“What is it?” she asked.
“I’ve got a job lined up for you, if you’d like to take it.”
Her expression changed to one of disbelief. “What?”
He explained the situation. “You’ll be done at the school by then, right? It’s Monday through Friday, or you can work a half day during the week and work part of Saturday, if you want. Or take a week day off and work Saturdays. Your choice. It’s basic bookkeeping, tracking rental slips and payments, answering phones, things like that. The owner said he’d pay you what he’s paying Maria now, which no, isn’t what you’re making as a teacher, and no health benefits, but it’ll keep you working until you decide what you want to do. Even if you get a teaching job that starts again in the fall, at least for the summer you’ll have a job. Or you can go back to school, and Scott and I will pay the bills while you use the money for your tuition.”
* * * *
Noel stared at him, still processing. “What’s the catch?”
“There is no catch. Hell, you can even ride to work with me, if you want, and save the gas money.”
It sounded too good to be true. “How do I even know I’m qualified to do this?”
He laughed. “Maria is, no offense to her, a nitwit. She doesn’t even have a GED. She dropped out of high school in tenth grade when she got pregnant. She does, however, have fake triple-D boobs, leftover from her stint as an exotic dancer. You can guess what assets got her the job at the marina.”
Noel finally laughed. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. After a week working there, they’ll probably beg you to stay on permanently.”
Hell, it was a job. At least she had health insurance through Scott’s job…for now. So, that was something.
“All right,” she finally said. “Thank you.”
“Good. I’ll tell them.”
“Don’t they want to talk to me first? Interview me?”
“Nope. They haven’t even advertised it yet. I talked to the owner, and if you could come in this Saturday and the next to work with Maria, let her show you what’s what, that’d be perfect. He’ll pay you for those days, too.”
She refused to burst into tears in front of him. She wouldn’t do it. Not that she thought he’d derive satisfaction from it, because that wasn’t it.
She didn’t want him reporting it to Scott. Throughout this process, she’d determined she would not use emotional blackmail on Scott, would not play angry games, would try to hold the fact that she loved him and wanted the best for him, and for him to be happy, as the predominant thoughts in her mind.
Not always easy to accomplish.
“Thank you,” she said. “But I didn’t think you worked on Saturdays.”
“I don’t, usually, but I do have some extra stuff I can get done this Saturday. I don’t mind going in for the day.”
What was left unsaid and hanging in the air, that Scott would be working all day Saturday anyway.
Don’t pry open the horse’s mouth and start examining its teeth, for chrissake…
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll take it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Keith wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not, but at least it would be a temporary solution for Noel, if nothing else. Until she could secure another job.
The good news was Noel could still get another teaching job somewhere. That she’d opted not to fight the nonrenewal of her contract meant they’d give her a good recommendation.
He hoped.
At least with him living there, even if it did take her a while to get back on her feet and find another job, she wouldn’t be out on the street. He and Scott could shoulder the monthly bills and absorb the loss of her teaching income for up to a year, easily, before things came to a head. With her working at the marina, that would stretch the time out even longer.
She didn’t say much as he drove them to the marina Saturday morning. He didn’t want to try to force her to have a conversation with him, and frankly, he was used to a quiet morning drive anyway, able to sip his coffee and get his mind into work mode.
They were close when she finally spoke. “Thank you,” she quietly said. “I appreciate this. I don’t remember if I told you that already or not, but if I didn’t, thank you.”
“No problem. I’m glad I could help you out.”
“And thank you for trying to make everything easier with Scott,” she said. “I appreciate you not rubbing my face in things.”
He set his travel mug back in the cup holder. “I’m sorry you’re caught in the middle of this. You’ve been very kind to me when you didn’t have to be, and for that I’m the one who is appreciative.”
“Well, we have something in common,” she said, still in that same soft, quiet voice. “We both love him.”
* * * *
Keith parked in front of the office, took Noel inside, and introduced her to everyone before driving around back to where he normally parked. At lunch he walked down to the office to check on how she was doing and was stopped by Murray the parts department manager before he got there.
“Who’s that new cutie in the office?” he asked Keith. “Joe said you brought her in.”
“She’s a friend of mine. Why?” Keith didn’t understand the sudden tendril of jealousy swirling through him.
“She single?”
“Why?” The tendril became a choking jungle vine threatening to cut off his oxygen.
He was not a jealous man.
Ever.
“Just asking. I overheard Porter talking to one of the salesmen. He loves her already, said by the end of today he’s going to probably beg her to stay on full-time if she keeps this up. Maybe even with a raise. Said she’s ten times better than Maria is, and this is only her first day. Heh. Don’t let Maria know that, though.”
Of course Noel would be better than Maria. Besides that, half the salesmen acted like adolescent children, anyway, including Porter, the owner. Noel was a teacher. It was a perfect match.
Not to mention Maria had been barely competent to do anything other than answer phones and adjust her boobs if she thought someone was getting too snippy with her.
“So?” Murray asked.
“So, what?”
“Is she single?”
“You should ask her that question.”
“Man, that’s that sexual harassment crap, isn’t it? I don’t want to get in trouble for that.”
“Then I don’t know what to tell you.”
Other than keep your fucking hands off her.
Mentally, he pulled himself up short.
Now where the hell did that thought come from?
Keith finished his trek to the office, trying to push the stray thought out of his brain. But now that it had taken root, it was like steroidal kudzu, spreading through his brain and body at an impossible pace.
What the hell was going on? Why was he feeling like this?
He stopped short of the office door to give himself a moment to think about it.
Protective, perhaps? She was Scott’s wife, and he did feel somewhat responsible for her losing her other job and felt he should try to help take care of her. Especially since he was the one who’d gotten her this job in the first place, and Murray could be a class-A schmuck without even trying very hard at it.
Okay. Sure.
But…jealousy?
He normally wasn’t a jealous person. Territorial, absolutely. Especially about something or someone he considered his.
But that bolt of emotion hadn’t been plain and simple territorial.
It’d been the neon green of outright jealous indignation.
I’m going to have to think about that for a while.
He reached for the door and opened it, a wave of cool AC air hitting him.