“You don’t have to rattle off my attributes, Mr. Preston. I’m not someone who has to be praised to be happy.” Ellie could sense he was smiling at her. Mocking her.

“Suit yourself.” He settled into the seat. “I just didn’t want you to feel threatened because I’m your boss, that’s all.”

He was gloating, pure and simple. “Why would that make me feel threatened?”

“I think you feel threatened because you don’t like change.”

She gasped. “Look, Cole, you know nothing about me, so please don’t try to analyze me!”

She pulled onto the side of the road at the job site and jumped out of the car. Instead of taking the usual care when walking at a construction site, she plunged the heels of her shoes into the muddy ground. When she lifted her left leg, her shoe stayed put. She teetered and swayed like a bobble-headed Hawaiian doll. Desperate to maintain her dignity, she jerked on her foot and fell into the waiting arms of Cole Preston.

DIANN HUNT

and her husband, Jim, started on a three-mile trek through Amish country in 1997, and at that moment, she had no idea she was taking her first steps toward a new career. Inspired by their walk, she wrote an article, which was published a year later. Other articles soon followed. After studying fiction writing, she celebrated her first novella sale in 2001, with CBA bestselling novellas and novels reaching the bookshelves soon afterward.

Wanting to be used by God in the ministry of writing, Diann left her job as a court reporter in the fall of 2003 and now devotes her time to writing. Well, writing and spoiling her four granddaughters.

She has been happily married forever and loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog and, well, chocolate.

Be sure to check out her Web site at www.diannhunt.com. Sign her guestbook, and drop her an e-mail. And, hey, if you have any chocolate…

Hearts Under Construction

Diann Hunt

MILLS & BOON

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

—2 Corinthians 5:17

To my editor, Krista Stroever, for her encouragement and valuable expertise, and to my critique partner, Colleen Coble, for her prayers, writing advice and, most of all, for her friendship.

In memory of my husband’s grandparents, James and Zana Hunt. I will never forget you. Your Christian example lingers in my heart still, and because of you, my life is changed.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

Change.

Some people liked it, even thrived on it. Eleanore Williams knew she wasn’t one of them.

With a quick glance in her car mirror, Ellie smoothed her blond hair into place and touched up her makeup. She wiped away a smudge of mascara and felt pleased with the way her new emerald-green pantsuit matched her eyes.

When she stepped from her car into the morning light, the warmth of the sun’s rays announced spring would soon slip into summer. It didn’t seem possible. Where did the time go?

She tugged on the shoulder strap of her laptop, adjusting the weight of it as she walked toward the office. Oh, some changes were okay. Like getting a job promotion. She looked forward to that one. Change of clothes, change of soap detergent, change of seasons, she could handle those. It was the life upheavals she didn’t like. The unexpected things. Okay, and diets. She hated diets. Yet, thanks to her father’s side of the family, her five-foot-two frame swelled with every piece of chocolate almost from the instant it melted in her mouth. She thought of the apple and salad in her lunch bag. Her mood darkened. A large black ant crawled in her path and Ellie resisted the urge to crunch it into oblivion.

As a talented music minister, her father was always in high demand. With those calls had come many moves and upheavals. She supposed that was why she craved stability now. A slight breeze scented the air with lilac from a nearby bush. Now that was one thing on which she could always depend. The fragrance triumphed over her stomach, chasing away her gloomy mood. She smiled at the lilac bush, feeling thankful for the little things in life.

In spite of it being a Monday morning, she pushed through the doors of Wiley’s Dream Homes with enthusiasm. The office already buzzed with activity. Jackson Wiley, owner of Wiley’s Dream Homes, stood at the end of the room talking with a man whose back was to her. Ellie scooted into her seat and clicked on the computer. While waiting for it to start up, she picked through the stack of paperwork she had left on Friday.

A quick review told her before she could cope with the documents and a brand-new workweek, she would need a big cup of coffee. Snatching her favorite mug, which read “Hand over your chocolate and no one gets hurt,” in large brown letters, she looked once more toward Jax before rising to make her way to the kitchen. This time both men were facing her. She decided the stranger beside Jax must be a new client. Then again, maybe not.

Feeling a bit curious, Ellie sat back down and eyed them further. As they stood together she could see the stark contrast between the two. Jax stretched to just about five foot eight in his thickest-heeled shoes. His brown hair was almost as long as Ellie’s, stopping just under the earlobes. Small stylish glasses framed blue eyes, making him look every inch the professor. He looked uncomfortable in his suit and tie, like a snake wanting to shed its skin. Sweaters or relaxed shirts and work pants appealed to him.

Ellie guessed the man beside Jax at six feet. His long legs stretched nicely into casual jeans and a brown T-shirt spread tightly across his broad shoulders. A light gel held his dark, wavy hair perfectly in place. Stylish sideburns ended where his firm jaw began.

They laughed and Jax slapped the other man good-naturedly on the back. Interesting. Jax didn’t usually chum around with clients or employee candidates like that. Her eyes narrowed. She concentrated hard, trying to figure out the identity of this stranger.

The men looked up in time to catch her indulging in the shameless scrutiny. Ellie felt her face burn. She swallowed a silent gulp and turned away, deciding now was a good time to visit the kitchen.

She glanced at her watch. In fifteen minutes, she would meet with Jax. She figured she had time to grab a quick cup of plain coffee with sugar—since there were no mochas available—and prepare for the good news. After all, she felt sure today he would offer her the partnership. This was one change for which she was ready. Jax had spent considerable time contemplating the matter of replacing his former partner who had retired in the early part of the year. On Friday, he had told the sales staff he would announce the new partner on Monday. He had started to talk to her about the matter last week, but a telephone call had interrupted their conversation. Had he been going to offer it to her then? A shiver ran through her.

Ellie had worked hard to prove herself in the past couple of years. In her opinion, the other salespeople didn’t seem to care as much about the company. It seemed logical for Jax to pick her for the position.

Arriving at the coffeemaker, she poured herself a cup of the hot liquid. She had always liked the smell of coffee better than the actual taste, but like the masses, she had learned to acquire a tolerable acceptance of the brew. From the counter, a cream-filled doughnut called to her, but she ignored it, deciding her nervous stomach couldn’t handle it this morning.

Turning from the doughnut, she leaned her back against the counter and took a sip from her mug. Ellie mentally reviewed her wardrobe and thought of the new clothes she might purchase. Her things were growing threadbare, after all. A slight movement in the hallway caught her attention. The stranger was walking toward her.

She straightened herself, placed her mug on the counter, and turned to the man whose woodsy scent reached her before he did.

“Good morning.” Tall and confident, he thrust his hand toward her. “I’m Cole Preston.” She liked the way he said that. Confident and…soothing. Definitely soothing. Like raindrops pattering against a rooftop on a chilly afternoon.

She pulled out her best smile. “Ellie Williams.” Eyes the color of coffee beans gazed down at her. His warm hand dwarfed her own. Something about him made her want to snuggle into a blanket by a roaring campfire and sing “Kumbayah.”

He nodded with recognition. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”

His comment surprised her. She wondered why Jax would talk about her to this man. Still, strains of “Kumbayah” persisted. “Oh?”

“Um-hum. Jax says you’re a great employee.”

They stood silent a moment while Ellie tried to figure out where this whole conversation was going.

