Page 64 of All Dressed Up

“What about high school?”

“Buttermilk High has one.” That was true. She’d been a cheerleader on the sidelines for four years rooting the team on. It’d been a while since she’d stepped onto the field, but there was always chatter around town during football season on how well the team was doing. “Is that what Mary’s talking about?”

He closed his eyes again, but only for a split second. “That’s the one! She wants us to go there right now. Something about it being the start to finding a note Will wrote. Let’s go.” He headed for the door.

A note Will wrote?Excitement rushed through her. They had their first real clue. So what if it didn’t make any sense. She started to follow Jesse but spun around. “Wait. We should take this.” She reached for her bag and Mary’s purse, tucking it deep inside. When Will showed up, she didn’t want him finding what she’d stolen. Best if they took it with them.

“After you, Boss.”

Rachel passed by Jesse. Who knows if a trip to the grassy field behind her old high school would lead to their finding Will’s heart, but they had to try. She pushed open the door, nearly taking out the missing organ’s owner from the other side.

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry, Will.”

“Hey.”

Her breath caught at the sight of him looking as handsome as ever in a crisp white shirt and bright red tie. “Hey,” she greeted back, not moving from the doorway.

A few seconds went by. “Mind if I work today?” Will asked, his eyes twinkling looking all sorts of amused.

“Um... Right. Work. Sure. Come on in.” She held the door open and held her breath for what he was about to see.

“Great. I’ve got a big day in sto—” His smile turned upside down as his gaze moved from her to Jesse. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Springing into action, she stepped between them. Fists weren’t going to fly in here today if she could help it. “He works for me. He started this morning.”

“Yeah right,” Will scoffed. “Get lost, pal.”

“Will.” Rachel put her hand on his chest to block him from getting any closer to Jesse. “It’s true.”

“You’re kidding,” Will said, raising an eyebrow. “Tell me you’re joking.”

She expected that reaction. “We were just going to the Star Lite for coffee. Jesse, why don’t you wait for me outside? I want to talk to Will for a second.”

“Sure thing, Boss.” His toothy grin was aimed right at Will’s death stare.

Rachel waited until Jesse was outside, wishing she’d come up with a plausible explanation to why she’d hired him because “to find your heart so we can be together” didn’t sound like something Will would believe.

“So, I’m hoping this won’t be a problem,” she started, doing her best to sound confident. She added to lighten the moment, “I really don’t want to be your ride home from jail again.”

That joke didn’t work. Will’s expression moved from confusion to disgust. “Explain to me, Rach, why you would hire him? You know how much people hate him here. What were you thinking?”

She bent down and picked up a stray yellow petal off the floor, rubbing it between her thumb and finger. Truthfully, this was her business, not his. She didn’t owe him any sort of explanation to whom she put on her payroll. “Jesse needed a job. I learned from Sheila this weekend that he’s not leaving Buttermilk Falls anytime soon. I told her we would keep an eye on him. Make sure he stays in check.”

“Why the hell is that our responsibility? Fire him.”

Anger started to bubble up inside her. In love with the man in front of her or not, he was acting like he really had a say in the matter. “Jesse’s not going anywhere.” She pushed her annoyance aside and reached out for his hand, folding it over hers. “Do you trust me?”

“It’s not about trusting you.” He shook his head.

“I know he’s done some really shady things in the past, but Mel’s giving him a place to stay and a second chance. I’m just helping him make an honest living.” She squeezed his hand. “Besides, if I had assistance in the shop, my evenings would be free for more French dinners.”

That admission got a smile—albeit a half one. “We going to talk about what happened Friday night?”

He wanted to talk?She released her hand from his. That was a first. He’d always been more of an action-oriented guy around her. “Doyouwant to talk about it?”

“I don’t know.” Will moved from her to the glass door.

And there it was. His typical silence. Was he regretting what happened between them?

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