your nine-thirty appointment.” She tried to smooth her hair down but it bounced back into place. “Sorry about the crazy hair. I wanted to make a good impression but the wind got hold of it and poof, there it curled.”
Sara couldn’t help but smile. She held out a hand. “Sara Brenneman.”
Laurie took it without hesitation, grasping her hand firmly and squeezing gently while meeting her eyes. When she let go, she said, “So. What was that woman’s deal?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m having my share of headaches today.” Sara gestured at the chipped, dingy walls around them. “I’m trying to have the office ready by next Monday, but the painter I hired canceled because he was double-booked.”
“Not a problem,” Laurie said. “I’ll get you some quotes from other painters. Should I get started on that?”
“Ye…” Sara stopped in mid agreement. “Wait a minute. I haven’t even interviewed you yet.”
Laurie’s dark eyes twinkled. “You can’t blame a girl for trying. You’d be making a mistake not to hire me. I’m likeable. I’m experienced. And I’m up for anything.”
“Then let’s get you interviewed.” Sara settled into the chair behind the unusually shaped reception desk while Laurie made a fuss over it. Without being told, Laurie pulled a chair up to the desk. Sara riffled through her briefcase until she found the completed application Laurie had e-mailed last week and which Sara hadn’t looked at since.
“Let’s see.” Sara blanched, blinked, then double-checked the name on the application. She’d read it right the first time: Laurie Grieb. She tried to sound as casual as possible when she asked, “Are you, by any chance, related to Kenny Grieb?”
“You know Kenny?”
“Not really.” Sara wasn’t sure how to raise the subject or even whether she should. Considering Kenny Grieb’s actions at the wedding, though, she needed all the details in order to decide whether to employ one of his relatives. “I, um, was with someone at a wedding Saturday who had a minor altercation with him.”
“You mean Kenny picked a fight?” Tension radiated off her, like a blast of heat from a wild fire. “Was he drunk?”
“Very.”
“Who was the fight with?” Laurie’s body stiffened, as though she was bracing herself for the answer.
Sara couldn’t think of a reason not to tell her. In fact, this could be her chance to find out why people at the wedding were whispering about his return. “Michael Donahue.”
“Damn it!” Laurie expelled a long breath. Before Sara could ask for specifics on Michael, Laurie pulled herself together and let loose with another spate of words. “I’m sorry. I didn’t answer your question yet. Kenny’s my ex-husband. It’s been over between us for a long time, pretty much since I miscarried the baby I was pregnant with when he married me.”
It didn’t seem over to Sara, a sentiment that must have shown on her face.
“It is over. It’s just that Kenny stopped by this morning to bring me an apple turnover, which he knows is a weakness of mine, and fed me a load of bull.” She stopped, clasped her hands together and rolled her eyes. “Listen to me, going on like this at a job interview. A job that, incidentally, I would be perfect for. If I can ever get you to believe I’m not a lunatic.”
Sara laughed, charmed by Laurie despite her connection to Kenny Grieb. But then, she’d been sold on Laurie since she’d asked if Sara had horns. “I don’t think you’re a lunatic. Free-spirited, yes, but not insane.”
“Good, because I’m a terrific office manager and I’m great on the phone. Just call Buddy—he was my boss at the brokerage firm where I worked in Atlanta—and he’ll vouch for me.”
“Why did you leave Atlanta?”
“I got homesick,” she said. “Also, I got to thinking my mom won’t be around forever. My dad died fifteenyears ago. Mom’s not even sixty but…” She trailed off suddenly. “I’m talking too
Sara couldn’t help but smile. She held out a hand. “Sara Brenneman.”
Laurie took it without hesitation, grasping her hand firmly and squeezing gently while meeting her eyes. When she let go, she said, “So. What was that woman’s deal?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m having my share of headaches today.” Sara gestured at the chipped, dingy walls around them. “I’m trying to have the office ready by next Monday, but the painter I hired canceled because he was double-booked.”
“Not a problem,” Laurie said. “I’ll get you some quotes from other painters. Should I get started on that?”
“Ye…” Sara stopped in mid agreement. “Wait a minute. I haven’t even interviewed you yet.”
Laurie’s dark eyes twinkled. “You can’t blame a girl for trying. You’d be making a mistake not to hire me. I’m likeable. I’m experienced. And I’m up for anything.”
“Then let’s get you interviewed.” Sara settled into the chair behind the unusually shaped reception desk while Laurie made a fuss over it. Without being told, Laurie pulled a chair up to the desk. Sara riffled through her briefcase until she found the completed application Laurie had e-mailed last week and which Sara hadn’t looked at since.
“Let’s see.” Sara blanched, blinked, then double-checked the name on the application. She’d read it right the first time: Laurie Grieb. She tried to sound as casual as possible when she asked, “Are you, by any chance, related to Kenny Grieb?”
“You know Kenny?”
“Not really.” Sara wasn’t sure how to raise the subject or even whether she should. Considering Kenny Grieb’s actions at the wedding, though, she needed all the details in order to decide whether to employ one of his relatives. “I, um, was with someone at a wedding Saturday who had a minor altercation with him.”
“You mean Kenny picked a fight?” Tension radiated off her, like a blast of heat from a wild fire. “Was he drunk?”
“Very.”
“Who was the fight with?” Laurie’s body stiffened, as though she was bracing herself for the answer.
Sara couldn’t think of a reason not to tell her. In fact, this could be her chance to find out why people at the wedding were whispering about his return. “Michael Donahue.”
“Damn it!” Laurie expelled a long breath. Before Sara could ask for specifics on Michael, Laurie pulled herself together and let loose with another spate of words. “I’m sorry. I didn’t answer your question yet. Kenny’s my ex-husband. It’s been over between us for a long time, pretty much since I miscarried the baby I was pregnant with when he married me.”
It didn’t seem over to Sara, a sentiment that must have shown on her face.
“It is over. It’s just that Kenny stopped by this morning to bring me an apple turnover, which he knows is a weakness of mine, and fed me a load of bull.” She stopped, clasped her hands together and rolled her eyes. “Listen to me, going on like this at a job interview. A job that, incidentally, I would be perfect for. If I can ever get you to believe I’m not a lunatic.”
Sara laughed, charmed by Laurie despite her connection to Kenny Grieb. But then, she’d been sold on Laurie since she’d asked if Sara had horns. “I don’t think you’re a lunatic. Free-spirited, yes, but not insane.”
“Good, because I’m a terrific office manager and I’m great on the phone. Just call Buddy—he was my boss at the brokerage firm where I worked in Atlanta—and he’ll vouch for me.”
“Why did you leave Atlanta?”
“I got homesick,” she said. “Also, I got to thinking my mom won’t be around forever. My dad died fifteenyears ago. Mom’s not even sixty but…” She trailed off suddenly. “I’m talking too
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