Brent chuckled as he shifted in the chair. “So you were deep in thought when I got here. Thinking about anything in particular? Or anyone?”
Kyle looked up sharply. “Excuse me?”
“Ha!” Brent barked out a laugh and slapped his thigh. “I knew it. It’s true.” He webbed his hands behind his neck and leaned back. “So, what? How come I never heard of this gal? Did she get under your skin or what?”
Did she ever. “Yeah, she—” He stopped, stared at Brent. “How’d you hear?”
“Usual channels. My great-aunt’s sister was at Miss Emily’s party. And since she knows we work together, she asked me who your new girlfriend was. Imagine my embarrassment when I, your best friend and partner, couldn’t give her any dirt.”
“A tragedy, I know. But I don’t have any dirt to give.”
“No?”
“Sorry.”
Brent unpeeled a stick of gum, popped it in his mouth, then leaned back again. “Well, at least give me something to work with. Who is she? Is she hot?”
“Yes, she’s hot, and she’s just a girl I met. Sheneeded help with her tire.” Kyle had no idea why he was keeping the full story from Brent. Maybe because he figured Grace’s secrets belonged to her and her alone. Or maybe he was just embarrassed that despite actually cruising by the bus stop on his way to the office every day, he’d been unable to find her again. He couldn’t tell Brent who she was because he didn’t know himself.
Thatlittle fact had been keeping him from sleep as much as his business worries had.
The electronic buzzer over the front door chimed, and Kyle stood up. “My first interview.”
Brent rolled his eyes. “Have fun. I’m out of here.”
But instead of a twenty-something looking for a job opportunity, Miss Emily swept in, passing Brent on his way out. She gave Kyle a quick kiss on the cheek and then took the seat Brent had just vacated.
He abandoned his desk for the seat next to her. She never ventured to his office—the traffic drove her crazy—and he couldn’t help but be concerned. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no.” She patted his hand, a little too casually, he thought. “Everything’s fine. I was just at the bank and thought I’d stop in.”
“And…”
She had the good grace to look a bit sheepish. “And I hadn’t heard from you in a few days. Ithought I’d see how you were doing. And Grace, too.”
And there it was. He knew Emily wouldn’t come by without an agenda, and he was relieved that it was a matchmaking one and not that she brought bad news.
“I haven’t seen Grace in a few days,” he said. He kept his voice matter-of-fact. He knew better than to let his tone even hint that he wanted to see the woman. If Emily got wind of the fact that he didn’t know how to locate Grace, she’d have everyone from the Sheriff’s Department to the Canadian Mounties pitching in to help.
Though, to be honest, there were times when he would appreciate the assistance. Because he did want to see her again. And it was taking a heck of a lot of willpower not to call in some favors with his cop buddies and see if they could track down a slim brunette with a record of cat burglary.
The frown lines at Emily’s mouth deepened. “Did you two quarrel?”
He shook his head. “Nothing like that. I’m sorry if you got the wrong impression but the truth is we really didn’t know each other that well.” He thought of the kiss they’d shared and wished they’d known each other just a bit better. He cleared his throat,hoping the action would clear his brain, too. “I was just helping her out of a bind.”
“I see.” She stood, her handbag clutched near her chest as she started to pace the room.
He watched her for a moment, then broke down and asked, certain he’d regret it. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no.” But her voice was a little too sing-song, so of course he didn’t believe her. Besides, he knew exactly what was wrong. She’d assumed that he and Grace were an item and that her matchmaking days had come to a close. Now that she knew he was still on the market, he imagined her running through a mental Rolodex and wondered when she’d spring the next woman on him.
The possibility held even less appeal than usual, and he had to acknowledge the deep, dark truth—if any woman was going to be tossed into his life, he wanted the woman to be Grace. Foolish, considering he knew very little about the woman—with the very glaring exception of her felonious past—but there was no denying the impact she’d made on him.
“Résumés?”
He glanced up, startled back to attention, and saw his grandmother holding the sheath of papers.
“Yeah. I need an office assistant.” He glanced athis watch. “In fact, the first applicant should be here by now. The placement agency already has about ten interviews lined up for today.”