“Guess partners discuss such things.” His teeth sparkled like a toothpaste advertisement.

She stared at him, wondering if she had heard right.

He kept smiling. “I’ve just signed on as Jax’s new partner,” he announced, practically rocking on his heels. “I guess I shouldn’t have announced it until he does, but since you’re his right-hand gal, as he puts it, I thought I could tell you.”

“Kumbayah” came to a warbling halt. “P-p-p-partner?”

He shoved his hand into his pocket and nodded with an air of superiority. Before she could utter a word, Jax strolled up beside her. “Good, I see you’ve met Cole,” he said with a nod and a grin. Jax looked at Ellie, then Cole, then back to Ellie. He raised his eyebrows, his smile faded. “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” she managed through clenched teeth.

Cole just stood there. Smiling. “I told her the news.”

Jax gave a hesitant nod. “Oh.”

Cole kept smiling.

Ellie wanted to cry, but Cole’s gloating pushed her to anger, keeping her tears in check.

“Do we have a meeting, Ellie?” Jax asked, glancing at his watch.

“Yes,” Ellie said with as bright a tone as she could muster.

“Could we scoot that back an hour? I have a few things to attend to.”

“Sure, no problem.” No hurry to get to the meeting now. Ellie reached deep within herself for some semblance of civility and turned to the new partner. “Well, Mr. Preston, welcome aboard.”

“Please, call me Cole.”

She wanted to call him something else all right, but Cole wasn’t it. “Cole,” she said with all the warmth of an iced mocha.

Ellie made a beeline for the bathroom. Her hands trembled and her chin started to quiver. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this.

Once inside the empty bathroom, she locked herself in a stall, allowing silent tears to drop. How could Jax betray her? Why didn’t he give her a chance? Father, I thought this was all settled. Her heart told her she had settled the matter. God had not. It took a few moments for her to swallow that revelation. Once again, she had jumped ahead of the Lord. Still, how could this not be the best thing for her? Hadn’t she earned it?

What did her reading in I Samuel 15 say this morning? She strained to remember. Feeling puffed up with a victory in battle, King Saul decided he knew best and disobeyed the Word of the Lord.

Pride bred disobedience.

Like Saul, had Ellie taken matters into her own hands? She prayed a rote prayer for forgiveness, barely aware of the proud seed of bitterness that took root in a corner of her heart.

She yanked some toilet paper from the roll and dabbed at her face. Thankful that the room was empty, she stepped out of the stall and checked her makeup in the mirror. Tidying her hair, she looked at her reflection. “Well, it’s time to buck up.” She took a deep breath and walked through the door.

Morgan Somerville, another sales associate, approached. “Hey, Ellie, did you meet the new partner?”

Ellie nodded and kept walking as if she had an important meeting. Which, of course, she did not. Her meeting wasn’t for another hour and the partnership news was already out.

Morgan whistled. “He can be my boss any day of the week.”

Ellie looked at her with a forced smile, then turned and walked toward her desk. She groaned when she realized she had left her mug in the kitchen. Jax and Cole had been standing near the counter by her mug when she left. She decided to get her spare mug from the drawer so she wouldn’t have to talk to them. Pulling out the bottom drawer of her desk, she reached in and lifted out a spare. Today, she decided, she needed her coffee more than ever. Mug in hand, she headed for the kitchen.

She couldn’t understand why Jax hadn’t considered her for the position. Perhaps he had, but why then had he chosen Cole? She tried to deny her wounded pride. This would not be a simple hurdle to overcome. The more she thought about the whole thing, the angrier she got. With her mind fixed firmly on the matter, she didn’t notice someone else in the kitchen. Lost in thought, she all but plowed into the source of her distress and nearly bowled him over. Her coffee mug dropped from her hand, scattering into chunks of splintered fragments across the ceramic tile. As she teetered, Cole’s hands clamped around her upper arms. “Are you all right?”

She wanted to plant her fists on her hips and say, “No, I’m not all right. If I were all right, my coffee mug would be in my hand, not shredded across the kitchen floor.” Instead she said with more calm than she felt, “I’m fine.” She brushed the flecks of white glass from her pantsuit. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Okay, maybe she did know what she had been thinking. Confident she had picked off the last speck, she glanced up. Cole smiled. That unnerved her. “I’ll just get the broom and dustpan.”

“Here, let me help you.” He followed her toward a kitchen closet.

She hurried to the door ahead of him and said firmly, “Thank you, no.” She had lost enough dignity for one day and didn’t care to appear the helpless female.

“Oh, the independent type. Remember, we’ll have to learn to work together.”

Searching for, but not finding, a civil way to respond, she clamped her mouth shut.

“Excuse me, Mr. Preston. Jax would like to see you in his office.” Alexandra Cassle, or Alex, as she preferred to be called, pasted on her most beautiful smile. Now there was a woman who never had to diet. Alex could eat a full plate of fettuccini smothered in Alfredo sauce every day of the week, and it would never affect her slender figure in the least.

Ellie struggled to keep her thoughts Christian.

Watching Cole look Alex over with appreciation, Ellie expected him to start foaming at the mouth at any moment, just like every other male who entered the office. She watched the scenario with interest, wondering if Jax knew he might have some competition. After all, Jax and Alex had been dating for, what, six months now? This little scenario could have real humor potential.

“Thank you. I’ve been there, but would you mind showing me where it is once more?”

Alex swung her thick chestnut waves behind her shoulders, batted her lashes a couple of times and let out a feminine chuckle.

Ellie stared in awe—at a true master at work.

“I’d be glad to, Mr. Preston. Just follow me.”

“Please, call me Cole.” His voice faded down the hall as he walked away without so much as a backward glance.

Yes, real potential, indeed.

Ellie mentally shook off the thought and shrugged. Maybe she was just jealous because she didn’t know how to hook a man. Her thoughts stopped abruptly. What was she thinking? Hook a man like that! The very man who had stolen her job promotion? Her dreams? Her future?

She started to move and heard a crunch. Only then did she remember the puddle of broken crockery.

Cole settled into the cranberry leather chair across from Jax’s desk. Alex walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Cole let out a low whistle and smiled at Jax.

“Careful, that’s my woman, you know.”

Cole raised his eyebrows and hid a smile behind a drink of coffee. “You two serious?”

Jax shrugged. “Alex is a nice girl. I’m not sure that it’s serious, but I’m not ready for someone else to cut in.”

Cole held up his hands. “You’ll get no problem from me. I’ll have my hands full just learning this business and trying to keep your best employee happy.”

Jax laughed. “You mean Ellie?”

Cole whistled and rolled his eyes. “She’s got her hackles up, that’s for sure. Why didn’t you warn me? It’s obvious she wanted to be your partner.”

Elbows on the desk, Jax dropped his chin into his hands. “I know. But she just wasn’t ready for the responsibility.” He thought a moment and leaned back in his chair, plopping his feet on his desk. “Now, don’t get me wrong, Ellie works hard. But, well, I’m not sure she could handle all the aspects of the job.” He looked away a moment. “I didn’t mean to hurt her, though. She’s not only my best employee, she’s also a good friend. I should have warned her.” He turned back to Cole. “Then she wouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“Yeah, thanks a lot.”

“I think you can handle yourself.” Jax smiled. “As I told you, I’m taking some classes with an eye to teaching at the local college eventually. Right now, I need the business to help fund my education, but one day I’m hoping to be able to sell it, when I’ve completed the education requirements and when the right buyer comes along.

