Can't Shake You by Molly McLain Read Free Book Online Page B

get that you meant well, but this was none of your business. I don’t have a contractor now, thank you very much.”
    “And you’ve yet to tell me why that is,” he reminded her.
    She shot him another disbelieving look. “I let him go. What other choice did I have? Let him go postal and trash the place?”
    She fired Kelly? Not what he expected. “I need a little more than that, Car.”
    “He refused to show Reed the wiring he was in a big hurry to wall up today and...” She gave him a play by play of the day’s confrontations, including Kelly’s typical two-year-old style temper tantrum. “So I told him to leave. I can’t afford to pay for his mistakes and I certainly don’t have time to play his games. And why am I even telling you this? ” She fisted her hands at the top of her head and groaned. “I swear to God, Josh, if you so much as look at me with ‘I told you so’ in your eyes, I will not be held accountable for what I do to you.”
    What the hell? “I never said a word about you hiring Alex. In fact, up until now, I think I’ve done a pretty damn good job keeping my mouth shut about it.” Yes, he’d been concerned and a little disappointed when he found out she’d given Kelly the contract on her flip. Not that he’d honestly expected her to come to him with the project either. He hadn’t even bid, because frankly he didn’t do small renovations like hers anymore. And the reality was, even if he did, he and Carissa would never be able to work together, all things considered.
    “You didn’t need to say anything. At least not to my face. Going behind my back to Reed was enough.” She gave a heavy sigh and she suddenly looked completely defeated, which had him feeling like a schmuck. “You really don’t understand what this means for me, Josh. I don’t have the luxury of time right now.”
    “I get that. I’ve worked flips before.”
    “It’s not just a matter of finishing so I can put the house up for sale.”
    Again with the alluding. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    She held his gaze for several moments, before glancing away, reluctant. Like she wasn’t sure she could trust him with what she was about to say and, despite knowing where he stood with her, it hurt a little. “I’ve been evicted from my apartment,” she finally blurted out.
    Shit.
    “I’m not on the streets yet. But I will be thirty days from now if the flip isn’t livable.”
    “Why?” He couldn’t imagine her doing anything to warrant eviction. She was a school counselor, for chrissake.
    “My building was bought out by some non-profit from Omaha. They’re gonna demo it and put a youth center in its place. Big shot businessman you are, I’m surprised you didn’t already know.” She eyed him suspiciously, then shook her head. “Anyhow, I found out this morning and I started looking for another place right away. Problem is everything I’ve come across is more rent than I’ve been paying and I can’t swing an increase and a mortgage payment. I’m going to have to live in the house until it sells.”
    “Car, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
    She sighed. “How did you know about Alex?”
    “Dan called me. Told me you’d been talking to Maddie about the money Kelly’s been spending. Didn’t add up to what Dan had seen when he stopped by last week.”
    She held a hand to her forehead. “Of course.”
    “We’re just looking out for you, Car.”
    She glowered and propped her hand on her hips again. Her tits jiggled accordingly and it took a concerted effort to be a professional and not stare. “If I hear those words one more time, I swear I’m gonna blow. I’m a grown woman, Josh.”
    Yeah. He got that loud and clear. So did the semi in his pants. “I’m well aware of that.”
    “Why? Why couldn’t you just leave well enough alone?” she asked, exhaustion weighing down her words and her pretty face once again.
    He sensed the opening to try and assuage what he’d done, so he took his time