Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr Read Free Book Online

admitted.
    “Whoa, this is going to be fun.”
    “For who, exactly?” Noah asked.
    Jack laughed at him. “I only talked to her a minute, but she seems okay, don’t you think?”
    “She could be a little rough around the edges for a church job.”
    “Ya think?” Jack asked with a laugh. “So could you, Noah. But you’re an old softie. You sure she’s not just using you?”
    “At eight dollars an hour? Come on. I’m going to have to pray for forgiveness all night for taking advantage of her.”
    “Well, there’s a point.”
    “But we’re going to have to do something about those…Maybe a shawl? A nice big, concealing shawl?”
    “I don’t know, Noah. How about a tarp?”
    “God help me.” Noah took a drink of the beer. “Jack, it’s been a real trip, getting to know you and the town. But when the locals get a load of the pastor’s assistant, I’m going to be run out on a rail.”
    “Easy, Noah. This is Virgin River. We like things a little on the interesting side. You’ll manage.”
    Noah took another drink of his beer. “Let’s hope so,” he muttered.
    For her first day of work at the church, Ellie chose to wear something conservative. She dressed in overalls with a white, sleeveless tank top underneath that laced up the front. She slipped into sneakers, pulled her plentiful, curly, copper-colored hair up in a clip, lined her lips and eyes and off she went to Virgin River.
    “I’m here,” she yelled as she walked into the church.
    “I’m in the basement,” Noah yelled back.
    She clomped down the steps, jumping off the bottom step. Noah was patching cracks in the unfinished cinderblock wall, a plasterer’s hawk with a mound of wet cement in one hand, a putty knife in the other. Lucy lay not far away on her bed, lifting her head and wagging her tail as Ellie came down the stairs. Noah smiled at her, then his smile froze. He looked her slowly up and down. And again.
    “What?” she demanded hotly, hands on her hips.
    “Nothing,” he said, turning away.
    “No. What? What’s the matter?”
    He turned back slowly, put his tools down on top of the ladder and approached her. “I don’t know how to say this. I think it would be in the best interests of both of us if you’d dress a little more…conservatively.”
    She looked down at herself. “More conservatively than overalls?” she asked.
    He felt a laugh escape in spite of himself. He shook his head. “Ellie, I’ve never seen anybody look that good in overalls before.”
    “And this is a bad thing?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
    “It’s provocative,” he tried to explain. “Sexy. People who work around churches usually dress a little more…What’s the best way to put this…?”
    “Frumpy? Dumpy? Ugly?”
    “Without some of their bra showing, for one thing.”
    “Well now, Reverend, just where have you been? Because this happens to be in style. And I’ll do any work you give me, but you really shouldn’t be telling me what to wear. The last guy I was with tried to do me over. He liked me well enough when he was trying to get my attention, but the second I married him, he wanted to cover me up so no one would notice I had a body!”
    “The husband?”
    “The very same. It didn’t work for him and it’s not going to work for you. You didn’t say anything about a dress code. Maybe I’ll turn you in to the Better Business Bureau or something.”
    “I think you mean the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Or maybe you should go straight to the American Civil Liberties Union.” He stepped toward her. “Ellie,” he said, using his tender but firm minister voice. “I’m a single man. You’re a very beautiful young woman. I would like it if the good people of Virgin River assumed you were given this job solely because of your qualifications and not because you’re eye candy. Tomorrow, could you please wear something less distracting?”
    “I’ll do my best,” she said in a huff. “But this