Just One Thing Page 4

  Exhaustion rode him hard as he pulled open the back door. Then he stopped short when he saw Katie outside talking to one of her sons. He recognized the little boy’s posture. He was in trouble and getting an earful. As the oldest of four, he’d recognize that stance anywhere.

  “When you take something from your brother, you’re not thinking about his feelings. You’re only thinking of yourself. That’s not fair, is it?”

  When the little boy shook his head, she placed a hand on his head.

  “I know. Now go apologize. We’ll be leaving in fifteen minutes, okay? Make sure you apologize to Mr. Alexander for your bad behavior, too.”

  Once Katie stood, the little boy raced off and she paused when she saw Bennett in the doorway.

  “Sorry. Let me get out of your way.”

  As she moved to the side, Bennett followed her with his eyes. She really was a nice woman. Patient, kind and understanding. She corrected her son’s behavior with a calm, steady kind of strength. Exactly the kind of woman who could whip any man into shape.

  When he didn’t pass, she peered up at him curiously. “Are you okay?”

  “Does it bother you that you have to correct his behavior?”

  The look she gave him was half What the hell? and half What do you think?

  “Of course not. I’m his mother. Teaching him what’s appropriate is part of my job.”

  “Do you ever get frustrated with them? Teaching someone how to behave sounds like a twenty-four hour job.”

  “It is. That’s motherhood though.” She regarded him silently for a minute and when he didn’t say anything else, she tipped her head to the side. “Um, this conversation is really weird.”

  “Might I ask a favor?”

  “Sure.”

  “Could you forgive the weirdness of this conversation because I’m truly not trying to cause offense? I just need help and I think you’re the person who can help me.”

  Katie’s expression closed up just that fast. She sighed and then tugged at the ends of her hair. The shiny, dark coils fascinated him. They looked soft and the pattern was fascinating. Every curl twisted around itself like a double helix, the pattern reminding him of a strand of DNA. He wondered what they felt like. Yeah, like he’d ever know that. He was socially broken but even he knew that putting your hands on a woman was grounds to get slapped.

  He tuned in just in time to catch the tail end of what Katie was saying.

  “Listen, all that stuff Ridley was saying before … You don’t have to … She’s just worried about me. No one expects you to hire some random woman to be your assistant.”

  Fascinating. Despite the fact that she’d barely completed a full sentence, her worry and affection for her friend came through clearly. She was scattered and nervous and the exact opposite of everything he usually required in an assistant.

  Which made her perfect.

  “Don’t worry about it.” He turned to leave and just before he left he realized that he hadn’t actually responded to any of the things she’d said. Yet another thing he hoped she could train him out of over the next few weeks.

  “Oh yeah, I’ll see you on Monday morning.”

  “For what?”

  “Your interview.”

  ♥

  Later than night, Jackson watched Ridley complete her nightly skincare ritual from his perch on their king-sized bed. It was his favorite way to end the night. After years of being a widower, you’d think the sex would be what he’d missed the most but no … the tiny details that no one else paid attention to were his favorite things. He loved to watch his adorable wife putting on lotion and shaving her legs and brushing her teeth.

  Until the one you loved was taken away, you didn’t realize how valuable those quiet, common moments were. It was an honor to watch the one you loved doing normal, everyday things. He could watch Ridley breathing and never get tired of the sight.

  After she finished, she cut off the light in the bathroom and climbed beneath the covers next to him. When her back made contact with the mattress she let out a loud groan.

  “Tired?”

  “Exhausted. But it was a good night. I loved having everyone all together.”

  Her comment made him think back to that disastrous dinner. Even though his older brother hadn’t made a big deal of it, Jackson could read him like a book. There were few things Bennett hated more than being put on display or being pushed into something he didn’t want to do. Despite being the youngest brother, Jackson had always felt a curious protectiveness for his oldest brother. He was different but in a brilliant way and he didn’t like to think of him being manipulated. Even by someone with good intentions.

  “About dinner tonight … I thought we talked about this.”

  Ridley didn’t even bother to pretend that she didn’t know what he meant. Instead she just rolled onto her side so she could see him without lifting her head.

  “But look how well it turned out for Nick and Raina. And Eli and Kay. Everyone should be thanking me. Clearly I’m gifted at this.”

  Jackson was determined not to smile at her brazen statement, even though he really wanted to.

  “Ri, you booked Kay and Eli into a room together when they weren’t even dating yet. He spent the night on a cot on the floor.”

  “Well, that wasn’t what I intended but that just proves your brother is a gentleman. Although, all he did was delay the inevitable. Love cannot be denied.”

  “And you seriously think that pushing Katie at Bennett is a good idea? You know he’s not exactly a people person.”

  Ri wrinkled her nose. “I know but I just think he seems lonely. He needs someone to draw him out of his shell a bit. Katie is perfect for that. She can handle any social situation and loves parties. All the stuff he hates, she can deal with.”

