Page 6 of Bargain with the Irish Devil

“Yes, Douglas, I have the estimate. I’m going over it now. I’m not yet done with it, but I have to tell you, these costs look fair. I do not think Robert is attempting to rip you off.”

For two seconds, I want to get up and run. Except I have no doubt I wouldn’t make it far. Giving in, I open the ledger on top. The numbers swim in front of me.

“I need an accounting calculator, a notepad, and pens,” I demand. I don’t care if he’s on a phone call.

He exhales what might be a laugh. A long, thick finger comes up at me as he turns his attention to the call.

I can’t hear the person’s response. “I know the prices have changed since Robert took over for his da, but his da gave the same prices for thirty years. He also had only three sons working for him and a nephew from time to time when the work got away from him. Sean was a good man. However, there were things he neglected, like making sure his workers were protected. Robert has taken on two more men. He needs to pay them fairly and make sure they have what they need.”

Another pause. Am I wrong, or is his accent thicker now?

“Miss?” Comes from too fucking close and above me.

It’s the blond man again. How the fuck does he have everything I asked for two minutes ago? It’s a standard hulking calculator with tape, the way I prefer. He sets it down and plugs it in for me. The notepad is a package of two long yellow legal pads, unopened. A package of five gel pens and a pack of six paper rolls to record my keystrokes is also on the yellow legal pads.

“Anything else?” He asks.

I shake my head. Ignoring Declan, despite feeling his eyes on me, I feed through a new roll of tape that will record my keystrokes. Once it’s done, I open the first ledger and begin.

“I know, Douglas. You’ve had a tough time this year. Many of us have. I want to finish the estimate and have a talk with Robert, and then I’ll call you back.”

Hanging up, he makes a call. “Theresa? It’s Declan Kelly. I was calling you about your da. I know the estimate was more than you expected. Yes, I know the updates are needed. Yes, your da asked me to look through your plan for the store. I’m sorry if it hurt your feelings. You know your da by now, Theresa—he’s got to have everyone's approval for miles before he’ll pick out what he’s having for lunch.”

His throaty chuckle skims up my spine.

“Here’s the thing, my dear. I cannot, in fairness, ask Robert to bring his estimate down for your da. I know you have three boys that, from what I have heard, could pass for grown men. Do you think you could put them to work for their granddad? It could help out on the work Robert has to do.”

A shout of laughter comes out of him and shocks the hell out of me.

“Theresa, don’t be so sweet to me now. Your husband is two of me and would cut me down without a second thought. No problem at all, my dear. I’m glad I could help you and your da out.”

He calls another number. “Robert, it’s Declan.”

I’m trying to focus on the ledger, except his long, elegant fingers drum along his desk from the corner of my eye and I can’t help wondering what his touch would feel like.Stop it. Focus, damn it.

“Yes, I talked with Douglas. I told him I did not think you were cheating him. No, Robert, I will not be asking you to change your prices for him. I know you have to make a living, and I won’t be putting you in that position. I’m wondering if you would be willing to make use of Theresa’s boys to help out so it isn’t so much on them. I know, Robert, you have men that need hours. Better to have some with Douglas than none at all when he uses someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing and charges him less for it. No one would win then.”

Silence for a long minute. And those distracting fingers disappear.

“Thank you, my friend. Of course, I knew you would do it. Theresa will be talking to him tonight about it.”

I try not to listen in, but over the next hour, I hear him solve relatively minor problems for two other people. It sounded like nothing I thought he would do. A young woman needed help with preparing for a job interview and had somehow never created a résumé before. He sent another woman to her for help. Another was a man upset his father’s nurse had quit suddenly. He needed help finding a nurse that could be trusted. With just one call, yet another problem was resolved.

It’s odd. I’m slightly let down hearing him act not much differentthan a small-town mayor. A player from a mob movie, he didn’t seem to be at all.

A light knock on the door pulls me out of the numbers.

“Come,” Declan answers.

The door opens to an older, small, round woman. Her hair is more gray than black and in a bun. “Sir, dinner is served.”

“Thank you, Aoife. Go on home now.”

She smiles with a nod at me before leaving the door open behind her.

I’m handed my phone. How the hell did he get my phone?

“Send your boss an email letting them know you won’t be in for the next two weeks for a family emergency.”

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