"So, the job is yours?"
"This is really going to complicate things," he tells me. "And thanks for telling him I'm broke."
"I was just trying to—"
"I know," he says. "Yeah, the job is mine. He seemed a little confused to see me at first, you know, considering you failed to mention my name or the fact that I already work for him and his lawn."
"Makes it look more honest." I offer a quick wink, hoping to diminish some of his apparent irritation.
"Or, it makes you look kind of oblivious," he laughs. "Whatever." With a peek in every corner, Raine leans down and places a small kiss on my lips. "Thank you. Really. I'm grateful."
With that, he slips out the door, leaving me with a tingle churning in my stomach and a flutter in my chest. "Haven!" Dad yells.
Crap. I take my time walking into Dad’s office, making it appear that I was in my bedroom rather than pacing the hall or kissing his new employee goodbye in our foyer. "Yes, Dad?"
"Didn't you know that boy already works for me?"
"No?" I say, pressing the confusion. "I didn't know he had a job at all, actually."
"He mows our lawn every Saturday. I figured my teenage daughter might notice a nice-looking boy pacing in front of her window once a week." He has an arch in his brow—one that tells me he’s trying to figure something out.
In return, I try to appear baffled. "Gosh, I've honestly never seen him before. I'm usually lost in a book on Saturday mornings. You know that, silly." He would never know that. He's way too occupied to remember I even read for enjoyment.
"I see," he says. "Well, he'll do a good job, I'm sure. Thank Maryanne for me, will you?"
"Sure thing. Thanks for doing that for Maryanne."
It lookslike my days will consist of passing looks between Raine and me when he runs in and out of my house while he dotes on Dad. He's come and gone three times since he got the job four hours ago, and I've almost made it through an entire novel revolving around forbidden love. I hope my book of choice isn’t a foreshadowing of a future I'm still hopeful for.
"How long are you going to sit on the couch?" Raine asks.
"Until I finish this book," I reply.
"Well, I hope it's a good book.” He has his hands in his pockets, nervously fidgeting. “So, I'm sure I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."
"My parents are going out of town tonight, though. You're still going to be working here when my Dad is out?"
He leans toward me, smirking a bit. "No, he told me he was leaving with your mom tonight. That's why I'll be back in the morning."
I lean in to meet him and whisper, "Well, why not come back tonight?" I know he has nowhere to sleep, and I could think of worse places than my bed. Plus, watching him walk back and forth all day with only the tease of a few smiles has purely enhanced my feelings for him, not that I was trying too hard to suppress them.
Raine looks in the direction of Dad's office. "You sure? Don't you have that housekeeper or something?"
"Not at night, and I think it's a great idea."
I reach out and grab his arm, pulling him toward me, but he's quick to slip out of my grip. "Easy. He can't see us talking like this, Haven." He takes a few steps backward as a faint smile touches his lips. "Fine, then, I'll see you tonight."
"Haven, your mother and I—"
Dad pops out of nowhere, finding Raine and me saying goodbye, which is probably not the best thing to happen at the moment.
"I was just thanking Haven for the recommendation. Maryanne has been trying to help me find additional work for the past few weeks, and there hasn't been much out there," Raine tells Dad.
"Yeah, it's true, the economy in this area isn't pretty right now. I'm seeing about fixing that, though." The way Dad says this, sounds almost sickening alongside his pride-filled grin. "Anyway, glad I could help."
Raine raises his hand to offer us a quick wave. "I'll see you when you return on Tuesday, Mayor."
Raine rushes out of the house, leaving Dad and me face-to-face. We wait until the front door closes before Dad continues his brief about his trip. "Your mother and I are leaving at five tonight. We'll be in Baton Rouge at the State House until Tuesday morning. If you need anything, you give us a call, okay? Please keep that cell phone of yours on you. We got it for a reason, Haven."Yeah, so you can keep tabs on my whereabouts.
