heâd been carrying it around for a while.
She glanced at the card. âYouâre Justin Irvin?â
âMy dad was Justin. Iâm Jet.â He held out a hand, and she took it, surprised by the strength in his fingers and the rough callouses on his palms. He worked hard, that much was for sure. Whether or not he could actually re-side a huge old house was another story. Sheâd taken chances on people before, though, and she wasnât opposed to doing it again.
âIâll tell you what. How about you come back tomorrow with that letter and one of your grandparents? Bring a couple of references. Once I check them out, we can talk about the job.â
âI can give you the references now. I do some part-time work at the sheriffâs office. Sheriff Cunningham can vouch for me. Iâve also done some work at Simon Baylorâs place. Heâs a deputy sheriff.â
âWeâve met.â
âGreat! You know where he lives?â
âNo.â
âHeâs just off of Main Street. I replaced all his windows and reshingled the roof. Did it all in three days and for a third of the price another business quoted him. Iâll write down his address.â He pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from his pocket, jotted the information down, and handed it to her. âIâll be back tomorrow.â
He grabbed the basketball, tucked it under his arm. âBy the way, you have a kitten under your hair.â
She disengaged the kittenâs claws and held the ugly scrap of fur out. âHe needs a good home. Are you interested?â
âHe looks like an oversized rat. My grandma would probably take a broom to him.â
âHeâs probably a good mouser,â she replied. âYour grandma might appreciate that.â
âIf you had something cuter, she might go for it, butââ
âHold on!â She was in the house and back with the box of kittens so fast, she didnât think he had time to blink. âI have three more. Take your pick.â
He looked into the box and frowned. âWill taking one better my chances of getting the job?â
âOnly if you take good care of it and I donât find it back on my doorstep tomorrow.â
âIn that case, which ones are girls?â
She lifted a tiny scrap of black fur. âThe runt is.â
âSo . . .â He took the kitten. âYou promise youâll check my references and really consider letting me re-side the house?â
âYes.â
He scowled but held the kitten against his chest. âIâll tell Grandma itâs her birthday gift.â
âToday is her birthday?â
âNah, but she doesnât know I know that.â He strode away, the basketball tucked under his arm.
One kitten down and three to go, but now sheâd have to make good on her promise. She couldnât hire an inexperienced kid to do work that would probably take an entire team of experienced workers a week or more to do. On the other hand, if he knew what he was doing and could do it well, she wouldnât mind giving him the job.
Everyone deserved a chance.
Until they proved that they didnât.
She glanced down at her shredded wedding dress.
Time to move on.
Fifteen minutes later, the dress was off, jeans and a T-shirt were on, and she was ready to start something new, to forget all about the wedding that wasnât.
She tossed the dress into the fireplace as she walked through the living room, stomped it a few times just to get the dust and ashes nicely mixed with the pink fabric. A few beads rolled out, and Handsome chased them across the wood floor, his skinny body sliding under the sofa. He came out with one tiny bead in his mouth, slinked back to the fireplace, and deposited it there.
âSmart cat,â she murmured, scratching him behind the ears. âIâm going to fix the truck, and you and your friends are staying in here. Then weâre going