Sheila snorted out loud.
“What?” he asked.
“Podcasts,” she said, as Spence helped her into her coat, as well. “Not newspapers. Podcasts. I’ll arrange some podcasts,” she told them, not exactly making eye contact, but talking to the table at large.
“Hell, I wouldn’t mind being the voice of Diver Downeast on one of those,” Spence piped up.
“Uh, no.” Tabitha smacked him lightly on the chest. “Not you. You have the enthusiasm, to be sure, but unedited, you can’t be trusted not to let an F-bomb fly, or tell an off-color story. And we’re trying to romance people here, not scare them away.”
Tabbi wasn’t wrong.
“What about Jett?” Buck put in. “She’s got a great voice that was made for radio, and she’s enthusiastic without being irreverent.” He sent a grin her way, and Trask waited to see if that might wake the lethargic woman up.
“Uh, thanks, but I’ll pass on that. I’m not an owner of the company or anything. I’m just a lowly grunt, so I think it should be one of you guys.”
Is that what was bothering her? Task pondered. That she wasn’t a vested partner in the business? If so, wasn’t she jumping the gun?
It had only been earlier that day, before they’d opened their doors, that Spence, Tabbi, and Buck had offered Trask a piece of the pie as a fourth partner. He’d eagerly accepted, but he hadn’t had a chance to notice Jett’s reaction. Maybe she’d been hurt that the overture hadn’t been made to her, as well.
That oversight was easily fixed, however. He’d talk to his brothers and see if they could add her to the ownership papers.Even if it was a small slice of the pie, she’d at least feel included. He figured she was just looking for some validation that her role with Diver Downeast wasn’t fly-by-night. No pun intended.
“Let’s go,” he said, more at ease now that he’d figured out what was eating at her. He took her elbow and steered her out of the restaurant.
She went without a fuss, not even trying to pull away, when normally she’d want the last word at the table, hugs all around, and clarification of what was on for the next day before she’d give him a withering glare and walk out under her own steam.
Yeah.She was butt-hurt, and Trask’s job was to make sure she knew he was on her side. Maybe he’d earn some points that way.
The parking lot was icy, but as soon as they were out the door, Jett yanked her elbow away—he’d been waiting for it—then slip-slid her way toward his truck, stubbornly eschewing any more help.
Trask was beginning to feel anger rise in his gut. Jett was being completely unreasonable. If she was so upset about business logistics, why hadn’t she broached things with him before she started acting so irritable? She had to know by now that he’d listen to her concerns.
Half way across the lot, he hit the button to unlock his truck, and because she was so far ahead, he didn’t even try to beat her to her door and open it for her.
If she wanted to be so prickly, far be it from him to foist his chivalry on her.
Once they were both seated inside, Trask started the truck and pulled out onto the nearly deserted street.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked sharply, because, yeah, since she was making lemon-sucking faces, he didn’t necessarily feel like being accommodating any more.
“Nice of you to notice that something is wrong,” she responded sarcastically.
“I’d have to be blind, not to,” he sent back. “You’ve been nasty all night.”
She turned to him abruptly. “I’ve been nasty?” she chortled incredulously. “Uh, uh. Not even close. You haven’tseenme nasty.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
“Then what did you call your total disengagement tonight?” he questioned, using his best interrogation voice.
“Introspection,” she bit back. “I have a lot on my mind, and I didn’t feel like socializing.”
“Since when?” he snapped. “The Jett I know could have two broken legs and bamboo shoved under her nails, and she’d still be perky. So what is it, really?”
He took a breath and continued to speculate before she could respond.
“Is it because my brothers and Tabitha didn’t offer you a piece of the business? I suppose that’s valid. AlthoughI’vebeen working with them for several months longer than you, and this was the first time they’ve offered me an in.”
She glared at him, steam practically hissing from her ears. “You think I’m mad because…?” Jett shook her head. “You aresofucking clueless.”
