Help Wanted (13 page)

As he moved around the room, Jim noticed the oak woodwork, leaf green walls and crisp white accents adding a hint of freshness to the spacious room in the remodeled vintage home. When he was here before he didn’t see the large area rugs covered up stunning hardwood floors adding a hint of warmth to the room; in addition, he liked how it defined the seating area.

Working in construction for so many years had taught him how to notice when a building would hold up for a long time and Keira’s house looked like it had a lot of good years left it in. Her decorating style only enhanced the charm of the living room. An off-white sofa was accented with a mixture of black, white and patterned pillows making a usually dull piece of furniture, in his opinion, stand out even more. It was like the main focal point in the room.

Keira had also placed an armful of pillows next to a black slip-covered ottoman. Even the lush green houseplants played up to the relaxing theme in the area making it even more welcoming to anyone who came to visit her.

Walking over to one of the walls, Jim studied the framed photos that were placed there. There were a variety of pictures of Keira from when she was little girl, her college years with Charisma at their sorority and a few more recent ones.

In all of them she had a smile that lit up her dark, mysterious eyes. He even noticed the hint of mischievousness there too. He was only used to the outspoken or sexy Keira who wasn’t a bit shy in the bedroom. He wanted to be allowed to see more of the woman revealed in these pictures. He would love to have her smile like that around him.

“I love that picture of me and Charisma together. Someone took it right after we had left a strip club,” Keira said coming up behind him. “She was so crazy that night. I thought we might end up going back to the hotel with one of the guys.”

“Do you have a crazy side that you’re keeping hidden from me?” Jim asked, facing Keira.

“I used to but I think she disappeared a long time ago. I might have left her down in Jamaica while Charisma was falling in love with Dave. I haven’t smiled like the girl in those pictures for a very long time.”

Slipping his arm around her waist, Jim pulled Keira to him. “How about we see if we can slowly bring her back from her self-made vacation? I want to meet the smiling woman in those pictures behind us. Don’t you want to see if you can find her again for me?”

“I’m not sure if she even exists anymore. I haven’t been that happy in a very long time.”

“Baby, that is a challenge if I ever heard one.” He was getting turned on by the fact that he could be the man who would bring back the Keira everyone loved so much.

He hated the sudden sadness on her face and in her eyes. It brought out a protectiveness in him that he only thought was for his son. Keira might refuse his help, but in the end she would accept it along with everything else he might have to offer her.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Keira walked next to Jim as they followed a waitress to their table in a secluded part of the restaurant. Tonight was turning out to be such a surprise for her, but she wasn’t quite sure if she was ready for anything else out of the blue to take place.

Jim had promised back at her house that he was going to get her out of the depression she was in. He acted like just being around him would stop her from thinking about the crash. If Dr. Gearan couldn’t do it, what magical powers did Jim possess to get it out of her?

However, he did look good enough tonight that she might ask him to skip dessert at the restaurant and have it at her house instead. She wasn’t blind. She saw how the waitress’s eyes almost popped out of her head when Jim walked up asking about their reservations. It had taken her a few seconds for the young girl to even realize that she was Jim’s date. Yet, Jim acted like he wasn’t aware of how cold the waitress’s attitude had grown towards them.

“Here are your menus,” she said once both of them had taken their seats. “Someone will be by in a few minutes to get your orders.” The waitress placed the dark brown menus in front of them and then stormed away.

Keira couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh at the young woman as she practically ran from the table back to the front of the restaurant. God, why did the girl care if she was out on a date with Jim? It wasn’t like she didn’t have the right to be out on a date with anyone she wanted.

“What’s so funny?” Jim asked as he reached for his menu.

“I think the waitresses have a thing against me after they see me with you. First, it was Bambi at Dante’s and now with that one…Donna. She was so thrilled to see you until she figured out I was your date.”

“Dawn…and don’t give her another thought. This night is all about us and not her or her close-minded opinions.”

“Who’s Dawn?”

