Free Loving Treasures by Gail Gaymer Martin Page A

reined his rising emotion. “I’ll call Personnel and tell them you’re coming in. They’ll be expecting you.”
    “Thank you,” she said in a tentative voice. “I’ll be there this afternoon.”
    When she disconnected, Philip fell back in his chair. Why hadn’t she called a couple of weeks earlier? He could have offered her more options—a job she might have enjoyed and one that carried a higher salary.
    Thinking, he tapped his fingers against the mahogany desktop. Maybe he could figure out a way to pay her a better salary…if he could keep it under wraps. No, too many people talked, and Jemma would be furious if she thought he’d given her preferential treatment.
    He grabbed the telephone and punched in the Personnel extension. “Judy,” he said when he heard her greeting, “a young woman will drop by this afternoon for a job. Jemma Dupre. She’s a good friend…of the family. Is anything open besides Housekeeping?”
    He listened to Judy tell him what he already knew.
    “We have a full staff, Mr. Somerville, but we might have an opening in Laundry,” Judy said.
    Laundry? Sweltering, backbreaking work. Not Jemma. “Hire her for housekeeping, anyway, Judy. Someone will quit one of these days, and we’ll have the extra help. Can you work something out?”
    “Whatever you say. I’ll shuffle the schedule.”
    Hearing her response, Philip ended the conversation and replaced the receiver. He could count on Judy to be subtle. Personnel was like that. She knew the employees’ strengths and weaknesses, heard about their problems and sorrows. He could trust Judy to handle the situation.
    But could he trust himself? Philip released a stream of air from his lungs. Since the day on the sailboat, his thoughts were filled with Jemma. He pictured her glowing face turned toward the sun, her golden hair tossed by the wind, her cheeks flushed with exhilaration.
    Though she resented his comment, Jemma experienced life with a child’s faith. Not immature, but innocent and expectant like a youngster at Christmas. Jemma touched his heart.
    But the thought made him stop cold. She had somuch life to live, and he had so little to offer her. Between his responsibilities at the resort and his advanced age, he felt like a doddering grandfather fantasizing over a movie starlet. If Jemma was going to be underfoot day in and day out, Philip had to find a way to control his growing emotions. He needed God’s help.
     
    Jemma parked her new used car in the staff lot and strode into the resort. Though she’d accepted Philip’s offer halfheartedly, each day she grew to love her work more. The staff was friendly, and the job paid very well compared to the job she’d had back in Monroe.
    Giving a wave to one of her co-workers, Jemma headed for Housekeeping. Each day, she watched for Philip and though she saw him occasionally, he seemed to be only a fleeting image. He’d give her a quick wave and head in his own direction. But what did she expect?
    He owned the resort. She cleaned the rooms.
    Still, polishing the attractive furniture and burying her nose in the sweet-smelling percale sheets gave her pleasure. She’d lived with threadbare linens for too long not to appreciate quality bedclothes and thick towels.
    “Jemma?”
    Jemma turned and recognized her supervisor’s pleasant sienna-toned face. “Good morning.”
    Latrice beckoned her into the linen room. “Carriesaid you wanted to talk with me.” She shifted closer and lowered her voice. “I hope nothin’s wrong.”
    Jemma shook her head. “No, not at all. I just had some ideas and wondered if you’d be willing to hear them.”
    Latrice tilted her head, eyeing her. “Ideas? What do you mean?”
    Though she’d been filled with confidence when she reviewed her proposals, Jemma now became strangely nervous. Would Latrice think she was too forward, wanting to change the world after only two weeks on the job?
    “I’ve been talking to a few people who’ve worked at other