Educating Gina by Debbi Rawlins Read Free Book Online Page B

trouble.”
    “Of course not.”
    She dropped her arms and moved back. “That is all right. I understand.”
    “No, you don’t.” He hated the hurt look on her face. What had she been told by her parents? Or maybe it was the nuns who’d undermined her confidence. “It’s just that it’s too public here.”
    She stared at him, her eyes growing wide, and then her lips curved in an expectant smile. “You must be planning some kiss.”
    Mike groaned. She’d probably been asking for a peck. Now she’d expect much more. Gee, no pressure here.

    “R OBERT , WAIT UP .” Mike shot up from his desk to catch him before he disappeared for the day.
    “Coffee. I need coffee right away.” Robert turned and headed for the office’s small kitchen.
    Mike followed, but stopped at Augie’s office when he noticed the door was open. “I didn’t know you were in already. We could have had a coffee together.”
    Augie shrugged and stared down at the newspaper spread across his desk. “I had a lot of stuff to catch up on.”
    Mike frowned. Yeah, Augie looked as if he were really busy. What the hell was going on? Augie always had time for coffee with him, even if only to find out what was happening with sales so he could try to stay on top of things.
    “No problem,” Mike said. “Maybe tomorrow.”
    “Sure,” Augie looked up briefly and went back to his paper. Mike continued to the kitchen, his concern growing, but waited until his friend poured a cup of the strong black brew. It was pretty early. For Robert, anyway. “Your office or mine?” Robert asked after he’d taken a sip.
    “Mine. My coffee is sitting on my desk.” Mike led the way back down the hall. At least Robert didn’t seem to be avoiding him. Although he still hadn’t volunteered anything about his trip to Jersey either.
    “What’s up?” Robert sprawled in the chair opposite Mike, cradling his mug in his hands.
    “I was hoping you’d tell me.”
    Robert’s eyebrows shot up. “Come again?”
    “What’s with this trip to Jersey?”
    Robert made a dismissive sound. “Nothing. You know Pop. The warehouse lease is up for renewal and he thinks the rent is going up and he’s panicking.”
    Mike frowned. Not good. A move would mean a delay in opening the West Coast distribution center. “It probably will be raised.”
    “I don’t think so. Pop’s been doing business with the Einsteins for over twenty years. He pays promptly.” Robert took a slow sip and then studied Mike over the rim of his mug. “You didn’t think I was doing anything behind your back, did you?”
    “No, but I don’t understand why you didn’t mention going to Jersey.”
    “Pop asked me to go at the last minute.” He shrugged. “Probably trying to keep me busy so I don’t seem totally useless.”
    “Knock it off, Robert. Nobody thinks that.”
    “Right. I need more coffee.”
    “You got another minute first?”
    “Don’t worry, Mike.” He rose to his feet. “The West Coast distributorship will be yours. Unless Pop doesn’t think I can handle things at this end.”
    Guilt nudged Mike. The thought had crossed his mind. Not because Robert wasn’t capable. He simply didn’t seem interested. “Since when do you give a rat’s ass what your dad thinks?”
    “I don’t,” Robert said without conviction, “but I overheard him talking to my cousin.”
    “Which one?” Three of them worked at the warehouse.
    “Gina.”
    “About you?” he asked when Robert didn’t expand.
    “Forget it. What did you want to talk about?”
    Mike didn’t want to forget it. He knew Robert, and something was really eating at him. Maybe he regarded Gina as a threat. Maybe she wanted… No! Did she want to work at the New York office? Even if she did, she’d hardly be qualified to do anything more than entry level work while she learned the ropes.
    Oh, man, he couldn’t talk to Robert about Gina now. If things got political or messy, Mike didn’t want to end up in the middle.
    “I