Flirting with Disaster by Sherryl Woods Read Free Book Online Page B

doesn’t work for me, Mr. Parker. Dinah and Cord talked me into volunteering because they thought I could make a real contribution on this project, and I intend to do just that. I’ll be here on Saturday with my tools. I plan to use them.”
    â€œYou want to hammer a few nails after lunch, we’ll talk about it,” he countered. “Make sure there are plenty of sandwiches. Construction is hard work.”
    Ms. Maggie Forsythe whirled around and stalked away. Josh had a hunch it was the last he’d see of her. That suited him just fine. The woman spelled trouble. The last thing he needed on this job was some hoity-toity society woman going crazy because she’d broken a fingernail.
    Then, again, if she ever wanted to rake those nails down his back, something told him he wouldn’t say no.
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    â€œDo you realize that not one single person in that room has ever built anything bigger than a birdhouse?” Josh grumbled when he, Cord and Caleb went out for a beer after the meeting at the church. “How am I supposed to get this house built? I’ll be spending all my time fixing what they screw up.”
    â€œThink of this as your chance to teach others the skills that have made you a great carpenter,” Cord said. “You’ll be sharing your knowledge. It’s a noble endeavor.”
    Josh lifted his beer in a mocking toast. “Nice spin. You should go into PR.”
    â€œThanks, but I’ll stick to working with my hands,” Cord responded. “My brother’s the spin master.”
    â€œAll in all, I think it went really well,” Caleb said, appearing more relaxed now that the organizational session was over. “I think it will be exciting to build something substantial and enduring. In the end, despite whatever Winslow has up his sleeve, I think this project will be a unifying thing for the church. How long do you think the house will take to build?”
    â€œWith any luck, good weather and at least a few people on-site who are quick learners, Amanda and her kids should be in there by Thanksgiving,” Josh said. “The plans aren’t that elaborate or complicated.”
    Cord chuckled.
    Josh regarded him with a narrowed gaze. “Okay, what was that for?”
    â€œYou’re assuming that everything’s going to go according to the blueprints.”
    â€œOf course I am,” Josh said. “That’s why we have them. What’s your point?”
    â€œLet me ask you this. Did you meet Maggie Forsythe?”
    Josh didn’t have to give the question that much thought. “Yeah, we met.”
    â€œI don’t suppose you noticed that she’s…opinionated,” Cord said.
    It had been a brief but definitely memorable encounter. “I noticed.”
    â€œShe’s bossy,” Cord added meaningfully.
    â€œDoesn’t surprise me a bit,” Josh replied.
    â€œShe thinks it’s her duty to turn this from a bare-bones house into a home,” Cord concluded.
    Josh ground his teeth. “If it’s not on the blueprint, it’s not happening.”
    Cord and Caleb exchanged a look, then burst out laughing.
    â€œGood luck with that,” Caleb said. “I don’t know her but I do know her reputation for getting her way.”
    Josh didn’t like the implication that he didn’t stand a chance against Maggie Forsythe and her whims.
    â€œYou hired me to get this house built, right?” he said, his gaze locked with Cord’s.
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    â€œAnd I’m the expert.”
    â€œNo question about it,” Cord said.
    â€œI’m in charge,” Josh added for good measure.
    â€œCertainly,” Cord said cheerfully.
    â€œThen my decisions are the ones that count,” Josh said with finality.
    â€œIt ought to work that way,” Cord agreed, his smirk still in place.
    â€œThat’s the way it will work,” Josh said.
    â€œUnless Maggie has