“The waitress who is jealous of you…is named Dawn, not Donna. Like I said earlier she isn’t important at all and neither is Bambi. I’m not interested in getting to know them, only you.”

Against her will, Keira had to admit that a slender delicate thread of understanding was beginning to form between them. “I’ll take your compliment for now because I might say something later that will place me on your most hated list,” she teased.

“I can promise you that you never were on my most hated list,” Jim corrected.

“What list was I on instead?”

“Overly bossy, too-nosy, gorgeous but a pain in my side, but like I said, you never landed a spot on my hated list.”

Keira wondered if she should be insulted or pleased by Jim’s semi-criticism of her personality.  She never thought of herself as overly bossy or too nosy. She was a woman who knew how to speak her mind and wasn’t too worried about who liked it or not.

“It wasn’t a condemnation if that’s what you’re thinking about,” Jim commented grabbing her attention. “I see now that you’re just passionate about your family and friends. Most people nowadays only care about themselves and you don’t.  You’re a unique woman.  You should be very proud of that.”

“I never said I wasn’t proud of how I am when it comes to the people I care about.” Keira was beginning to rethink her initial opinion of Jim from their airport encounter. He might not be as condescending at she initially thought.

“Keira, I’m starting to like you more and more.  I can see why Charisma and everyone else loves you so much.”

“Thank you,” Keira said. “However, I’m not seeing any changes with you at all, Mr. Russell.”

A teasing light came into Jim’s hazel eyes as he stared at her from across the table. “Keep talking to me like that and I’ll have to teach you how to speak nicer to me.”

“Oh, I’m so scared.” Keira laughed, enjoying her second date with Jim more than her first date. She would have never bet in a million years that Jim would show her such a wicked sense of humor. She couldn’t wait to hear what else Jim was about to tell her, but got extremely disappointed when a loud, whiny female voice behind her interrupted their conversation.

“Jim, what are you doing here with this woman? Who is with Trevor this time of night? You’re constantly on my ass about not spending enough time with him and look at you.  So, once again who in the hell is this woman?”

Keira clamped her jaw as tight as she could as the woman moved around her and stopped not five feet from Jim’s chair. The scent of her perfume was so strong that it almost made her gag.  It was a good thing that she hadn’t already eaten or the food might have made a re-appearance.

After looking at the woman a second time she knew without being told that this was Jim’s ex-wife Kathy by the way his eyes lost their sparkle and grew darker with loathing. She sent up a silent prayer that Jim never looked at her like that.

If she had to pick Jim’s ex-wife out of a crowd, this chick would have been in the top five. Kathy was model tall, thin, with strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin. She was the brand of female that most dark-haired men like Jim married in her humble opinion.

“Kathy, what in the hell are you doing here?” Jim snapped, annoyed.

“I’m on a date. I do have a right to go out with my boyfriend,” she tossed back. “I shouldn’t have to stay at home and become an old maid because of Trevor. Aren’t you out with this person?” Kathy gave her a once over like she was wondering if she was good enough to even be in the same room as her.

Enough was enough
. She was fed up with the way this heifer was treating her. “Do you have a problem? You’re looking at me like you do.” Keira said dying for Kathy to say something to her. She wouldn’t let Jim’s ex-wife or anyone else disrespect her.

“When I want to say something to you I’ll make sure you know it. Until then stay out of my conversation with my ex-husband. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

Oh, no that bitch
didn’t… I’ll teach her who she’s talking to.

“How about I tell you how well I…”

“Keira, stay out of it,” Jim barked jumping into the conversation. “Don’t say another word to Kathy.”

Keira was so proud of the fact that her mouth didn’t hit the table. Jim actually told her not to tell his ex-wife off despite the fact the underweight cougar needed her eyes opened? Well, she’d leave both of them to fight without her around. She’d too much stuff going on to add Jim’s baggage to her life.

“Excuse me.  I didn’t know I was overstepping my bounds,” Keira said in a low voice as she jumped up from her seat.  “I’m out of here. You can stay and deal with the drama you are constantly complaining about.”