“That means I need someone like you for the position, with more experience and a more forceful personality. Ellie’s too nice to deal with some of those tough guys on the home sites. And I just don’t think she could handle it alone.”

Cole piped up. “Remember, this is a trial thing. I’m not sure I’m ready for a lifetime commitment. We’re just trying this thing out, right?”

“I know all about you and commitments. That’s why you’re not married.” Jax laughed.

“And your excuse is?”

Jax shrugged. “Seriously, Cole, I appreciate you at least giving this job arrangement a chance. The business needs someone like you. We both know your reputation. You’re not afraid to let someone go, if need be. You’ve got a good business head on your shoulders.” Jax twirled a pencil between his fingers. “Lucky for me, the advertising company in Chicago had a corporate takeover. When you told me you’d lost your job, this seemed the perfect fit. For both of us. Of course, I know you’ll miss the adventure, the travels, the million-dollar clients.”

Cole shrugged. “Those things have their place. But they come with headaches, too. I’m ready for a change.”

Jax lowered his feet to the floor, laid the pencil on his desk, and picked up his coffee. “I’m glad to hear that. I was hoping you could manage to stick around long enough to make some money here.” Jax winked before sipping his drink.

Cole shrugged. “Okay, so I’m not exactly Stanley Stability. You don’t have to go into my sordid past. I’m turning over a new leaf. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted.”

Jax cocked an eyebrow. “So, why the sudden change of heart?”

Cole looked toward the window. “I’m not sure. Just feels like this is right, you know?”

“Good. I knew I was taking a risk when I asked you. I’d hoped you would stay.” Jax quickly added, “But I understand it’s a trial thing. No promises.”

Cole nodded.

A knock on the door caused them to turn.

“Come in,” Jax said.

Ellie stepped inside and paused. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you had someone still with you.”

Jax perked up. “No, no, come on in, Ellie.” He stood and walked over to her.

“I need to be going, anyway,” Cole said.

Jax closed the door then turned to them. “No, I need to talk to both of you, won’t you sit down?”

Cole settled back into his chair, and Ellie sat down in the remaining one beside him. Jax returned to his seat. “We’re going to be working closely together. All of us.” Jax looked at them in turn. “Cole’s going to relieve me of some of my responsibilities out on the job sites.”

“But, I—”

Jax held up his hand. “I know you’ve been doing that, Ellie, but it’s too much for one person. Of course—”

“Too much for one person, Jax? Have I not handled things well by myself? Remember the Ollis job? Didn’t I come through for you when there was a mix-up with the contractors? How about the Person house, didn’t I handle the cabinetry problem without your help?”

“Well, yes, Ellie, you did, but—”

“Then I don’t see why we need to change things. We were handling situations just fine before. Why the change? Why couldn’t you leave things as they were? It makes no sense, Jax.” Her eyes flashed, she straightened in her chair. “Just last week, wasn’t I the one who wouldn’t give up when—”

Jax held up his hand to silence her, but anger wouldn’t shake her free.

“—the Mills were—”

“Ellie.”

“—angry about the—”

“Ellie.”

“—foundation crack? Didn’t I put in extra hours to get that matter settled? And when—”

“Ellie, enough.” Jax’s eyes pinned her. “As I was saying, Cole will oversee things, and he’ll need you to carry out assignments that he can’t do.”

She paused a moment, took a deep breath, then blew it out. “I see. In other words, he’s my supervisor.”

Jax studied the pencil in his hand before looking up at her. “Yes, Ellie, he is your supervisor.”

Cole watched her. He knew she was upset, but he didn’t know how to fix things. “Look, I—” He almost reached for her hand, but the look on her face stopped him cold.

Their eyes locked for one electric moment. “That’s fine. I’m glad I don’t have to do all of that by myself anymore. Makes my job easier.”

Jax put on a pleasant expression. “Great.”

Alex rang over the intercom, notifying Jax of an important call. The three decided to meet later.

Cole followed Ellie out the door, not nearly as convinced as Jax that things would be so great.

Chapter Two

The next morning, after making the necessary notations, Ellie shook hands with the Wilsons and said goodbye. She felt energized after every house deal. Of course, things didn’t always run smoothly, and the pesky modifications could drive her crazy at times, but all in all, she decided, she loved her job. Maybe she’d reward herself with a mocha.

She heard Jax’s voice as she neared his office. Perhaps now was not a good time. But Jax had insisted that since they hadn’t met again yesterday, due to unexpected calls, he wanted to meet with her today. She peeked around the doorway. Still talking on the phone, he motioned her to enter. Ellie took her place in the chair.

“All right, Chad, do what you need to do to keep them happy. Drop the price, throw in the appliances, whatever.”

Jax lifted a weak smile toward Ellie and shrugged.

Poor Jax. Business was not his forte. He wanted to teach. Who could have known his father and mother would die in an auto accident and leave him the family company? It saddled him with a profession he wouldn’t have chosen for himself.

Jax hung up the phone. He smiled and leaned over the desk. “So what can I do for one of my favorite employees?”

“You’d better be careful. Alex might hear you,” she teased.

He waved off the matter and reached for his mug of coffee. “We’re not exactly engaged, you know.”

Ellie smiled at her friend; Jax was more like a brother than a boss. They’d met six years prior when his family had joined her church.

After a quick swallow, Jax put his cup down and looked at her. “I guess you want to know about Cole?”

“Well, the thought had crossed my mind.” She smiled at him. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Jax, but—”

He held up his hand to stop her. “It’s all right. You have a right to know what’s going on.”

Jax got up and walked over to close the door. He settled back into his chair and took a deep breath. His eyes fixed on his desk. “It’s like this, Ellie.” He stopped long enough to look up at her. “I needed someone to relieve me of some responsibilities.”

“But why—why Cole?”

Jax gave her a sympathetic look. He got up and walked around the desk to the chair across from her. “Look, Ellie.” He grabbed her hand. “You’re an excellent worker. I know you wanted this promotion, and I’m sorry I couldn’t offer it to you, but honestly, Cole has more experience in the business realm. He’s just a better fit for the job.”

“So you feel he is more qualified?” Her nose pointed up.

Jax nodded. “It’s not that he’s better than you, just more experienced.”

The words pierced her pride, exposing raw layers of pain. She said nothing.

“Things won’t change all that much. You’ll go on doing what you’ve been doing.”

“But you said yourself he is my supervisor, right?” She knew her question sounded childish, but right now she didn’t care.

Jax shrugged. “I guess, technically, yes. But you don’t have anything to worry about.” He squeezed her hand like an encouraging brother. “Your work is better than good enough. You’re the main one keeping us going right now. If you weren’t writing those offers and overseeing the construction sites, I don’t know what I’d do. Chad, Morgan and Tim do their best, but they just don’t have the drive that you do.”

She softened. “I’m sorry, Jax. I’m just a little edgy.”

“Dieting again?”

She winced a little before nodding.

“Ellie, you are perfect the way you are. Why do you always diet?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I like food. Fat grams stick to my body like leeches on reverse.” Then in the moment of silence that stretched between them, she was struck with inspiration. “Want to go to lunch?”

“It’s nine-thirty,” he answered dryly.

He could be such a spoilsport.