  “This has a really high probability of blowing up in your face. And I’m reserving the right to say I told you so.”

  Ridley grinned suddenly. “I accept the challenge.”

  Jackson pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. For just a moment, they remained like that, breathing the same air. Then he felt her hand trail down his bare chest and settle at the waistband of his sweatpants. He normally didn’t wear anything to bed but lately he’d been wearing sweatpants or shorts.

  “Do you want to stay up for a bit? I’m pretty sure the kids are already asleep so we don’t even have to be that quiet.” She bit him gently on the throat and Jackson stiffened, all the blood in his body seeming to land in the same place, the erection currently trying to work its way through layers of cotton to get at her.

  As his blood raged and his hormones surged, he bit his lip and willed his body to listen to a higher power for once. It took a few moments but once he was more in control, he pulled back slightly and then clicked his lamp off, leaving them shrouded in darkness.

  “Actually I’m kind of tired. Let’s just go to sleep.”

  He could feel the shock emanating from her; it coated his skin like a film. Seconds later, her hands left his body and he heard the rustle of the sheets and blankets moving around as she got comfortable. In his mind he could picture her curled up with her hands tucked under her, her spine curved forward like she was protecting herself from a blow.

  Which was what he’d just given her, right? It might not have been physical but he could tell that the rejection had hit her harder than any fist ever could. Even knowing that … he couldn’t.

  “Okay. I’m tired, too. Good night.”

  He registered the gentle kiss against his cheek before she turned over to face the wall.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ♥

  Monday morning, Katie went through the usual steps of getting her kids dressed, fed and on the school bus with an extra pep in her step. As soon as the bus pulled off, she jogged back to the house and raced up the stairs. After a quick shower, she stood in her closet surveying her choices with a critical eye.

  Intellectually she knew that what she wore probably would
n't make that much of a difference. Bennett didn't seem like the kind of guy who would even notice that sort of thing. However, it was the first time in quite a while that she'd been excited about something. She was going to dress to fit her mood and to make herself happy.

  By the time she left an hour later, she was dressed in a fitted blue pin-striped skirt and cream blouse, her neck adorned with a single strand of pearls. She’d kept her makeup simple and her shoes had only a low heel but the outfit made her feel professional and in control. It was only through her friend’s dogged persistence that she even had this chance, so she definitely wasn’t going to screw it up. She needed all the mojo she could get.

  As she drove carefully through the quiet suburban streets, Katie gave herself a pep talk. Maybe she didn’t have that many skills but she was a hard worker and took pride in that. There were other people with more experience, sure, but she was going to bring a fresh perspective and an enthusiastic spirit. Hopefully that would be enough to convince Bennett to give her the job.

  Over the weekend, she’d gone through her bills one more time and honestly the situation looked worse at second glance. She needed this.

  After parking in the long drive, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. Usually she just walked in but this situation called for a more formal approach. Especially since she wasn’t sure if Bennett had told his parents to expect her for this interview. When he’d said it, it had seemed like he’d been doing it as an afterthought, a concession to make his adored sister-in-law happy. She’d be lucky if he even remembered she was coming today.

  “Katie! What are you doing out here on the steps? You know you can just come right in.” Julia held the door wide for her to come inside. Katie stepped past her into the cool interior of the house.

  It was strange to see it so quiet. She’d only ever been here when the whole family was around and the entire place was awash with people and noise and life.

  “Bennett asked me to come back to interview for the assistant position. Is he here?”

  Julia looked shocked but recovered quickly. “That’s wonderful. I’m sure you’d be perfect for the position. But if you’re here for Bennett, you’re in the wrong place. He’s in the converted barn around back. The first one.”

  Julia led her through the family room and into the kitchen, then to the back door. They stepped out onto the back deck and Katie shielded her eyes from the bright morning sunlight. Julia gestured across the wide expanse of the yard to the closest red barn.

  “Just go right on in. The door should be open. Bennett is an early riser, always has been.”

  With that, Julia went back inside, leaving Katie on the porch alone. She descended the steps, noting with satisfaction that the farm was bustling with activity. One of the ranch hands rode by on some sort of small tractor and tipped his hat to her as he passed. She continued across the yard, the heels of her shoes sinking slightly into the soft grass. When she reached the barn, she raised her hand to knock and then dropped it just as quickly. Cursing herself for being a coward, she wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her skirt.

  She’d been around the Alexanders so many times but it had never been a matter of life and death before. If she didn’t get the job she wasn’t sure how she’d pay the mortgage. With a quick shake of her head, she banished the thoughts. Dwelling on her dire financial circumstances wasn’t going to convince Bennett to hire her. If she wanted this job, she was going to have to prove to him that she could handle it. That wasn’t going to happen as long as she stood out here feeling sorry for herself.

  Determined not to waste any more time, she knocked once and then opened the door. Her mouth immediately fell open and a part of her wanted to step back outside to make sure she was in the right place.

  Whoa.

