Head Over Heels for the Boss (Donovan Brothers) by Susan Meier Read Free Book Online Page B

Devon had followed her.
    “She looks fantastic. She’ll be perfect as one of the faces of our business.”
    Her chest tightened, then sprang free with something that felt a lot like joy. She’d never thought of herself as the face of a business. If she stayed here, working for Devon, is that what she’d become?
    Some of the things Ellie and Piper had said about working for Donovan, Inc. played through her brain. Traveling. Dinners with wealthy clients. Jets. Limos.
    She’d be part of that. She’d have a real career. Not that running a flower shop wasn’t a career, but it didn’t involve travel, or dinners out, or wealthy clients. Worldly clients. Really using her master’s degree. Her heart skipped a beat as the reality of it sank in. She’d loved her studies, and actually using that knowledge? The mere thought stole her breath.
    LuAnn put her arm across Isabelle’s shoulder. “It’s going to be such fun having you around. In fact, why don’t you come to dinner tonight? I’ve invited Bob—”
    Devon’s face scrunched. “Bob?”
    “Bob Bailey,” LuAnn reminded him. “Every Thursday, Finn and Ellie, and Cade and Piper, come over for dinner. It’s nothing fancy. Just pot roast and family.”
    Isabelle said, “I can’t,” at the same time that Devon said, “She can’t.”
    Though she had work to do and would be eating a baloney sandwich as she made centerpieces, Devon’s quick answer felt like an insult. Almost as if he didn’t want her around his family.
    He shrugged. “I thought you said you had arrangements to make for the funeral…or was it something for the wedding?”
    “You’re making her work at night?”
    “This isn’t my choice,” Devon casually pointed out. “Izzy took the order for the wedding flowers herself. Plus, flower shops don’t run on the same kind of schedule an office does.” He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. “Izzy knows that.”
    The weird feeling tumbled through Isabelle again, stifling the part of her that wanted to be insulted. What he said was true. Flower shops didn’t run on the same schedule as an office. And she had a lot of work to do. Orders to fill that she’d taken. He wasn’t keeping her out. He was acknowledging what she’d already told him.
    But he’d called her Izzy.
    Twice.
    So much for the impact of her makeover.
    “I am working tonight, Mrs. Donovan. In fact, as soon as I run home and get into some jeans, I have to get to the shop and start making centerpieces.”
    “Oh, that sounds so nice. What did they order?”
    “Square glass vases with short-stemmed roses.”
    “Red?”
    “Yellow.”
    LuAnn sighed. “So pretty.”
    “It will be,” Isabelle said, shifting Barbara Beth’s cute clutch bag to her other hand. “That’s why I have to get going.”
    “We’ll see you at Mark and Rachel’s wedding?”
    Isabelle’s brain shifted gears again. The girls had big plans for her at the wedding of a local girl and the man she’d met at college. Plans that involved a skimpy pink dress and making room for her at the Donovans’ table. Beside Devon. Where she could flirt to her heart’s delight.
    In the dating gospel according to Barbara Beth, Saturday’s wedding was her chance to make her move. She should stick to the plan until then, at least. She couldn’t declare failure yet.
    Her confidence returned and she smiled. “Yes, you’ll see me at the wedding.”

    A round six that night, Devon came down the back stairway and headed toward the kitchen. The entire house smelled like heaven. Pot roast and mashed potatoes. Fresh corn.
    Tightening his tie, he made his way to the formal dining room, which was empty.
    He finally figured out that his mother had invited the fire chief to dinner as a way to get a donation. Giving the fire company and ambulance association hefty checks was already on his to-do list. It was strange that his mom thought she had to invite the fire chief to dinner rather than just come right out and ask. But