Jax shook his head and walked back over to his seat behind the desk.

“So, what exactly is Cole going to be doing?”

“He’ll be helping me some with the banks and financial side of things, but mostly, he’ll be checking out job sites, gathering information, overseeing things.”

“Like employees?”

Jax nodded and shrugged.

A knock sounded at the door. “Come in.”

“Hey, two of my favorite people.” Cole’s smile almost chased away Ellie’s bitterness.

Almost.

“May I come in?”

“Yes, I was just leaving, anyway.” She stood and crossed the room. He stepped in front of her.

“Seems we’re both always coming or going. Don’t leave on my account.” His eyes held her in place. Her breath caught in her throat. “Please.” He said the last word for her ears only.

His scent, the depth in his voice, the intensity in his eyes, unnerved her. “I have to go,” she squeaked. Quickly, she brushed past him and darted through the door. Once outside Jax’s office, she gasped for air, realizing only then she had barely breathed from the moment their eyes met.

After lunch Ellie gathered her things and walked toward the kitchen where she heard Jax’s voice.

“I’ll be back later, Jax. I’m headed to the Gregory job site,” she told him.

Cole rounded the corner. “Hey, is it okay if I tag along? I need to check on some things.”

Ellie stopped. “Well, uh—”

He held up his hand. “I won’t bite, I promise.”

Ellie wished she could make the same promise. Her lunch salad had done little to improve her spirits.

Cole looked at Jax. “I’ll check on the mechanicals and make sure we’ve got the appropriate permits. Check on the guys’ progress.”

Ellie felt her face flame with heat. Those were her responsibilities. She glanced at Jax, but he quickly turned away. “I’ll see you later.” He waved them off and headed back toward his office.

Her mouth opened like a baby bird’s at mealtime. She glanced up to see Cole staring at her and clamped her mouth closed. Cole and Ellie walked outside to her car and climbed inside.

“Nice car,” he said, stroking the leather upholstery.

“Thanks.” Once she closed her door and started the engine, Ellie clicked on the radio station, turning it up loud enough to discourage any conversation. She knew this whole mess wasn’t really Cole’s fault, but who else could she blame? Jax was her friend and trying to run a business, she couldn’t blame him. Things were what they were. She’d have to get used to it. Still, it would take a while for her wounded pride to heal.

Cole reached over and turned the volume down. “Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?”

Great. Just what she wanted. “Sure, what’s up?” She tried to make her words sound cheerful, as if his presence didn’t bother her in the least. And it didn’t, really. Though his cologne was a little distracting. Made her think of a log cabin in the woods. And, of course, a log cabin made her think of maple syrup and pancakes.

“Look, I don’t know what happened, really, but for some reason, we got off to a bad start. I’d like to change that.”

“There’s no problem,” she said, as if voicing it made it so.

“Come on, Ellie, we both know there’s a problem. I know I can’t fix it, but I’d like to start again.”

“You can’t fix it because there’s nothing to fix.” Couldn’t he just let her lick her wounds and allow her time to get over the disappointment?

“He says you’re a great worker—”

Oh, now he was patronizing her. “You don’t have to rattle off my attributes, Mr. Preston. I’m not someone who has to be praised to be happy.” Her breath came in short gasps, but she continued. “I’m not mad. There is no problem.” She kept her gaze fixed on the road, her voice even and calm. Though she didn’t look at him, she could sense he was smiling at her. A taunting smile. Mocking her. Okay, she might have to hurt him.

“Suit yourself.” He settled into his seat. “I just didn’t want you to feel threatened, that’s all.”

“Why would I feel threatened?” Now, he was making her really mad.

“Because I’m your boss.”

He was gloating, pure and simple. “Why would that make me feel threatened?”

He shrugged. “I think you feel threatened because you don’t like change.”

She gasped and turned to him. “Look, Cole, you know nothing about me, so please don’t try to analyze me!”

She pulled onto the side of the road at the job site, slammed into park with more force than she’d intended, and jumped out of the car. Cole followed suit. She knew she would regret her anger later, but for now it simmered like a sauna bath.

Instead of taking the usual care when walking at a construction site, she plunged the heels of her shoes into the muddy ground. When she lifted her left leg, her shoe stayed put. She teetered and swayed like a Hawaiian dashboard doll. Desperate to maintain her dignity, she jerked on her foot and fell into the waiting arms of Cole Preston.

The construction workers whistled and cawed from the house. Ellie wanted to curl up and roll away.

Cole whispered into her ear, “What shall we do for an encore?”

She turned a disgusted face at him and yanked herself free from his arms. “You are the most egotistical man I have ever met!”

He laughed out loud and bowed as she made her way past him.

Her only solace came from flicking specks of dirt from her shoes across his pant legs as she went.

Ellie took a sip from her teacup. “Thanks, Mom. This hits the spot.”

“Your headache is better, then?”

Her mother’s worried gaze met Ellie’s. “I’m much better.” Ellie could see her mom visibly relax. “What would I do without you?”

Her mom waved her hand. “You’d be just fine. The Lord would give you someone in my place.”

“No one could ever take your place, Mom.”

Her mother fidgeted with her teacup and glanced around the room. “Ellie, don’t you think your couch would be more functional if you placed it against that wall? Then you could see out the patio while—”

“Oh, here we go. I’ve told you, Mom, I’ve got enough battle scars from my childhood. Remember? From when I bumped into furniture that you kept switching around the room?”

Her mother’s mouth formed into a pout and she hung her head.

Ellie laughed, causing her mother to brighten.

“Don’t you get bored with it the same way all the time?”

Ellie shook her head. “I like to keep things the way they are. Why fix something that’s not broken?”

Her mother remained silent, giving in on the issue as if it were the first time, though they had had the discussion many times before. “Ellie, your headaches usually come on because of stress. Anything you want to talk about?”

Ellie put her cup on the coffee table, straightened her pillow and leaned against the back of the sofa. “It’s Cole Preston. I try, Mom, I really do, but I just don’t like the man.”

“What is it you don’t like about him?”

“Everything. He’s pushy. He’s demanding. Always trying something new.”

“Ah.”

“Ah, what?” Ellie couldn’t hide the edginess in her voice.

“Well, honey, it’s just that you’ve never adjusted well to change.”

“Mom, please, I’m not a child anymore. I can adapt.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow.

“I can,” she repeated, defensively. They sat a moment in silence. She hated it when her mother was right. “Okay, so I don’t like change,” she admitted with some reluctance. Ellie sighed and adjusted her blankets. She looked at her mother. “I’m still struggling with this whole partnership thing.”

“Really?”

“Well, it’s just not fair.” Oh, she could kick herself for sounding so childish. Her mother stared, saying nothing. Ellie felt like a bug under a microscope. With everything in her, she tried not to squirm. She knew she was wrong. She had to let her bitterness go, but could she? Sighing, she leaned back into her pillow.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Ellie. As you get used to his ways, you’ll get along fine.” Her mother smiled.

Ever the optimist, Ellie thought. “Is Dad coming for dinner?”

Her mother came over and fluffed the blanket around her. “Yes. In another hour or so.”

“The vegetable soup smells so good.”

“You’d get a decent meal once in a while if you could get away from work long enough to come to our house. I had an awful time finding enough food in your cupboards to come up with dinner.” Her mother finished the last tuck on the blanket and stood up. “By the way, why do you have so much cabbage in your refrigerator?”

