knew he would be gone when she woke up, and for that she was grateful.
She was acquainted with aggressive men, and she could handle that just fine. But when Sam Eastland had kissed her, it wasn’t his aggressiveness that affected her. It was the warm river of pleasure that ran through her, the tingling of her senses, the stirring up he caused. And that was a whole other kettle of fish, as Sadie used to say. He threw her treasured equilibrium off, injected a tension into her life she didn’t need or want. She wanted exactly what she had—a peaceful life in a small town with good friends nearby, a place where her “old-fashioned dream,” as her friend Lily affectionately called it, was a possibility. And that dream? It was for a wonderful, committed husband and a houseful of kids to raise with endless hugs and love.
Sam Eastland wasn’t part of her dream. He sent off all the wrong sorts of vibrations. He was a man to stay away from. She would. And that would be that.
But it wasn’t.
And Maddie should have known. Nothing in her life had ever run along a natural, smooth course. Why should this be any different, simply because she had wished it so? No, of course not.
But she didn’t have to go like a lamb.
With hands on her hips, she stood in the center of Joseph’s office and glared at her boss. “A dinner is absolutely ridiculous, Joseph! Even if we had the money, it would be a waste of it! Since when do we wine and dine our clients?”
“Since now, that’s when. And you can let me worry about the money, Maddie. There are a couple of papers Sam needs to sign. By the way, I hear he showed up while you were out
intuiting
his house a few days ago.”
“Don’t think I don’t know you’re changing the subject,” Maddie said sternly. And then she wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement and asked, “How did you hear that?”
“A little birdie told me.”
“Eleanor,” Maddie said as the light dawned.
Joseph smiled.
“And what else did he tell Eleanor?”
“That you’re slightly crazy, but I told her that was one of your charms.”
“I see.” Maddie leaned her head to one side and scrutinized Joseph closely. “And if I might be so bold as to ask, why were you talking to Eleanor?”
“When people have dinner together, they talk.”
“Joseph, you devil!”
Joseph eased himself into the chair on the other side of her desk. “Save your wild imagination for the Eastland home, Maddie,” he said. “I wanted to try that new restaurant in Capitola. You weren’t available, so what was I to do?”
Maddie smiled. She liked Eleanor, and this was definitely a move in the right direction. Since Sadie’s death, there had been a steady stream of eligible females knocking on Joseph’s door, but so far he had resisted all their efforts. Yet, Maddie knew, he had been terribly lonely. This development was a move in the right direction.
“Don’t look so smug, missy,” Joseph grumbled. “It was simply a dinner. Now, why don’t you fill me in on your little adventure?”
“Sounds like you already know all there is to know.”
Joseph smiled. “Eleanor said Sam Eastland is intrigued with you.”
“And thinks I’m crazy. Good, maybe that will keep him out of my hair so I can finish his house. It will be a relief when this job is over, Joseph. Eleanor must be a saint. I couldn’t work in the same office with that man for more than ten minutes!”
“Eleanor says he’s a wonderful man.”
Maddie frowned.
“And generous.”
“Did she mention sneaky and presumptuous?”
“She says he’s lonely.”
“Now that I can understand. He probably has no friends.”
“Maddie, you’re reacting a little strongly. Your cheeks are flushed. And it isn’t like you to be so judgmental.”
Maddie ignored the laughter in his eyes. “Sometimes, Joseph, I have to call it as I see it,” she said. “So … so what time is dinner?”
“No need to drive like a crazy man,” Eleanor said. She gripped the
She was acquainted with aggressive men, and she could handle that just fine. But when Sam Eastland had kissed her, it wasn’t his aggressiveness that affected her. It was the warm river of pleasure that ran through her, the tingling of her senses, the stirring up he caused. And that was a whole other kettle of fish, as Sadie used to say. He threw her treasured equilibrium off, injected a tension into her life she didn’t need or want. She wanted exactly what she had—a peaceful life in a small town with good friends nearby, a place where her “old-fashioned dream,” as her friend Lily affectionately called it, was a possibility. And that dream? It was for a wonderful, committed husband and a houseful of kids to raise with endless hugs and love.
Sam Eastland wasn’t part of her dream. He sent off all the wrong sorts of vibrations. He was a man to stay away from. She would. And that would be that.
But it wasn’t.
And Maddie should have known. Nothing in her life had ever run along a natural, smooth course. Why should this be any different, simply because she had wished it so? No, of course not.
But she didn’t have to go like a lamb.
With hands on her hips, she stood in the center of Joseph’s office and glared at her boss. “A dinner is absolutely ridiculous, Joseph! Even if we had the money, it would be a waste of it! Since when do we wine and dine our clients?”
“Since now, that’s when. And you can let me worry about the money, Maddie. There are a couple of papers Sam needs to sign. By the way, I hear he showed up while you were out
intuiting
his house a few days ago.”
“Don’t think I don’t know you’re changing the subject,” Maddie said sternly. And then she wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement and asked, “How did you hear that?”
“A little birdie told me.”
“Eleanor,” Maddie said as the light dawned.
Joseph smiled.
“And what else did he tell Eleanor?”
“That you’re slightly crazy, but I told her that was one of your charms.”
“I see.” Maddie leaned her head to one side and scrutinized Joseph closely. “And if I might be so bold as to ask, why were you talking to Eleanor?”
“When people have dinner together, they talk.”
“Joseph, you devil!”
Joseph eased himself into the chair on the other side of her desk. “Save your wild imagination for the Eastland home, Maddie,” he said. “I wanted to try that new restaurant in Capitola. You weren’t available, so what was I to do?”
Maddie smiled. She liked Eleanor, and this was definitely a move in the right direction. Since Sadie’s death, there had been a steady stream of eligible females knocking on Joseph’s door, but so far he had resisted all their efforts. Yet, Maddie knew, he had been terribly lonely. This development was a move in the right direction.
“Don’t look so smug, missy,” Joseph grumbled. “It was simply a dinner. Now, why don’t you fill me in on your little adventure?”
“Sounds like you already know all there is to know.”
Joseph smiled. “Eleanor said Sam Eastland is intrigued with you.”
“And thinks I’m crazy. Good, maybe that will keep him out of my hair so I can finish his house. It will be a relief when this job is over, Joseph. Eleanor must be a saint. I couldn’t work in the same office with that man for more than ten minutes!”
“Eleanor says he’s a wonderful man.”
Maddie frowned.
“And generous.”
“Did she mention sneaky and presumptuous?”
“She says he’s lonely.”
“Now that I can understand. He probably has no friends.”
“Maddie, you’re reacting a little strongly. Your cheeks are flushed. And it isn’t like you to be so judgmental.”
Maddie ignored the laughter in his eyes. “Sometimes, Joseph, I have to call it as I see it,” she said. “So … so what time is dinner?”
“No need to drive like a crazy man,” Eleanor said. She gripped the
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