Read For Love of Charley for Free Online Page B

easy chair is one of those god-awful, lime-colored beanbag things, and she
has beads hanging in every doorway.”
    Charley stuck the key in the ignition and
gave it a turn. The starter clicked, but the motor refused to respond.
    “As long as she gets the basics, I can live
with the decor.” He was watching closely as she tried to start the truck.
    “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She turned
the key again with the same results.
    “Pop the hood.”
    “That’s not necessary, really. It’ll start
in a minute.” She tried again, and then pulled the hood release in resignation.
    Cole moved around to the front and vanished
from sight, but she could hear him tinkering with something on the engine. His
head reappeared. “Try it now.” The motor turned over on the first try, and he
shut the hood.
    “What did you do?”
    “You had a loose battery cable, but if you
plan on keeping this thing, you really need to have the points and plugs
changed and the timing set.”
    “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” She
backed up and headed out of the parking lot. In her rearview mirror, Cole’s image
watched the truck until she turned onto the highway.
    * * * * *
    Charley leaned back in the now cool water,
her head cushioned on the pile of hair she’d pinned up. Instead of relaxing,
she’d spent the whole time in the tub going over every word Cole had spoken and
every move he’d made. When she closed her eyes, he was there, his face
tormenting her, making her tenser. All she had managed to do was get
waterlogged.
    She pulled the stopper out with her toes
then reached for a towel. After sliding into a pair of jeans and a baggy
sweatshirt, she padded into the kitchen. Nothing in the fridge looked
appealing, and she didn’t feel like going out again. Just when she’d decided to
open yet another can of soup, the back door flew open and Frannie danced in.
    “Put that can opener down. I come bearing
gifts.” She held up a pizza box with one hand and waved two bottles of wine
with the other. “We are going to celebrate!”
    Charley eyed the wine. “Celebrate what?”
    “My promotion and salary increase, and the
fact that you are going to be one rich lady.”
    “Somehow, I doubt I’ll ever be rich.” She
watched Frannie pour the rich red wine, and then sat down at the table, taking
the glass nearest her. “Did you go by the saloon?”
    “Yep. As your new executive assistant, I
thought it was my duty,” she said loftily. “Besides, that’s where I got the
wine. Frank has everything under control. Dig in.” She scooted the pizza box
closer to Charley.
    “It’s going to take two full bottles of
wine to celebrate?”
    Cheese strung onto Frannie’s chin as she
took a bite. “You, dear cousin,” she mumbled around a mouthful, “need to
relax.”
    “I’m not tense.”
    Frannie guffawed. “If you were wound any
tighter, your panties would cut you in half. I’m here to see that you ease up,
even if I have to get you drunk to do it.”
    “We can’t get drunk. We both have to work
tomorrow.” Charley sipped the wine and Frannie immediately refilled her glass
to brimming.
    “They aren’t delivering the office
furniture until eleven, and Cole told me not to come in until then. You don’t have
to be there until tomorrow night. Now, no more excuses.”
    “Fine. You win.” Charley drained her glass
and let Frannie fill it again. “But I am not tense. What possible reason could
I have? Everything is going just fine.”
    “Oh, come on. Who do you think you’re
kidding? This is Frannie, remember? Every time Cole Jordan looked at you today
you got goose bumps the size of Mt. Everest. And when he touched your arm while
showing you where the pantry would be in the restaurant? Your eyes bugged out
so far you looked like one of those cartoon characters.”
    “Oh, God.” Charley dropped her face into
her hands. “I’m so humiliated. Do you think he noticed?”
    “Is he blind, deaf and stupid?”
    “No.”
    “Then