Thoughts of the new soup diet came to her. She’d only been on it for two days and already the thought of cabbage made her want to pulverize the pale green heads when she passed them in the produce section of her grocery store. She never told her mother when she went on diets. Her mother always complained about today’s women being too thin. According to her mother, unless a woman carried an extra twenty pounds, she looked sickly.

Ellie loved her mother.

“I heard cabbage is good for you.”

Her mother eyed Ellie warily. Nothing gets past Mom. Ellie closed her eyes in hopes of stopping further discussion about the cabbage.

“Sounds like you’ve got a few things to pray about.” Her mother rubbed a warm cloth against Ellie’s forehead.

Ellie smiled. Her mother’s answer to everything: “Pray about it.” Ellie knew she was right, but something stopped her when she tried to pray about Cole. She dismissed the thought that her attitude was wrong when she approached the matter with the Lord.

Her mother said something else, but the words were lost in a hazy dreamworld. A world of stability where things didn’t change, where she felt safe.

A world without Cole Preston.

Chapter Three

The next week passed in a blur. Chaos in the office kept Jax and Cole busy. Ellie worked hard to avoid them both. She was tired by the time Friday arrived, and felt relieved when five o’clock rolled around. With a glance at the clock, she grabbed her purse and walked from the office toward her car. The afternoon’s winds had swept the sky clean as evening settled upon the city. Ellie pulled in a deep breath. The air smelled sweet with summer. Though she felt tired from a full day’s work, stepping outside had revived her spirits.

Jax walked up beside her. “So, will you go with us tomorrow?”

She frowned.

“Come on, Ellie. It will be fun.” He lifted puppy-dog eyes to her, which always made her give in.

“Isn’t it enough that I have to work with him every day, Jax? Must I see him on the weekends, too?”

“It’s not like we do this every weekend. A trip to Chicago, a day of sailing on Lake Michigan. Please? I could use some relaxation, and Alex wants to go with another couple.”

“Look, Jax, Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, they are a couple. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, they are a couple. Cole Preston and I work together. We are not a couple.”

He stepped back and held up his hands. “I know, I know. I didn’t mean you were a couple.”

Ellie took a deep breath. “I hate like everything to do this, but I will do it for you, Jax. That is the only reason.”

He smiled like a dieter who’d lost another pound—a smile she hadn’t worn in weeks. He grabbed her with both hands and promptly placed a kiss on her forehead. “You’re the best, Ellie.”

She shook her head and smiled in spite of herself. “Just you remember this the next time you need a partner.”

He groaned.

“Seriously, Jax, I’m doing this for you. The last thing I want to do on a Saturday is spend my day off with Cole Preston.”

“Why don’t you like him?”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. After all, Cole was Jax’s best friend. “Besides the fact he’s got an ego the size of Texas?”

Jax threw back his head and laughed. “I guess he does at that. But then I need someone with confidence in the business.”

Climbing into the car, she rolled down her window and looked up at him.

“We’ll pick you up at seven o’clock tomorrow morning,” he said.

With a reluctant nod, Ellie turned on the engine and pulled her car into gear. She waved goodbye and looked in her rearview mirror in time to see Cole join Jax in the parking lot. Her stomach knotted. With a glance at the glove compartment, she decided even the hidden candy bar could do little to calm her spirits. Just one day, she told herself. No big deal, right? She would go along for Jax’s sake.

She took a deep breath; the tomato-juice diet wasn’t working and it made her too edgy. Someone at the office had told her about a new low-carb diet. She decided she’d like to try that one. Once her car pulled up at the traffic light, Ellie glanced again at the glove compartment. Her fingers danced lightly on the steering wheel. The light stayed red. Finally, she reached over and pulled out the candy bar. Maybe she’d try the low-carb thing next week.

The doorbell rang much too soon. Ellie grabbed her canvas bag and purse then headed for the door.

“Good morning.” Jax and Alex met her with a smile. She wondered why they both came to the door. Probably afraid I would back out and it would take two of them to haul me, kicking and screaming, to the car. She smiled with the thought.

“Hi.” Although Ellie did not want to go on this outing, she had to admit she felt a twinge of excitement. The day already boasted of warmth, sunshine and fun. She followed Jax and Alex to the car, taking note of their appearance. Ellie decided Jax looked nice in his navy shorts, a white pullover with a navy collar and stylish sandals.

Auburn hair fanned across Alex’s shoulders in waves. That color was reflected by a chunky necklace of browns and tans nestled at the throat of her cream-colored blouse. Brown shorts with a matching belt and sandals completed her outfit. At her side, she carried a cream wide-brimmed hat. She appeared to have just stepped out of a modeling shoot.

Ellie glanced down at her own sensible shorts outfit. They say you can tell a lot about people by the clothes they wear. She imagined her clothes said she hadn’t glanced at a fashion magazine in months. Besides, the inside of a person was what really counted. She tried to ignore the storm gathering around her heart. Come to think of it, she wasn’t exactly model material in that department, either.

“Beautiful day,” she said, pulling on her seat belt.

“We’re going to have so much fun!” Alex said with more enthusiasm than Ellie had ever seen from Jax’s date. Ellie had to admit she was glad she had come after all.

Jax put on his sunglasses then edged the car out of the driveway.

“Did Cole already make arrangements to rent the boat, or will we have to do that when we get there?” Ellie asked.

“Oh, it’s all taken care of. Seems he has a friend there who is loaning us his sailboat.”

“Of course, he would think of everything,” she muttered under her breath. She looked around the car then up at Jax through the mirror. “Did you bring any chocolate?”

Jax shook his head. “Eat your energy bar.” He pulled into the blur of traffic.

Finally, at Cole’s house, Jax went up to the door to let Cole know they were there. Alex chattered about what fun they were going to have, but Ellie didn’t hear much once she saw Cole step outside. She watched as he lifted a cooler, placed it on the porch, then closed the door behind him. He caught up with Jax and walked toward the car. His long legs sported khaki shorts and he wore a comfortable shirt, revealing the strong arms of a disciplined man.

After some small talk, Jax turned on the radio and they settled into a comfortable ride. Ellie took a deep breath and decided now was as good a time as any to get things straightened out with Cole. She whispered so the others couldn’t hear. “Hey, about the other day—”

“Forget it. I stepped out of bounds and I’m sorry.”

The apology surprised her. “Me, too.”

Cole smiled and winked, chasing the dark mood from her heart. She thought the day might turn out all right after all.

Once settled on the boat, a warm breeze carried them a good ways onto the lake. Ellie sat with her eyes closed, willing herself to relax in the comfort of the summer sun. Though the temperature rose to an uncomfortable degree on land, the wind lifted mists of lake water around them, making the air perfect.

Hearing Alex laugh, Ellie peeked over and saw Alex playfully jabbing Jax. Ellie turned away, not wanting to intrude upon their private moment, and glanced at Cole. His head was back, his face tilted heavenward. Golden sunlight sprayed across his already bronze body, causing his skin to glisten.

Confusion plagued her. She closed her eyes. Cole drove her crazy at work. Always changing things, putting new policies into place, new rules, new guidelines. Sometimes she thought he did it because he knew she hated change. Why would he want to make her life miserable? Was she miserable? Yes, though she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she needed a new job. She loved working for Jax, but she knew he wanted to go into teaching someday. Why couldn’t things stay the same? Why couldn’t Jax be happy in the business? Then they wouldn’t have this mess with Cole. Why couldn’t people be content? Changes, changes and more changes. Nothing stayed the same.

