Divine Phoenix (8 page)

* * * *

Clay sipped his coffee, smiling when he caught a snippet of her conversation as he sat reading the paper at the kitchen table. Hearing her say she felt dead inside wasn’t good, but he thought how much he’d like the opportunity to resuscitate her. Time was his friend.

Feelings for her were stirring inside him. Without a doubt his protective instincts were revved to life, but he was also having a hard time keeping his eyes and his thoughts off of her as a woman. He’d reacted to her heated gaze just a few minutes before and wondered what was going on in her head, too. She needed time to heal, but if she kept giving him looks like that, he’d have a hard time reining in his inner horndog. Working with her was also going to present a challenge to his rampant libido.

The cool breeze blowing through the screen door ruffled through the notepad lying on the table. He glanced at the list she’d started while eating breakfast.

Find a divorce lawyer. Talk to a contractor. Make appointment with doctor. Go to work.

Go to work?
He shook his head as she came in the back screen door.

“Dad said to tell you hello and thank you for taking care of his little girl.” Her cheeks were flushed and she avoided direct eye contact with him, but she didn’t appear upset. He remembered her dad being a kidder. Maybe he’d been teasing with her.

“Is he still in Durst?”

She took her seat at the table across from him. “Yes. I think he would have come with me but his health is failing. He has melanoma. Too many years of working unprotected in the sun. It’s spread.”

He placed his hand over hers. “Lil, I’m sorry. Does he want to be here with you?”

“No. I asked him. He said he wants to be buried next to Mom.”

“It’s that bad?” At her sad nod, he continued, “He could move into assisted living or a nursing center here and…we could always take him back to Durst if that’s where he wants to be laid to rest.”

Lily looked up at him, and tears pooled in her amber eyes. “You’d do that.” The faint smile and nod of her head told him she was making a statement and not asking a question. She shook her head. “He’s stubborn. I’ve told him he has other options besides living the rest of his life there. He insists he’d be a burden and his coffee shop buddies are there. Who would help them sit around all day drinking coffee, solving the world’s problems without him there?” She shook her head ruefully and dragged a finger beneath her eye to wipe away a tear. “It’s one of the reasons I stayed in Durst as long as I did. I was afraid if I left it was unlikely I would see him again.”

Bullshit
.

“Lily, we’ll make sure you get to see him again. What does his doctor say?”

“I don’t know. He always insisted on going to his appointments alone. The doctor has told him that his time is limited. Clay, you don’t need to worry about this. I can handle it, if I’m called back to take care of…things.”

He twined his fingers with hers, enjoying the feel of her delicate hand clasped with his. “You’ve been handling everything on your own a long time, Lily. Let me help, okay? You let me know what you need. Agreed?” At her noncommittal nod, he asked, “Now, what’s on your agenda for today?”

“Do I have time for some phone calls before we go to the shop?”

Clay’s eyebrows shot up. “Yes, you can use my phone to make whatever phone calls you need. Who’s this ‘we’ going to the shop?”

“I’d like to get started right away. Strike while the iron is hot. I need to pay you back for my car repairs. I need to learn my job so you don’t change your mind and decide me working for you is a bad idea.”

Clay smirked at her attempt to use mild humor to deflect his real question. He pointed to the couch. “Your only job today is staying on that couch, or in bed, and recovering from your trauma and recent
major surgery
. I can’t believe you thought you were working today.”

“I’m anxious to get started. I feel good.” She looked out the back door, clearly at war with herself as she wrung her hands together.

“I’m glad you feel better but it’s still early in the day. You don’t need to spend that much time on your feet, not this soon. You’re not indestructible and there’s no longer any reason for you to operate under duress. Lil,
look at me
,” he murmured when it seemed as though she was disregarding his words.

When she turned her gaze on him, his heart clenched in his chest. She was like a wounded doe, waiting for the next blow. She really was afraid he’d change his mind. He crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin so he could see her amber eyes.

“Lil, the job is yours. Period. End of discussion. I’m not going to get impatient, or demanding, or angry because you can’t start right now.”

“I’m sorry, Clay. I’m not trying to be difficult. I need for this arrangement to work out. I don’t want to risk you changing your mind.”

“I’m not going to change my mind. As a matter of fact, I need to have a little time before you start to set things up. I’ve had just one employee in the showroom for years. I need to work out your new responsibilities and…”
Where do I begin on dealing with Tabitha?
She’ll blow a gasket for sure
.

Lily frowned. “And what?”

“Your coworker. I’ll need to smooth things over for her. Tabitha’s worked for me for a few years, and she’s a little set in her ways.”

