up in a cheer. Then gave him a sideways hug. “Thanks Trick. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to play on this piano. It’s been here for years and I’ve always been too afraid to ask.”
Trick smiled like a dog with its head out the window. Silas swore his brother’s tongue was getting ready to roll out of his mouth. The worst part was Emmie noticed it because her grin got even bigger. Their flirting was painful to watch—annoyingly painful.
“Give it a rest. Good God,” Silas heard himself say.
They looked at him bewildered like they’d even forgotten he was in the room.
“She barely pecked out four notes of that song. I am not sure that calls for such a celebration,” he sneered.
Trick looked amused and scooted closer to Emmie. Pushing his brother was one of his favorite past times… but Silas wasn’t in the mood tonight.
“Excuse me for boring you with my lack of piano skills,” she spit back at him and moved to get up from the bench, stumbling on her dress as she spun.
He walked up to her and grabbed her elbow to help. Emmie quickly jerked away from his hold. That pissed him off more.
“Your piano playing wasn’t half as annoying as your skill-less flirting with my brother. First me, then him. Vince and Ava are right, you really are a friend of this family,” he said quietly.
Trick opened his mouth to speak but was quieted with a sharp look from Silas.
Emmie’s mouth fell open and froze there, unable to think what to say next.
So she said nothing. Just grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
“I’d say you screwed that up completely,” Trick said walking up behind his brother.
“Shut up, Trick,” Silas answered.
***********
“Why do you have your sewing chair in here Emma?” Mr. Thomas asked, pointing to the small wooden rocker he all but required her to sit in while she worked. He was a weird man.
“Sometimes I can’t hear the bell in the side parlor. So, it made sense to bring it in here, if that is okay with you,” she said.
Lately, Emmie had taken to sewing in the store. It seemed so frequently without a shopkeeper that she was doing both jobs, which was getting to be ridiculous. She’d been toying with the idea of asking for a raise. If she was going to be doing two jobs she may as well be paid for them, right?
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that… Paul.” Why was it so hard to say his real name?
“Yes, dear?” he asked.
Dear—that caught her off guard. She sucked in a breath for courage. “Since I’m spending about half my time watching the shop lately while your brother’s been out, I wondered if I might be able to get a raise.”
“A raise?” Mr. Thomas laughed. “I think we both know I pay you well enough and all you’ve given me so far is a little bit of sewing,” he added in his natural condescending air.
“You know the deadline for tuition is next week. I was just thinking that since I’m doing both jobs that maybe you could advance me…” she continued, protesting.
“We’ve had this discussion before, Emma. I don’t pay you to think.” He arched his brow to see how far she was going to push him. “Whoever filled your pretty head with thoughts of college should be tarred and feathered. Come and sit.” He pointed to the chair.
“My mom, Mr. Thomas. She’s the one who believed in me,” she whispered.
“Well, a pretty girl like you has no reason for books. You should be kept like fine china,” he said, touching her cheek.
I’ll show you fine china. She turned and moved back to her chair.
“Excuse me sir, can I help you?” Mr. Thomas was clearly irritated that their moment had been interrupted.
Emmie was relieved until she heard the voice of the customer ask for her—his voice.
“Silas?” she asked, startled.
Chapter Eleven
“I ’m sorry. Emma is busy right now. How can I help you?” A fake smile was plastered across Mr. Thomas’s face.
Silas stared at him for a moment. Emmie was sitting three feet
Trick smiled like a dog with its head out the window. Silas swore his brother’s tongue was getting ready to roll out of his mouth. The worst part was Emmie noticed it because her grin got even bigger. Their flirting was painful to watch—annoyingly painful.
“Give it a rest. Good God,” Silas heard himself say.
They looked at him bewildered like they’d even forgotten he was in the room.
“She barely pecked out four notes of that song. I am not sure that calls for such a celebration,” he sneered.
Trick looked amused and scooted closer to Emmie. Pushing his brother was one of his favorite past times… but Silas wasn’t in the mood tonight.
“Excuse me for boring you with my lack of piano skills,” she spit back at him and moved to get up from the bench, stumbling on her dress as she spun.
He walked up to her and grabbed her elbow to help. Emmie quickly jerked away from his hold. That pissed him off more.
“Your piano playing wasn’t half as annoying as your skill-less flirting with my brother. First me, then him. Vince and Ava are right, you really are a friend of this family,” he said quietly.
Trick opened his mouth to speak but was quieted with a sharp look from Silas.
Emmie’s mouth fell open and froze there, unable to think what to say next.
So she said nothing. Just grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
“I’d say you screwed that up completely,” Trick said walking up behind his brother.
“Shut up, Trick,” Silas answered.
***********
“Why do you have your sewing chair in here Emma?” Mr. Thomas asked, pointing to the small wooden rocker he all but required her to sit in while she worked. He was a weird man.
“Sometimes I can’t hear the bell in the side parlor. So, it made sense to bring it in here, if that is okay with you,” she said.
Lately, Emmie had taken to sewing in the store. It seemed so frequently without a shopkeeper that she was doing both jobs, which was getting to be ridiculous. She’d been toying with the idea of asking for a raise. If she was going to be doing two jobs she may as well be paid for them, right?
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that… Paul.” Why was it so hard to say his real name?
“Yes, dear?” he asked.
Dear—that caught her off guard. She sucked in a breath for courage. “Since I’m spending about half my time watching the shop lately while your brother’s been out, I wondered if I might be able to get a raise.”
“A raise?” Mr. Thomas laughed. “I think we both know I pay you well enough and all you’ve given me so far is a little bit of sewing,” he added in his natural condescending air.
“You know the deadline for tuition is next week. I was just thinking that since I’m doing both jobs that maybe you could advance me…” she continued, protesting.
“We’ve had this discussion before, Emma. I don’t pay you to think.” He arched his brow to see how far she was going to push him. “Whoever filled your pretty head with thoughts of college should be tarred and feathered. Come and sit.” He pointed to the chair.
“My mom, Mr. Thomas. She’s the one who believed in me,” she whispered.
“Well, a pretty girl like you has no reason for books. You should be kept like fine china,” he said, touching her cheek.
I’ll show you fine china. She turned and moved back to her chair.
“Excuse me sir, can I help you?” Mr. Thomas was clearly irritated that their moment had been interrupted.
Emmie was relieved until she heard the voice of the customer ask for her—his voice.
“Silas?” she asked, startled.
Chapter Eleven
“I ’m sorry. Emma is busy right now. How can I help you?” A fake smile was plastered across Mr. Thomas’s face.
Silas stared at him for a moment. Emmie was sitting three feet
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