Lord, help me to stop looking at things through negative eyes. I’m sure my attitude has been less than pleasing to You, and I’m sorry. Whatever You want for my future, Father, help me to leave that in Your hands.

“You still with us?”

Ellie opened her eyes to see Cole. Her heart jumped like a playful fish on the water’s surface. “Uh-huh.”

He opened a can of pop. “It’s a great day for this.”

“It’s absolutely wonderful.” She closed her eyes again.

“You hungry?” Cole asked. Ellie straightened, attempting to shake off the lethargy. He obviously didn’t know her well.

“Trust me, she’s hungry,” Jax piped up before she had a chance to answer. They all laughed.

Alex and Ellie pulled the sandwiches and soft drinks from the cooler while the guys checked the boat’s course.

“Are you having a good time?”

Ellie thought for a moment. “Yeah, I really am.”

Alex chuckled. “You said that as if you’re surprised.”

Ellie smiled. “I guess I did.”

“And are you?”

“What?”

“Surprised that you’re having a good time.”

Ellie shrugged.

“You work too hard, Ellie. What fun is that?” Alex pulled the tab on her pop and took a drink.

Ellie watched her but said nothing.

Alex wiped her mouth. “You know what they say, ‘All work, no play makes Ellie a dull girl.’”

Ellie knew there was truth in what Alex said. Not only that, but Ellie’s hard work hadn’t exactly paid off. She pushed the thought away, not allowing it to spoil her day. “You and Jax seem to be having a good time.”

Alex lifted a haughty smile. “And why not? We’re practically engaged.”

“Oh?”

“Well, not officially, but I’m sure he’ll pop the question soon.”

Ellie knew Jax pretty well and didn’t think he was quite ready for that step. In her own spoiled way, Alex seemed to contribute more to the relationship than Jax.

The rest of the day passed as quickly as the gentle breeze. Weary, but happily so, they finally settled into the car as Jax headed the car toward home.

“It’s been a great day, Jax. Thanks for driving,” Cole said from the backseat. Everyone agreed.

Cole looked at Ellie. “I had a great time with you, too.” Before she could linger in the sudden warmth that sprang up at his words, he added, “Oh, by the way, we need to go over the list of contractors next week. Deleting a few, adding some others.”

The impact of his words hit her with full force. “Deleting?”

“Yeah, I’m letting some go.”

“Why?” She knew the answer before she asked. There were a couple of men who always showed up late. But did Cole realize these men had legitimate excuses? One had to drop off his children at the daycare, another had to wait until his wife got home from work to pass off their only car. He came in usually twenty minutes late. She could live with that. After all, he didn’t get paid for the time he wasn’t there. Didn’t Cole have any compassion at all?

“Let me just say I have my reasons.”

Oh, fine, he didn’t feel he owed her an explanation. He was, after all, her supervisor. Who was she kidding? Coleman Preston infuriated her. If she’d been a dragon, she’d have turned him to toast. “I’m sure you do.” She scooted herself farther away from him and closer to the door, turning her gaze out the window.

The man was insufferable.

Cole had been out of the office most of the day on Monday. Ellie assumed he was dealing with the contractors. She had to let it go.

On Tuesday morning, she sat at her desk and pulled open the first file needing her attention.

“Ellie, do you have a minute?”

Swiveling her chair around, she saw Cole standing in front of her. “Yes.”

He pulled up a chair. “I just wanted to let you know the Wilsons called last night. Mrs. Wilson wanted to check on a couple of wall measurements for furniture placement or something. Anyway, you were gone and the matter seemed urgent to them, so I met them at the house last night.”

Ellie felt her defenses going up. She tried to stay calm. After all, he’d done her a favor. She should be grateful.

“Thank you,” she managed to say with some effort.

“They’re nice people. Had a good visit with them. We started talking about carpeting, and well, I laid carpet when I was in high school and told them a little about what I know. They asked me if I could help them pick the carpet for their home.”

Is there anything he hasn’t done? Anger scorched the pit of her stomach. “Cole, I’m supposed to help them do that.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s why I’m telling you. I figured you wouldn’t care since we all want what’s best for the customer, right?”

“Are you what’s best for the customer?” She kept her voice low and controlled, though inside her emotions ran rampant. He had gone too far. He might be her boss, but they were her customers. She knew she didn’t trust him for a reason.

“Look, I know a little about carpeting, that’s all. What’s your problem, anyway?”

She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead. There had to be another way of dealing with this besides acting like a crazy woman. She needed to prove herself. Show Jax he had made a mistake in hiring Cole. She thought she had already proven herself; what more could she do?

“Ellie?”

She looked at him.

“I thought we had settled this whole thing between us. What’s the deal?”

“The deal is I would appreciate you letting me handle my own clients, Cole. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

“You know I didn’t mean to get in the way, it just sort of happened.”

Yeah, like you getting in the way of my partnership offer, she wanted to say, but for once, she held her tongue. She glanced at her watch. “I have to go.”

His eyebrows lifted.

“If it’s all right with you, I have an appointment to talk to a couple about building a house.” She lifted her chin, refusing to blink her eyes.

He bowed, stepped aside and made a grand sweeping gesture with his hand.

They would discuss the matter again.

He could be sure of that.

That evening, Ellie sat on the couch in the living room at her parents’ home. She tried to look through a magazine, but felt too restless to enjoy it. Giving up, she plunked it back on the coffee table.

Ellie looked up to see her dad watching her.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Dad, I can’t help it. Cole makes me so mad I can’t think straight.”

“Come on, Sunshine, you really think he’s trying to steal your clients?”

She didn’t want him to call her by that name just now. It didn’t fit. “Well, I told you what he did. What do you think?”

“Could it be he really was just trying to help?”

“Oh, I don’t know what to think anymore. I feel like I’m the only one who can see through him.”

“Is that how it is?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re the only one who can see this matter clearly?”

She realized how ridiculous she sounded. A long exhale escaped her.

Her mom entered the room with a tray of drinks. “I understand how she’s feeling, really.”

Ellie grabbed her drink from the tray. “Thanks, Mom.”

“No, I mean it.” She offered Ellie’s dad his drink and settled into her seat with her own. “He did seem to overstep his bounds with her clients.”

Her dad took a drink of his pop. “Men don’t think that way. I see it as him trying to help. You know we’ve tried to teach you to look for the best in people. Have you done that with Cole?”

Her dad always knew how to go straight to the source of the problem and pluck the truth right out. His eyes searched hers. She kept silent.

“Something to think about.”

“What am I supposed to do, let him take over my clients while I sit and do nothing?”

“Why not go along?” With a straw, her mother stirred her ice cubes, causing them to rattle against the glass.

“Great idea, Debbie.”

“What’s a great idea? I don’t get it.”

“Go with Cole when he meets with the Wilsons to talk about their carpet. That way, you’re both represented, the clients get what they want, and your position stays intact. He gets what he wants by pleasing the clients, if indeed that truly is his motive.”

Ever so slightly, Ellie brightened with the idea. “I’ll do just that.” She stared into the distance and rubbed her chin. “He won’t be able to take over, and I’ll be there to monitor his activities and conversation.”

