging up, Kate turned back to the man at the table. "Is something wrong?
Are you ill?"
With visible effort, his features relaxed and he shook his head. "I'm fine," he
said.
Kate didn't press him, knowing that some men resented being ill and saw it
as a sign of weakness.
When she regained her seat, she noticed curiosity in his eyes as he glanced
at the piles of papers on the table. "I work here sometimes," she explained.
"Even though Veda gives me hell for being in her kitchen."
"What kind of work?"
She took a sip of coffee. "Have you seen the Quick Care Car Centers?"
He frowned in concentration. "The red-and- white car washes? I must have
passed a half dozen of them on my way here."
"Not quite. I have only six in the whole Dallas-Fort Worth area." She smiled
when she saw his surprise. "Yes, they're mine. I started the first one four
years ago. Now I have ten across the state and I'll be adding two more to the
Houston area in a month or so. Next year I plan to "
At that moment the back screen slammed with a loud bang.
"Okay," Ben said as he slid to a halt beside her. "Okay, I got it this time. I'm
gonna put up the walls first, then I'll cut out the windows and a door. That
way "
He broke off and let his gaze drift over the man who was slowly rising to his
feet.
The room was suddenly electric with some kind of energy, energy that
seemed to come directly from McKinsey Smith.
The tendons in his neck stood out as he swallowed twice, his gaze never
leaving Ben's face. He was openly staring at her son, just as he had stared at
Kate earlier. But this time there was something different in his eyes. It was a
poignant mixture that contained equal elements of urgency and joy and
uncontrollable sadness, and she wondered if her son had somehow evoked
painful memories for him.
"This is my son," Kate said quietly. "Ben, this is Mr. Smith. He's applying
for the handyman job."
"How handy are you?" Ben asked, his gaze measuring. "Do you know how
to build a treehouse?"
McKinsey Smith nodded.
"You're hired," the boy said, then turned to take an apple from a bowl on the
counter.
"Ben!" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]