Free Rocky Mountain Match by Pamela Nissen

Katie must have felt.
    “Miss Cranston, good morning.” Even though she’dstopped mere feet from him, Katie sounded strangely distant.
    He wished he could see her face, to gauge what kind of reaction registered there. Was she given to hiding her emotions? It dawned on him how little he knew of her, of what made her tick, what made her shudder in fear and of what made her heart leap.
    And he determined to rectify that as soon as possible. If they were going to work side by side, even if it was for just another week, he wanted to know more about Katie Ellickson. Something about her drew him, compelling him to ignore common sense and step beyond a professional relationship to friendship.
    “Miss Ellington.” Julia’s icy response could have frozen a flower on the spot.
    “Ellickson,” Joseph corrected with a shake of his head. Sliding a hand down his shirt, he checked for misaligned buttons. “I’m ready to start if you are, Katie.”
    Katie lightly cleared her throat.
    Then Julia’s parasol snapped open next to Joseph’s head, and he sidestepped, startled and irritated.
    “I certainly thought you would be done after an entire week of working with him, Miss Ellickson .” Although Julia’s voice was as smooth as honey, it lacked any sweetness. He could almost see her red lips clipping off each word with sharp precision. “All day long even? Why, goodness, surely there can’t be that much information to cover. You must be new to this.”
    He raked his fingers through his hair. “Actually, she’s not new to this at all.”
    Ben had ticked off her qualifications on that first morning, and at the time Joseph hadn’t given a horse’sbehind about any of it. But he cared now. “Far as I can tell, the glowing recommendations accompanying her are too conservative.”
    “Whatever could you possibly learn from her? I mean, you’re a grown man, fully capable—except for those silly bandages obstructing your vision. You’re used to life on your own. I cannot see what more you could need to learn.”
    Joseph gave a frustrated sigh. “You’d be surprised.”
    “All right, so perhaps you needed help eating at first. How well I remember that disaster. My dress…” she began with a whine. “Well, never mind that. But if you were to ask me, she’s just confusing things, complicating simple matters with all of her five o’clock, three o’clock, six o’clock, ten o’clock gibberish. In my humble opinion—”
    “I don’t remember asking for your humble opinion,” Joseph ground out. If he hadn’t heard the brazenness of her sentiments for himself, he might not have believed she could be so thoughtless.
    “I was just trying to help.” Syrupy innocence dripped like putrid tonic from her words. She sidled up next to him and perched a hand on his bicep, trailing her fingers down his forearm. “Of course you know that I just want the best for you. Our relationship means a great deal to me.”
    Struggling to keep his composure, he picked up her hand from his arm as though it were a dead fish, dropping it back down to her side. “Julia, I need to get to work. And you— you need to leave.”
    “Very well.” She took a couple steps away from him when he heard her pivot firmly. “Oh my, how could I be so remiss,” she breathed, coming to stand in front of him again. “I came to give you a message from Daddy. That large furniture order he entrusted you with…well hehopes you understand how very important it is that it be completed—on time.”
    Joseph clenched his fists, trying to remain calm. When her father had placed the order over four weeks ago, Joseph had agreed on the completion date, exactly three months from the time of the order. He’d agreed to front all expenses with the understanding that he’d find hearty compensation in the end. Normally he wouldn’t have put so much on the line, but the money he’d make from this one job would more than cover wages; it would pay for an extensive addition