“Yes.  It’s best if you do leave.  Jim doesn’t need your help and I sure in the hell would never ask for it,” Kathy spat.

Keira strolled up to the other woman until only less than an inch separated them. “I’m going to let it go for tonight because I don’t want to get escorted out of here for kicking your bony butt. I have no need to spend the night in jail because I know your crazy ass would press charges.”

Storming past Jim, she shook off his touch when he tried to touch her on the arm. “Don’t touch me!”

“Keira, come back here!” Jim yelled after her.  “How in the hell are you going to get back home?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Keira continued on out the door leaving Jim back at their table to deal with the drama that was his ex-wife. Kathy wasn’t her problem and she wasn’t going to let her become her problem either. She didn’t get dressed up for this shit! The front entrance was within reach when a hand wrapped around her upper arm halting her steps.

“Baby, I’m sorry,” Jim whispered against the back of her neck. “I shouldn’t have let Kathy stay at our table as long as she did. She had no right to talk to you like that. Come back to the table. We can forget she was even there. I want us to enjoy our dinner.”

Did he think she was going to let him get off that easily after what he said to her? Jim was clearly out of his mind.

“Our date got ruined the second you told me to stay out of it. Now are you going to take me back home or do I need to catch a cab?”

“I’ll take you back home,” Jim replied stepping back from her. “Let’s go.”

Taking her by the elbow, Jim escorted her outside and gave the ticket stub to the valet. She was itching to tell Jim what she thought of him and his bitchy ass ex-wife so much that she had to bite her tongue to keep quiet.

How dare he embarrass her like that in front of a restaurant full of people? She wasn’t a dumb woman, but she’d made an idiot decision tonight. She went out with a man who she knew had baggage from a previous relationship and stuff like that never went away. No matter how much you may wish for it to.

“I’m not going to allow you to act like I’m not standing here next to you,” Jim snapped moving from her side to stand directly in front of her getting all up in her personal space.

“How can I forget you’re here? You are big as a house.”

“Good. Now let me apologize again and again until you believe that I’m truly sorry for the way I acted inside with Kathy.” Jim ran the back of his knuckles down the side of her cheek. “Please go somewhere else with me. I would hate for this night to end because I let a situation get out of hand. You look too breathtaking to go back home and be mad at me for the rest of the night. Let’s make the best of this and not let it get utterly ruined.”

“I need to get home.” Keira wasn’t going to let Jim sweet talk her into changing her mind.

“Please, baby.” His lips brushed over hers as he spoke. “I asked you out on another date to get to know you better.”

“No.” The words were firm and final.

Jim’s mouth recaptured hers, more demanding this time. His kiss was urgent and exploratory. She had a burning desire, an aching need to agree to his demands because he was making one hell of a case with this kiss.

Slowly, Jim separated their lips until they were not quite touching. “Have I changed your mind?”

Damn him! He knew he had after a lip lock like that!

“You better be glad you’re one hell of a kisser or your ass would be taking me home instead of to another restaurant.”

“I guarantee the new place is much better than this one and there won’t be an ex-wife around bothering us.”

“I hope you’re right because you already have one strike against you,” Keira said poking her finger in his chest.

“What will take place if I get three?”

“How about you never find out?” Keira replied, but she secretly wondered if Jim would be able to keep his promises to her.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Antonia’s
was so beautiful that Keira had a hard time believing Jim even knew of a place like this. It used to be a large loft but the owner of the property turned it into an intimate restaurant. The entire place consisted of about ten tables that were spread throughout the building along with two booths that were tucked over in the far left corner. Jazz music played in the background just loud enough for you to hear it, but not so distracting that it would drown out your conversation.

The waiter came and took their order within ten minutes of being seated. Honestly, Keira was positive it might have been quicker than she first thought.  Everything from the dimmed lights, white and black tablecloths, to the framed photos on the wall screamed romantic.
Antonia’s
was the kind of a place a man took a woman he wanted to romance and make feel like she was the only woman in his life.