Boy, now there’s an understatement.
In quick succession, Clay pictured a large angry cat with its fur standing up on end, a chicken with its feathers all ruffled, and a riled up wolverine defending its nest.
This is going to call for diplomacy, Cook.

Lily sat up straight, looking a little uncertain. “Clay. Are you sure this is a good idea? I do not want to take someone else’s job.”

Clay shook his head and smirked. “There will be plenty for you to do. Trust me, Lily. There are certain parts of the job that she doesn’t deal with as well as others. I’ll make some decisions today at the shop, let her know about the changes, and talk with you tonight. I’ll need some time to settle her down and soothe her angst a little.” Clay thought it might also be a good idea to set limits on how much Tabitha knew about Lily’s past to limit her gossiping.

“Settle her down? Soothe her angst?” Clay liked the flash of spirit in her eyes, at least until worry clouded them. “That doesn’t sound like a good way for me to start working with her…for her. Oh, no. Will she be my
boss
?”

No fucking way in hell I’d entrust you to her. Not after what you’ve been through.

“No. I’d be your boss. You would not be subordinate to her, but she would be showing you the ropes in the showroom. I’d also like to train you to help me as well.” The thought of her quiet presence beside him in the workroom was pleasing. He hoped to teach her to craft some of the genital jewelry items his online customers ordered. Explaining to her how they worked was going to be an exercise in self-torture that he actually looked forward to.

That idea seemed to intrigue her, and she smiled. “I’d like to work with you. I’m curious about what you do.”

“Business is good and we have enough traffic through the store that more help is warranted and you could assist me in staying caught up with my Internet orders. We’ll talk more about it tonight.”

“Okay.”

“Make your appointment with Doctor Guthrie. After she sees you, we’ll be able to determine the date you start working.”

She pointed back toward the bedroom and asked, “If I feel up to it, can I try out the—”

Clay shook his head in disbelief. “You never give up, do you? No. No elliptical until Emma approves it.”

Lily scrunched up her mouth for a second and said, “I hope she can see me right away. I’m accustomed to staying busy.”

“Lily, you’re accustomed to working yourself to the bone. You’re going to rest and release yourself from that mindset.”

A reluctant smile crossed her face. “You’re a very persistent man.”

“You knew that about me years ago. Get your butt on that couch and make your calls. I’ll come home at lunch.” He laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him, but then he dragged her warm, curvy form into his arms for a hug.
God, she feels so good!

She trembled but then relaxed and tightened her arms around him. He’d startled her with the sudden contact. “Sorry. I just—”
Needed you against me. Slow down, Cook.
He bit his cheek to hold back the groan when she held on tighter and pressed against him. Her breasts were so soft, cushioned against his chest, and he wanted to just sink into her.

Her voice hitched when she spoke. “It’s okay. I needed a hug as much as you did. I’m going to settle in, Clay. I’m going to get better. Just don’t give up on me.”

Never, Lily.
An ache stirred in his chest for her.

She gazed up at him and then shooed him. “Go. You don’t want to be late. That won’t make a good impression on…What’s her name?”

“Miss Tabitha Lester.”

One of Lily’s eyebrows arched. “I won’t make a good impression on Miss Lester if I make you late for work.”

Clay snorted.
Like I give a shit.

When Tabitha practically threw a temper tantrum, Clay most definitely gave a shit, especially since a customer walked in the front door on the tail end of her words. “Another woman? There’s another woman?”

Her eyebrows drew together, and she actually put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. Even from where they stood inside the propped-open doors of the workroom, she would’ve been easy to overhear.

Shoot me now!
That’s
how she chooses to see this?

“Tabitha, lower your voice, please. It’s October and the Christmas season will be starting soon. You most certainly do need help in the showroom. You said it yourself, several times in fact.”

Clay had gotten calls from the three temps who always helped out at Christmastime. They were a young woman who was a college student, her mother, who was a housewife, and her grandmother, who was retired. They thought it was a lark to temp together in the shop during the Christmas season. They would be coming to work soon but in addition, it was past time to hire a second employee.

“I meant I needed
your
help, Clay. I don’t need another woman in here.” She called across the shop, “
Hello, sir
. I’ll be right with you.” The elderly man nodded and gazed into a glass case. “You don’t need this other woman. I’ll get caught up. I know I’m behind on the Internet kink orders.” She probably didn’t even realize her lip curled automatically when she’d said the words. “But I’ll get them all done. I don’t need the help, Clay.”

