"Did you really apply for jobs here in Spokane?" His voice was quiet and tense.
"Yes, but I'm not sure I'll get either one. They don't exactly fall within my area of expertise." She shifted her hair from her left to her right. "The one I'm interested in could end up being partly remote work."
"Remote? That means you could stay...in Providence, if you wanted to." That hint of hope filled his voice again.
"Yes, but I'm not sure if I should."
And the disappointment returned to his face. She hated letting both her father and Rudy down on the same evening, but she needed to make these decisions on her own. Without letting herself be swayed by a handsome face.
Rudy shot her a smile. "Looks like I need to up my game and convince you to stay in Providence."
"Up your game?" She gave a laugh, grateful for the distraction. "Have you really been trying to convince me to stay in Providence?"
"My mom seemed to think it was a good idea." Color flooded his cheeks.
"That's why she keeps insisting you take me for walks and help me with Hattie's website?"
He nodded.
"Is your mom the only one who thinks it's a good idea?"
He winked as he reached over and took her hand in his. "Well, she hasn't had to twist my arm too hard yet."
Warmth crept up her arm, slowly spreading throughout her body. Every time he'd touched her tonight, her insides went haywire, sending fluttery feelings from her core throughout her limbs.
"Tell me, were the skunks part of your plan? Or the freak rainstorm?"
"No, on both accounts."
"Are you sure you've got game?" She grinned and quirked a brow at him. "How will I know when you up it?"
His mouth dropped open in a dramatic show of offense. Then a twinkle lit his eyes, and he grinned. "That sounds like a challenge."
She bit her lip. Did she want to encourage this? Would it help her make the hard decisions she needed to make, or would it only complicate things more?
Would God make it clear she wasn't meant to be with Rudy? Or would everything miraculously work out?
"So, what's the deal with Helen and your dad?" Rudy changed the subject.
"I don't know what's going on there, but she sure seemed to be hanging something over his head. I wonder if she threatened to quit if he didn't patch things up with me."
"I think it was more personal than that."
"Personal? What do you mean?"
"Didn't you see the way she touched his shoulder when she gave her little warnings—or whatever it was—she said to him? And the eye contact?"
"No, I didn't. She always blocked my view of him when she spoke to him." She turned wide eyes to Rudy. "Are you saying you think there's something going on between the two of them?"
"This probably could be interpreted a dozen ways, but I looked over my shoulder as we walked out. Just before the door closed, I saw her lean into him and slip an arm around his waist. And your dad put his arm around her shoulder."
Eden gasped. "Are you sure?"
"I'm a cop. It's my job to notice details and read body language. Trust me, there was a lot of communicating going on tonight between the two of them."
"I can't believe it. She's always been so strict and proper, and my dad... Well, appearances are everything to him. He's not the type to get mixed up with his housekeeper."
Although Helen was one of the few people who could put him in his place without him getting angry. Was that why he was trying so hard to change? For Helen?
