Flirting with Disaster by Sherryl Woods

other ideas,” Cord said mildly.
    Josh was more relieved than ever that he’d assigned her to the lunch detail. Maybe that would keep her out of his path, maybe even off the site entirely if she considered the insult grave enough.
    â€œI don’t think it’s going to be an issue. I assigned her to make lunch,” he informed Cord.
    Cord’s mouth gaped, as Caleb murmured, “Oh, brother!”
    â€œHow did she take that?” Cord asked.
    â€œNot well, if you must know, but I didn’t back down.”
    â€œReally?” Cord said, his amusement growing. “And you think you won?”
    â€œI know I won. She’ll be fixing sandwiches, period.”
    â€œLet me give you a friendly little warning, Josh. I’ve known the woman most of my life,” Cord said. “Trust me, her powers of persuasion were honed from birth. If Maggie wants things her way, you don’t stand a chance. If she went along with this assignment you gave her, it’s because she’s lulling you into a false sense of complacency. You’ll pay eventually.”
    Suddenly Josh recalled the first discussion with Cord and Dinah about this house-building thing. He realized now that he’d asked all the right questions that morning in his motel room, but they’d been about the wrong woman. It had never been about him and Amanda O’Leary. It had always been about him and this Maggie person.
    â€œShe’s the reason you were so hell-bent on getting me to agree to build this house, isn’t she?” he demanded, glaring at Cord. “You and Dinah figured you’d toss us together and watch the sparks fly, am I right?”
    Cord looked only moderately guilty. “You’d have to ask Dinah about her motivation,” he insisted. “Me, I just wanted to get the right man in charge of the job. I won’t even be around to watch the fireworks, assuming there are any.”
    â€œThere won’t be,” Josh said grimly. “I quit.”
    â€œYou can’t quit,” Caleb protested, looking horrified.
    â€œI just did.”
    â€œYou’d run this whole project off into a ditch just because you’re scared of a woman you’ve barely even met?” Cord asked.
    â€œNo, I’m walking off the job because you and Dinah lied to me. You told me it wasn’t about hooking me up with some woman.”
    â€œIt’s not,” Cord protested. “It’s about getting a house built. Besides, you’re a grown man. You don’t have to hook up with any woman you’re not interested in.”
    Josh regarded him with suspicion. “Then you and Dinah aren’t going to be standing around cheering from the sidelines, matchmaking every chance you get?”
    â€œOf course not.”
    â€œYou swear it?”
    â€œCross my heart,” Cord said, sketching a very large X across his chest.
    He looked sincere. He even sounded sincere. “I don’t believe you,” Josh said.
    Cord looked wounded. “Have I ever lied to you?”
    â€œNot about anything work related,” Josh admitted.
    â€œAbout anything?” Cord persisted.
    â€œI suppose not,” Josh conceded reluctantly.
    â€œOkay, then, you have no reason to distrust me now.”
    â€œYou don’t worry me half as much as your wife does.”
    â€œUnderstandable,” Cord said. “But Dinah won’t be around that much, either. She’s usually working at the TV station on weekends.”
    Josh was only moderately placated by Cord’s reassurances. “In that case, I won’t quit.” He shot a meaningful look at both men. “Yet.”
    â€œYou’re not going to regret this,” Caleb said cheerfully. “It’s going to be a rewarding experience for all of us.”
    Josh had his doubts. From the moment he’d met Maggie Forsythe, he’d known in his gut it was going to be a disaster.

4
    T here was something