  The barn was so quaint on the outside that she’d originally felt overdressed. But once you were inside, there was a totally different vibe going on. The inside had been completely renovated and was a modern scientific lab. The ceiling panels on one side of the building had been converted to skylights and there were little pods of plants growing beneath the streams of light revealed.

  Katie leaned down to peer at the plant pod things. They were set up in rows on metal tables and every few minutes there was a soft hiss and a mist of water sprang up covering the whole area.

  “Fascinating. It’s a greenhouse.”

  She was careful not to touch anything even though she really wanted to pick up one of the little pod things to see what was underneath. Not only was it fascinating but also really intimidating. She wasn’t even sure exactly what Bennett did for a living so why would he want to hire her?

  From the way Ridley described him, he was some kind of intellectual prodigy, a brilliant scientist and inventor. She smoothed her skirt again and wished that she’d spent her time over the weekend reviewing science journals instead of brushing up on her typing. What if he asked her questions about his projects? She had no idea what any of these plants even were.

  “You came.”

  The voice behind her echoed throughout the space and Katie jumped a little. She turned to see Bennett standing in the doorway across the room.

  “Yes. Hello.” When he didn’t respond or move any closer, she gestured awkwardly toward the plants and then the skylights, desperate to fill the silence. “This is very impressive.”

  Apparently that was the right thing to say because his face lit up and he moved closer, dodging between the tables with the kind of certainty that told her he’d done it a million times. When he reached her side, he looked down at the rows of plants almost affectionately.

  “Are you familiar with hydraponics?” he asked. “It seems counterintuitive but to create better soil, it’s actually helpful to study how plants grow without it. It also helps me design solutions for parts of the world where soil conditions are poor.”

  It was so tempting to lie but she couldn’t do it. He looked so excited and she wasn’t going to build up his hopes and then dash them. If he hired her, it would be with full knowledge of exactly what she could and couldn’t do. All she could do was hope he was open-minded.

  So she clamped her lips together, wished for the best and then shook her head slowly. “Nope. I don’t know anything about that.”

  “Botany?”

  At the slow shake of her head, Bennett smiled. “So basically my sister-in-law is full of shit?”

  That startled Katie into laughing out loud. “Pretty much. Are you angry?”

  “No. We all start knowing nothing. The most important question is are you willing to learn?”

  She nodded. “I’m a fast learner and I don’t complain. I know being a mom isn’t considered valid work experience to most people but if I can handle a baby that screams for twelve hours straight and another that pooped on me every time I changed his diaper, I think I can handle just about anything.”

  Bennett’s face was blank for a minute and then his lips stretched into a smile so wide it looked like his face might crack.

  “Good. That’s good. Look, I have to go out briefly because I forgot I had an appointment this morning. But after I come back, we can figure out how to go forward. I’m going to need to train you in several areas, starting with caring for my babies.”

  He gestured to the little buds of plants growing on the tables and Katie realized belatedly that he was trying to make a joke.

  “No problem. I’ll hang out here until you come back. But I want to at least be helpful so point toward something that needs organizing.”

  Bennett looked behind himself sheepishly. “My office is a disaster.”

  Katie brightened. “Well, that’s where I’ll start. I’ll see you when you get back.”

  He nodded and then walked past her. She walked to the other side of the room and opened the door he’d indicated. The desk in the middle of the room was empty save a small lamp and a laptop. A box sat on top of the filing cabinet with a single sheet of paper poking out.

  Her mouth
dropped open. “A disaster, huh?” She turned around to face Bennett and then let out a soft sigh when she saw that he’d already left.

  “If this is his idea of a mess then I have a feeling I won’t last long here.”

  She picked up the single sheet of paper and filed it in the folder with the current month’s date. Then she sat in the office chair to wait.

  ♥

  Bennett parked his truck on the private drive behind his laboratory. The entire time he’d been meeting with his old classmate he’d been aware that Katie was back at his place waiting for him. Although he wouldn’t necessarily call it excitement, it had given him a curious feeling to think that she would be there when he returned.

  He got out, not bothering to lock his vehicle, and then walked back into the building. Every time he entered, it never failed to make him smile, remembering the way this building used to look. The barns on their land were all original structures and this one in particular had been in dire need of repair. When he’d first asked his parents if he could have it, they’d agreed easily, probably thinking he would just replace the beams or something. No one had expected him to completely renovate the entire thing until it looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.

  It was the place he felt most comfortable. Since he’d made sure to have the builders put living space on the second floor, it was also his home. He lived here, ate here, created here and slept here. Very few people broached his space, save his mother when she needed to reach him. So when he walked in and Katie turned around, he was unprepared for the blast of warmth he felt seeing her sitting at one of the worktables.

  It should have felt weird to have someone in his space. Instead, it was nice.

  “Hey! How was your meeting?” She closed the magazine she’d been reading and turned on the stool to face him.

  Bennett put his keys on the peg near the door and then slipped his arms into the lab coat he’d taken off before he left.