“Yes, you do, Tabitha. The decision is already made. And they aren’t Internet ‘kink’ orders. They are personal jewelry orders or just Internet orders, if you can’t stomach that. They represent a larger and larger part of my business. Customers are e-mailing me and asking why it takes so long to receive their orders, and local people don’t understand why they can’t pick up their items here unless they make an appointment with me. I need to focus on design and creation and don’t have time to handle sales because you’re squeamish about selling a clit clip.”

Tabitha cringed, flapped her hands, and did a full-body shudder, shushing him and glancing over her shoulder at the man who still looked in the jewelry cases. “Ssshhh!” Her face turned an unattractive shade of beet red. “I can’t
stand
it when you use that word. I swear you do it to embarrass me.”

“I’m going to train her to handle the process, from receiving orders all the way to shipping them or delivering them to customers directly. You won’t have to deal with that end of the business anymore at all.”

Tabitha seemed to ponder that for a few seconds. Her lower lip came out in an unpleasant pout. “All right.”

“You’ll also teach her to handle the register and help her learn the ropes of waiting on the regular store customers. That way I won’t be shorthanded when you take vacations or miss work on sick days.” Clay suppressed a groan as the familiar, irritating tickle began in his sinuses.
T-minus ten seconds and counting.

Tabitha took on a decidedly martyred air and replied, “I suppose it’s a good idea. But I hope you appreciate that I’m not making a bigger deal out of it.”

Wow, is her perspective ever in need of adjustment.
“It wouldn’t make a difference if you did, Tabitha. We are busier than ever. I’ve needed to do this for a while. I’ll also be training Lily to help me in the workroom.” The telltale tickle turned into a burning sensation as he pulled out his handkerchief and sneezed.

Tabitha’s jaw fell open in shock. “But I thought I—” She clapped her mouth shut, and a hint of some darker emotion crossed her face for an instant.

“What?”

“I thought eventually you would train
me
to help you back there. We would work well—” her words were interrupted as he sneezed violently again—“together. Does she know about your employer-employee relations policy?”

Clay looked at her through stinging, watering eyes. “What?”

Tabitha rolled her eyes, licked her lips, and said, “The ‘No Dating’ policy. Wait!
Lily
? You mean the one who—”

Clay sneezed again, growing more irritated by the second. “The one who had the accident. Yes.”

The elderly customer craned his neck, obviously wondering about the delay in service.

“So, not only is she living with you, she’s also working for you? It’s a
good thing
you have that policy, Clay. She sounds more and more like a gold digger. Like there aren’t already enough of those in Divine.” She crossed her arms under her ample chest with a huff, sending a plume of cat hair into the air from her cleavage. His throat tickled unpleasantly at the sight.

Sighing, Clay said, “I’ll tell her about it, Tabitha. That customer is waiting. I’ll have a new list of duties for you this afternoon. And just to be clear, she would be your coworker, not your subordinate.” It was hard to keep his tone neutral.

Clay could almost hear her teeth grinding together as she gave him a tight nod. “My commissions?”

The elderly man frowned at Tabitha as she looked expectantly at Clay.

Why do I put up with this? Does she expect an increase?

Clay sneezed and replied, “Commissions will remain the same. Please help him.”

Tabitha twisted her mouth in a frown as she turned to wait on the customer. He doubted she’d be very effective as a saleslady on the tail end of that conversation. Maybe he should’ve waited until the end of the day to talk with her. The truth was that he was anxious to have the details hammered out even though Lily couldn’t start yet.

He glanced at the “No Dating” policy tacked to the bulletin board as he walked past it. He hadn’t given it much thought since it had achieved the desired goal three years before. Lily wasn’t in a place where she could handle a relationship, but she might be someday. Until then, leaving the policy up might help her to lower her guard and heal if the boundaries for working with him were clearly defined.

He hoped that the changes he was formulating would bear fruit. It was beyond him why Tabitha refused to have contact with these customers in the store when they lived in the same area. He had to stop what he was working on anytime one of them came in. One day the week before, a concerned local customer had come in while Tabitha was at lunch to show Clay the package she had mailed to him.

The customer had purchased a solid gold clit hugger with a diamond dangle as a gift for his wife of twenty years. Tabitha had lined the messily labeled cardboard box loosely with the religion page from the local newspaper. The white velvet gift box containing the clit hugger had rattled around inside the box with the newspaper, and by the time it had arrived the velvet packaging was ruined.

Clay had wondered how many other online customers had similar experiences and had known then that something was going to have to change. Lily’s arrival might be just what his business needed, and this challenge might be just what Lily needed.