to pay me?” She gave in. No need to make things more difficult for the guy. And she knew how to present her case when necessary.
“With this.” He walked to the night table between the beds, opened the drawer, and drew out his watch.
She shrank back in the chair. “I can’t take your watch.”
“Good, because I’m not giving it to you. But the thing is worth a small fortune. It can fund my search.”
“You intend to pawn it?”
“Can you think of a better way to get fast cash? I can’t continue to live off your charity.”
“I can afford it.” She assured him. She had a healthy savings account before leaving the navy. And now she had the life insurance money from her dad as well as the funds from the sale of his house. Once she found the right job, she planned to use the money to buy a house and put down some permanent roots.
But she had enough to help out a person in need.
“Save your money, Grace. You’re unemployed. I’m not going to mooch off you.”
“Well, pawning isn’t the answer either. You won’t get what the watch is worth. And you can’t just sell it. A piece like that would require provenance. Plus, what if it has sentimental value?”
“I don’t think so.” He set the watch on the desk beside her plate. “Not many people can afford seventy thousand dollars’ worth of sentiment. This is a flash piece, meant to intimidate and impress.”
“You do know you’re talking about yourself?”
“Maybe.” He ran a finger over the glass front of the expensive piece. “I like the exposed gears.”
“Well, you are a geek.”
A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “So I am.”
“We’ll find a jeweler.” She lifted the watch and examined the craftsmanship. It really was beautiful. “In San Francisco, not here. You’ll get more for it in a bigger city. We’ll get an estimate of the watch’s value, and I’ll buy it off you. When we get you home, you can buy it back if you want to, or I can sell it and get my money back.”
With narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, he looked as if he wanted to protest. Instead he nodded.
“I can live with that deal. Let’s get going.” He sat on the end of the bed and reached for his boots.
“No.” She leaned back in her chair and took a fortifying sip of coffee to prepare for her first battle. “I know you’re anxious to move forward, but I’m not ready to walk out the door. I have to shower and change. And today is a holiday. A lot of places are closed on New Year’s Day. Plus we’re going to have to pay for the hotel for another night anyway, so I suggest we do a little more recuperating today. Maybe shop for some clothes for you. We can put together a plan for when we get to San Francisco tomorrow.”
He propped his hands at his sides. “You seem to have missed the part where I’m the boss now.”
“Not when it comes to your health.” She corrected. Best to be clear with him, because on this she wouldn’t bend. “Let me clarify. As far as my services are involved, there’s no compromising when it comes to your health. If I feel you’re pushing it, I’ll call a halt. I said that I’d be responsible for you and I take my duties seriously.”
“So I’ve noticed.” He tossed his boot down. “What happened to it’s my life and the final decision is mine?”
“Still applies. Except when you’re being bullheaded about your health. Today we rest. Tomorrow is up to you.”
“You’ll make some phone calls, set up some appointments in San Francisco?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. We’ll shop for clothes today. And put together a plan for tomorrow.”
“And rest.”
He scowled but nodded. “And rest.”
“Good.” One battle down. She pushed her plate aside and stood. “I’ll shower and then we can go.” Carrying her paper mug of coffee, she grabbed her duffel and disappeared into the bathroom.
* * *
JD listened to the shower come on and tried not to think of Grace with water streaming over her
“With this.” He walked to the night table between the beds, opened the drawer, and drew out his watch.
She shrank back in the chair. “I can’t take your watch.”
“Good, because I’m not giving it to you. But the thing is worth a small fortune. It can fund my search.”
“You intend to pawn it?”
“Can you think of a better way to get fast cash? I can’t continue to live off your charity.”
“I can afford it.” She assured him. She had a healthy savings account before leaving the navy. And now she had the life insurance money from her dad as well as the funds from the sale of his house. Once she found the right job, she planned to use the money to buy a house and put down some permanent roots.
But she had enough to help out a person in need.
“Save your money, Grace. You’re unemployed. I’m not going to mooch off you.”
“Well, pawning isn’t the answer either. You won’t get what the watch is worth. And you can’t just sell it. A piece like that would require provenance. Plus, what if it has sentimental value?”
“I don’t think so.” He set the watch on the desk beside her plate. “Not many people can afford seventy thousand dollars’ worth of sentiment. This is a flash piece, meant to intimidate and impress.”
“You do know you’re talking about yourself?”
“Maybe.” He ran a finger over the glass front of the expensive piece. “I like the exposed gears.”
“Well, you are a geek.”
A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “So I am.”
“We’ll find a jeweler.” She lifted the watch and examined the craftsmanship. It really was beautiful. “In San Francisco, not here. You’ll get more for it in a bigger city. We’ll get an estimate of the watch’s value, and I’ll buy it off you. When we get you home, you can buy it back if you want to, or I can sell it and get my money back.”
With narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, he looked as if he wanted to protest. Instead he nodded.
“I can live with that deal. Let’s get going.” He sat on the end of the bed and reached for his boots.
“No.” She leaned back in her chair and took a fortifying sip of coffee to prepare for her first battle. “I know you’re anxious to move forward, but I’m not ready to walk out the door. I have to shower and change. And today is a holiday. A lot of places are closed on New Year’s Day. Plus we’re going to have to pay for the hotel for another night anyway, so I suggest we do a little more recuperating today. Maybe shop for some clothes for you. We can put together a plan for when we get to San Francisco tomorrow.”
He propped his hands at his sides. “You seem to have missed the part where I’m the boss now.”
“Not when it comes to your health.” She corrected. Best to be clear with him, because on this she wouldn’t bend. “Let me clarify. As far as my services are involved, there’s no compromising when it comes to your health. If I feel you’re pushing it, I’ll call a halt. I said that I’d be responsible for you and I take my duties seriously.”
“So I’ve noticed.” He tossed his boot down. “What happened to it’s my life and the final decision is mine?”
“Still applies. Except when you’re being bullheaded about your health. Today we rest. Tomorrow is up to you.”
“You’ll make some phone calls, set up some appointments in San Francisco?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. We’ll shop for clothes today. And put together a plan for tomorrow.”
“And rest.”
He scowled but nodded. “And rest.”
“Good.” One battle down. She pushed her plate aside and stood. “I’ll shower and then we can go.” Carrying her paper mug of coffee, she grabbed her duffel and disappeared into the bathroom.
* * *
JD listened to the shower come on and tried not to think of Grace with water streaming over her
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