“Right,” her dad added. Her parents relaxed into their chairs, seeming pleased with the discussion.

Ellie looked at them and smiled. She would call the Wilsons when she got home to schedule a meeting, then she would inform Cole at the office in the morning. If he couldn’t meet them, so be it. If he could, fine. She’d be there, too. She drank her pop and allowed herself to relax a little. Maybe it would work.

Cole Preston might try to get the better of her, but she was not about to make it easy for him.

Chapter Four

The next morning Ellie felt almost exhilarated with the challenge of facing Cole. She’d stand her ground and he would no doubt back out, not wanting her to go to Jax. He might be able to schmooze his way with other people, but she would not be so easily fooled. Besides, he was there to help Jax with the business, not gather his own list of clients.

She walked into the office with confidence and marched right over to Cole who was standing by Alex’s desk, chatting with her. “I need to talk to you, Cole, when you have a minute.”

Ellie watched as he shot Alex an oh-brother-here-we-go look. Her resolve started to melt. She caught herself. No, she couldn’t give in now. She was almost there.

They walked over to Ellie’s desk. She tried to ignore the curious stares coming their way. Dropping her purse down on her desk, she pulled a chair up for him, sat down, and waited for him to sit. “I called the Wilsons last night, and we are to meet them at Fine Floors at six-thirty tonight to talk over their selection together.”

Cole gave her a grin as if he knew exactly what she was doing. “Great. I’ll be there.”

His comment took her by surprise. She had at least expected some sort of confrontation.

“Do you want to work overtime and just leave together from here?” he asked.

She had to think quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was ride with him. “Um, no, I need to go home first.”

“Okay, rather than have two cars, I’ll swing by and pick you up at your house around six o’clock,” Cole said.

Great. This was not going at all the way she had planned. “You don’t know where I live.”

“Yeah, I do.”

How did he know that? Why did he know that? “But—”

“I’ll see you then, Ellie.” Cole got up and walked away.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not figure him out one bit and it made her crazy. Well, she’d be on her guard. Regardless of what anyone else said, she didn’t trust him.

Ellie spent the day in a flurry of work, for which she was grateful. It gave her less time to worry about Cole and his latest antics.

She walked up to Jax in the kitchen. “I’m leaving now, is that all right?”

He glanced at the clock above the sink. “So soon?”

She followed his gaze. “I know it’s fifteen minutes early, but remember, I told you Cole is picking me up at six o’clock to meet the Wilsons. I was hoping to have a little time to freshen up before we go.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.” He opened the refrigerator. “Do you know who brought in all this grapefruit?”

She bit her lip.

“Another diet?”

She shrugged.

He shook his head and grabbed a chocolate bar tucked in the back of the top shelf. “Whose are these?”

Ellie hated being caught. She looked around the room as if she hadn’t a clue what he was talking about.

“Ellie?” He peered at her over the rim of his glasses.

She could almost feel herself seated in the middle of a dark, empty room with a bright incandescent bulb hanging over her. She imagined sweat forming over her brow. The pressure caused her to crack. “Okay, fine. They’re mine.”

He shook his head and began to unwrap the bar.

She ignored him. “So, is it okay if I leave? I’m not going to have time to eat dinner before then the way it is.”

“No dinner? Be kind to the customers.”

“Ha, ha,” she said with exaggerated sarcasm.

“You want one of these?” He extended the candy bar toward her.

“No, thanks. I’m on a diet.”

Jax shook his head. “You’re pathetic.”

She smiled at his teasing. “I know.”

“Ellie?” He grew serious a moment. “You be careful. I mean, Cole’s my best friend and all, but he’s broken a few hearts.”

“Don’t you even talk like that. I can barely stay in the same room with the man, let alone feel any attraction to him.”

Jax shrugged. “Okay, just wanted to make sure. I’ve seen him change the mind of more than one woman.”

“I’m not easily changed, remember?”

By the time Ellie heard Cole’s car pull up to her house, she had just completed the finishing touches on her makeup. She took one last glance at herself in the mirror. After changing from the blue dress she had worn to the office, she’d put on her black pantsuit. Though professional, it appeared more casual than the dress and much more appropriate for visiting a carpet store. She fluffed the back of her hair and grabbed her purse.

Thinking Cole was waiting in his car, Ellie started to bolt out of the door only to bump into him standing in the doorway. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Their noses were inches apart. He held her arms to steady her.

“We seem to do this a lot.” His eyes teased her.

Very uncomfortable with the feeling that shot through her, she pulled away. “I thought you were in your car.”

“Dost thou think me not a gentleman, fair lady?”

She couldn’t help but smile.

“How could I not escort one so attractive?”

Uh-oh, Jax was right. This man was spinning his web. No doubt to get her to share her commission. She ignored his comment. She fairly shoved him out of the way so she could lock the front door. When she turned around, she found him still standing close beside her. She straightened, and in businesslike fashion, walked to his navy SUV. He followed close behind and opened the door for her.

He made her feel like a teenager going on her first date. The sooner she got this appointment over, the better. Oh, why had she agreed to ride with him?

They made their way down the road, talking of surface matters. She tried not to look at him. She told herself it had nothing to do with being afraid of getting caught by his spell.

The appointment passed quickly. The Wilsons were happy with their final choices. Ellie had to admit Cole did know a lot about choosing carpet. She was also surprised he had let her control the meeting and even brought her into the conversation when he shared his knowledge of the carpet they’d picked. All in all, things went much better than she had expected. They said their goodbyes and got back in Cole’s car.

He turned on the ignition then looked at her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m famished. Want to stop and get something to eat?”

As if right on cue, her stomach growled. She clutched it with her hand.

“I’ll take that as a yes?”

They both laughed. She didn’t want to eat with him, but she had to admit she was hungry. A meal wouldn’t be too excruciating.

Once they were seated in a booth at the steak house, the waitress approached them. Ellie wanted ice water with lemon. Cole ordered a soft drink.

They sat in silence while looking over the menus. A country-and-western singer crooned over the speaker. Soft conversation rippled around them, and the smell of frying steak wafted through the room. Once they’d made their meal choices, Cole and Ellie stacked their menus on the table so the waitress could collect them.

“What are you getting?”

“I’m blowing my diet for tonight. I’m ordering steak in a southwestern sauce and chunky fries.”

“Trust me, those fries aren’t going to hurt you. You look great.” His smile jolted through her. What in the world was going on with her?

“Let’s keep this strictly on a professional level, okay?” There, she’d put him in his place.

“You think I want anything more than that?” His words sounded as though the very idea couldn’t be farther from his mind.

“Well, I—” Oh dear, she was growing pink again. She could feel it. Once again, she had presumed too much. Of course he wasn’t interested in her in that way. She rooted through her purse to cover her embarrassment.

“I’m sure you already have a special someone?” His eyebrows lifted queryingly as if he knew she couldn’t possibly have anyone in her life.

Oh, he lit her fire like a match to a torch. She lifted her chin and said with utmost dignity, “I belong to no one. Except God.” She almost felt embarrassed to add God to the mix, feeling quite sure she hadn’t represented Him well at all in front of Cole.

His eyes widened. “Oh, my mistake.” He flipped his napkin on his lap as the waitress approached.

