Free From Boss to Bridegroom by Karen Kirst Page B

notion sickened him.
    There was no other choice but to confront her.
    Quinn stalked around the corner, scowling when she jolted in surprise and trepidation rippled across her features. He clasped his hands tightly behind his back. “May I ask what you are doing?”
    â€œI—” Thick lashes sweeping down, she pointed to the book. “I—I’m entering my purchases. Emmett detracted the cost from my wages.”
    â€œI would like to see that.” He held out his hand.
    Her dark brows collided. “You don’t trust me.”
    â€œYou are my employee, Nicole. I need to be able to trust you. That’s why I need to see it.”
    Her reluctance was plain as she handed him the book. Antagonism radiated from her stiff form. Quinn flipped through the pages, saw what appeared to be lists of ordinary supplies and entries by both Nicole and Emmett.
    â€œNew policy. When you make a purchase, I will enter it into this ledger, not you.”
    Nicole snatched it from his fingers, holding it to her chest like a shield. Deep purple sparks shimmered in her eyes. “Emmett didn’t feel the need to supervise me in this.”
    â€œI am not Emmett,” he snapped, angry at her for inspiring this distrust in the first place. “If you do not feel you can meet my standards, you can cease your employment here.”
    Again, he sensed fear in her.
    â€œFine.” Hauling the basket up to the counter, she opened the ledger and held it up to his face. “You’re the boss. Go ahead. Inspect it.”
    Despising the position she’d put him in, he checked that the items she’d gathered matched her entries. “You may leave,” he murmured, not looking at her. “I will see to the cleanup.”
    He noticed her hands shaking when they folded over the handle. She didn’t speak, just whirled away from him and marched down the hallway, slamming the door behind her.
    â€œWhat exactly are you hiding, Nicole? And what has you so afraid?”
    * * *
    â€œWe have a problem.”
    Humiliation humming through her veins, Nicole plunked the supplies one by one on the tabletop. Candles. Soap. Tea.
    â€œWhat is it?” Features pinched, Patrick leaned heavily on his cane.
    â€œNot it. Who. Quinn Darling is the problem.” Insufferable man. “He practically accused me of stealing.”
    Lillian, whose neat blue-and-brown paisley blouse and nut-brown skirt Nicole had fashioned herself, clapped a hand over her mouth. “How horrible.”
    Studying the growing collection of things she’d brought, Patrick’s shoulders sagged. “It’s because of your frequent purchases, isn’t it?” He nodded to the table. “I’m not surprised he’s suspicious.”
    Noting his growing displeasure, Nicole worked to calm herself. “I haven’t done anything wrong. He knows that. However, I may have to stagger my visits for a while.”
    â€œOf course,” Lillian placed a hand on Nicole’s arm. “We appreciate everything you do for us. We would never want you to put your job in jeopardy. Because of Patrick’s traps, we have sufficient meat. And there’s all the fish and crawfish, too.”
    The pair waited until dusk to do their fishing and bathing. While not ideal, it was the best way to avoid detection.
    Patrick retreated to his corner chair, resting the cane across his knees. “Maybe we should move on to a different town. Somewhere farther away from Carl. We’ve taken advantage of Nicole’s generosity long enough.”
    Both females gasped. Lillian rushed to crouch in front of him. “Patrick, no! I don’t want to leave Nicole. She’s our family now. Besides, there’d be no one to help us. No place to stay.”
    The younger girl’s impassioned plea squeezed Nicole’s heart. The fact that Lillian valued their friendship as much as she did filled her with an unfamiliar sense of