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Frannie gave him her best
‘you’ve-come-to-the-right-place’ smile.
    “That’s right. If I remember correctly, you
informed me that not all women were panting to grab a husband.” Cole’s
expression was bland.
    “Oops.” Frannie had the grace to blush.
“You really can’t blame me for that. I thought you were hitting on Charley.”
    Charley felt Cole’s gaze run over her. When
she looked at him, he was studying her face.
    “I suppose that’s understandable.” His
glance moved back to Frannie. “So tell me, Frannie. Can you type?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    “Know anything about computers?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “Congratulations. You have just been
promoted to Charley’s executive assistant. With an appropriate increase in
salary, naturally.”
    “I have?” She looked at Charley in
confusion. “I have?”
    “Looks like it.” Charley glared at Cole.
“You do know this means I’m going to be short a waitress?”
    Cole picked up a pad of paper and pencil
and handed them to Frannie. “Start writing. First thing on the agenda, put an
ad in the paper for a new waitress. Then, order lunch. We can eat while we
work. After lunch, I want you to go buy office furniture. Also, buy four
computers. Tell them you want everything here tomorrow.” He pulled his wallet
out and extracted a credit card. “Here, put everything on this. Oh, and while
you’re at it, get cell phones for both of you. I want to be able to reach you
at any time.”
    Charley watched Frannie write furiously,
trying to keep up with the orders, and sighed. When had she lost control? Had
she ever had it? She took a quick look at Cole. He was watching her again, and
the intense look in his eyes made her go still. Suddenly, he smiled. Her heart
and stomach collided, landing in a pitiful heap somewhere near her toes. Oh,
God. She was in so much trouble.

Chapter Four
     
    “Well, that’s the last of them.”
    Charley looked up as Cole parked the dolly
next to the storage room. “Good.” It had taken them most of the afternoon to
empty out and clean the three rooms that he wanted to turn into office space.
They had been long, agonizing hours for Charley, watching the ripple of Cole’s
muscles as he hoisted box after box and loaded them on the dolly.
    She glanced at her watch. “I need to run.
I’ve got just enough time to shower and change before opening tonight.”
    “Isn’t there someone else who can handle
it? You’ve been at it all day. Why don’t you take the night off?”
    “Well, I suppose Frank could cover for me.
It is Thursday, so we won’t have that much business.” She chewed her
lip, thinking. Not only was she physically exhausted, she was mentally ready to
collapse. The lure of a long, hot soak in the tub was more than she could
stand. “Okay, I’ll call him as soon as I get home.”
    Cole nodded. “I’m on my way out, too. I’ve
still got some things to take care of at home.”
    Home, Charley thought. To the house that
should have been theirs. Feeling like she’d spent most of the day on the
emotional equivalent of a tilt-a-whirl, she followed him out, waiting while he
locked the door.
    “Nice car.” She stared at the Jag. Why did
it seem so awkward to just get in the truck and leave?
    “Thanks. I’ll let you drive it sometime.”
    Her gaze snapped back to his. Was he
serious? She’d only been trying to make conversation.
    “Don’t look so shocked. It’s only a car.”
He smiled slightly and opened the truck door for her. “See you tomorrow
evening.”
    “Evening? I thought you were going to work
here tomorrow morning, getting the offices ready?”
    “I am, but it won’t take long. Frannie will
be here, so there’s not much sense in you standing around all day and then working
all night, too.”
    “You may be sorry you sent Frannie on this
particular errand. She has, well, let’s just say ‘odd taste’ in some things.
Her apartment looks like a refugee from a hippie commune lives there. To her,
an