Ellie pulled in a breath. No wonder she wasn’t married yet. She didn’t know how to relate to men at all. No matter how the conversation started, she always ended up saying the wrong thing.

They ate their dinners, both managing to get back to light conversation. Since the dinner was a business expense, Cole insisted on paying for her meal, and Ellie just wanted to go home and cry. Could she look any more foolish tonight?

They got into the car, and she finally mustered some courage. “Cole, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have presumed—”

“Yes, you should have.”

His words startled her.

“I was out of line. Again. You put me in my place.” He turned to her in the darkness. A nearby streetlight revealed only faint images of his face. “Ellie, can we call a truce?” His voice sounded tired.

“I’d like that, Cole.”

“Good.”

A light rain began to patter upon the windshield. Cole turned and started the car. They pulled onto the road, and he clicked on the wipers. Ellie settled into her seat. The soft whir, mingled with the fine dinner, relaxed her. She closed her eyes and dozed a little while Cole drove her home.

When he finally pulled into her drive, he shut the SUV down and got out before she could. He pulled something out of the trunk and came around to her door. She saw he had an umbrella.

“Thank you, Cole.”

“No problem.” He held the umbrella carefully over them and walked her to the door.

“I’m glad we got things straightened out between us,” he said, when they stopped at the door.

“Yeah, me, too.”

There was something in the way he looked at her. “Good night, Ellie.”

She gulped just short of audibly. If Cole noticed, he didn’t let on. He simply turned and walked away, leaving every nerve in her body on edge. She attempted to push the key into her lock. It took her a full minute to get the door to open. She finally slipped inside.

With a turn of her wrist, she latched the door behind her and leaned against it. What had just happened, she didn’t know, but somehow she felt things were about to change.

Ellie hated change.

Over the next few weeks, Cole Preston introduced new procedure after new procedure in office policy. Ellie couldn’t understand how Jax could let this man come in and just take over. Pulling up the sleeve of her navy pantsuit, she glanced at her watch. Five minutes until the meeting where she supposed yet another new development would be announced. A bad attitude simmered just below the surface, and she decided she’d better drown it with the only thing that seemed to work for her.

Chocolate.

Pulling a piece of chocolate from her bottom desk drawer, she unwrapped it and plopped it in her mouth. Closing the drawer, she wadded the paper between her fingers and reached for the trash can.

“Pity. I thought you would share with me,” a deep voice said within inches of her ear.

Startled, Ellie sucked in a sharp breath, pulling the chocolate to the back of her throat like a dust ball to a vacuum. Gasping for breath and finding none, she panicked. She stood, her arms reaching for something, anything, to find relief. In a flurry of commotion, people called out to her. In that horrific moment, one thought filled her.

Chocolate is going to be the death of me.

Just then, strong arms gathered around her rib cage. Large fists balled at her midsection and made short, quick jerks until the lodged candy spewed from her mouth like a cork from a bottle.

No one around her uttered a word. Ellie wondered what would be the polite thing to say at a time like this. “Pardon me, I seem to have lost my candy,” or, “Yes, would you be so kind as to hand over my chocolate?” Before she could decide, her coworkers patted her condescendingly on the shoulder and went back to work. All but one. The person who had saved her life. She reluctantly turned to see who it was, yet, in the deep pit of her stomach, she already knew. One swivel on her shoes confirmed her greatest fears as she looked into the ultrawhite smile of Cole Preston.

The glare from his teeth gave her a headache.

She swallowed hard, thankful for the ability to do so. “Thank you,” she managed with a raspy voice.

“My pleasure—and I’m sorry.” His eyes twinkled. He strutted past her and called over his shoulder, “I just had no idea I could choke you up like that.”

Ellie stared after the man, speechless. How could he joke around when she had practically died on the spot?

She glanced across the floor and spotted the offensive little candy that had betrayed her. She ran over, scooped it up in a tissue, and threw it away. How could she face the others in the meeting? A wave of nausea swept over her. Taking a deep breath, she felt her stubborn side kick in.

Placing a legal pad into the crook of her arm, and clutching a pen with her free hand, she pulled her dignity together, lifted her chin and marched straight for the conference room.

He could laugh now, but she’d show him who would have the last laugh.

The entire staff ambled into the conference room, all but Alex who stayed back to man the phones. Coffee mugs lined the table. A box of sugary doughnuts called from the center. Most people gave in to the temptation, while Ellie preferred not to risk another choking hazard. The crowd offered their condolences to Ellie about her little episode before finally settling down to the business at hand.

Coleman Preston stood and welcomed the employees, but Ellie heard very little of his speech. The man drove her crazy, but she had to admit something about him pleased her. Was it his blinding smile, or the way one look into his velvety brown eyes made her feel bundled in a thick fur coat? His wavy dark hair suggested he had had unruly curls as a boy. She wondered if one day his son would inherit the trait. The very thought made her face warm, though a shiver ran through her. She pulled her jacket tighter.

The minutes clicked on in the quiet of the room as workers listened to what Cole had to say. Lack of sleep the night before placed Ellie in a hazy fog, caught somewhere between reality and dreamland. With her left elbow on the table, her chin rested in the palm of her hand. Just as the warmth of the room and the pleasurable rhythm of Cole’s voice lulled her to a peaceful state, the word Ellie broke through, causing her chin to slide off her palm and her mind to snap to attention. She glanced up to see smiles hiding behind cups and heard a few snickers ripple about the room. Mortified, she looked to Cole, wondering if he had said her name. He had.

And he wasn’t smiling.

“I’m sorry?”

“You seem to be having a difficult morning, Ellie. Are you okay?”

Adrenaline pushed her pulse to full speed. “I’m fine. I—I just didn’t hear what you said.”

“Well, maybe we’ll let someone who was listening help us out.” Without wasting another breath, Cole moved on.

Ellie felt her knuckles had been sufficiently rapped by that statement. She had been daydreaming. So sue her. His reprimand was all part of his little plan to undermine her authority in the office.

“Which brings me to the most important item on this agenda, and the reason I called the meeting,” Cole said.

Uh-oh, here it comes. She braced herself. Cole proceeded to tell the staff Jax had purchased a new computer system. He raved about all the bells and whistles while Ellie felt herself being sucked into a psychedelic black hole, a place where walls spun out of control and the floor rolled and swayed beneath her feet.

Change, change, change.

At the meeting’s end, the air snapped with excitement. The room buzzed with comments and laughter at all that the new system could and would do for their company. Ellie didn’t want to be a spoilsport, but what was wrong with their current system? It worked for them, didn’t it? Why did they have to have bigger and better, as long as they were getting the job done?

She gathered her things from the table and with a heavy heart, headed toward her desk. Her stomach didn’t feel so good.

“Hey, Ellie, are you okay?” Jax wanted to know.

She turned. “Oh, I’m fine.” She rubbed her temple. “I’ve just had a rough morning.”

“So I’ve heard,” he said with a smirk.

She didn’t feel like being the brunt of a joke just now. Throwing him a weak smile, she continued on. He followed.

“I tried to get together with you and tell you about the computer system, but every time I set up a meeting, something came up, remember?”

She nodded. “It’s all right.” She didn’t have the strength to argue. Her stomach rumbled like Mount St. Helens. A queasy feeling followed. Really queasy. “I’m sorry, Jax, I don’t feel so good.” She dropped her things at her desk and made her way to the bathroom.

Just in time.

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