followed her to the door.
Standing on the landing, she paused. “I’ve got a stew simmering on the stove next door. I’ll be glad to bring you a bowl for your supper in a bit. It being a Sunday, I didn’t think you’d have much chance to prepare anything for yourself.”
“That’s very kind of you.” Her generosity was unexpected, given how she must despise the purpose for his presence. “What time do you open the office?”
“I’m always in early on Monday. Andrew comes to help distribute the papers.”
A rap on the door downstairs drew their attention. It must be Andrew with the rest of Jared’s belongings.
He stepped onto the landing with Mary Lou. It suddenly felt very small. Mary Lou Ellison was beautiful. Not in the traditional way a man defined beauty. Other women may have finer features but there was a strength in her that drew him. They stood so close he could see the black ring around the green of her eyes. He knew her skin would be as soft as a moonlit whisper. In other circumstances he might be tempted to give in to the emotional draw he felt for her.
She was close enough to touch. But the ownership of the paper stood between them like a gulf.
The door below opened and Andrew called, “Miss Ellison? Mr. Ivy?”
Jared took a step back and bumped into the door to his new residence.
Mary Lou blinked again and cleared her throat. She didn’t take her eyes from his as she answered, “We’re coming down now, Andrew. I was just showing Mr. Ivy his rooms.”
“After you.” Jared waited for her to descend several treads before he followed. He’d best keep a good distance between him and Mary Lou. He wouldn’t let his heart sway him away from his mission to honor Grump’s legacy by insuring the future of the Pine Haven Record. Not even for someone his grandfather had approved of to the point that she carried on for him in the void left by his death.
* * *
Monday morning dawned with the memory of life’s new challenges. Mary Lou checked her reflection in the mirror in her room before heading downstairs.
Jared Ivy’s presence had been awkward yesterday. She’d called up the stairs when she’d brought his stew and found the door to his rooms open. He’d asked her to leave the food on the tread at the bottom of the steps without coming to the doorway to acknowledge her. It had taken prayer and several deep breaths to keep her from taking the food back to her kitchen in the face of his perceived ingratitude.
“Well, if he thinks I’ll be cooking and cleaning for him, he’ll have to think again. I am my own woman now. A businesswoman. I don’t have the time or the inclination to tend to a man who is perfectly capable of tending to his own needs.” She pulled the bottom of her jacket down with more than the needed force and had to straighten it again before she left for work.
She entered the paper through the back entrance and found Jared Ivy at his grandfather’s desk. Her desk.
Lord, please let it still be my desk after the judge comes to town.
Jared looked up from something he was writing. “Good morning, Miss Ellison.”
“Mr. Ivy.” She heard the tightness in her voice and hated it. She needed to conduct herself as a business owner, not a woman who was out of sorts because a man had dared to enter her domain.
He nodded to the clean bowl on the corner of the desk. “That was a fine stew. Thank you.”
“I wasn’t sure you were going to eat it when I brought it last night.”
Jared continued writing for a moment then stopped. “Why wouldn’t I eat it?” He was distracted by whatever was on the page.
Mary Lou was accustomed to his grandfather ignoring her, or only half listening, but he’d been her boss. Jared wasn’t her boss. Or even her colleague. She had no intention of continuing a one-sided conversation. She began to pull down the papers from where they’d been hung to dry and stack them neatly. Andrew would arrive momentarily to help distribute them.
She jumped when Jared reached over her shoulder to take down the next paper. “What are you doing?” She put a hand to her chest and took a deep breath.
“Helping?” He added the paper to the stack behind them. “What’s got you so skittish?”
“I’m not skittish.” She moved to the opposite end of the room and began taking down the papers that hung there. “I didn’t know you’d finished whatever it was that had you so distracted.” She nodded her head in the direction of the desk. The notes he’d made were missing from the neat desktop.
He patted the pocket of his coat. “I was just writing down a list of things to check on today.” He gave a grin that reminded her of a cat who’d just eaten a brave mouse. Did he think she’d snoop behind him, so he’d taken away the evidence of his actions?
“You’ve no need to guard your notes from me, Jared Ivy. I can assure you that nothing you do outside the paper is of any interest to me.” She resisted the urge to huff out a breath as she slapped another paper on the growing stack.
Jared added his paper to the stack simultaneously, causing hers to flutter to the floor. He gave a small chortle. “You do tend to drop a lot of things, Miss Ellison. Your notes, men running by in the street, your composing stick when it’s full of type, and now the paper. Are you always so clumsy?” Was he laughing at her?
“I am not. I distinctly remember your involvement in every one of those scenarios.”
Now he did laugh. “I’ll concede that point on one condition.”
She retrieved the paper and added it to the others. Hands on hips, she asked, “What makes you think I’ll accept any conditions you have to offer?”
“I think this one will be in both our interests.”
“I’m listening.”
“I propose that you stop resisting my presence so fiercely. Perhaps that’s the reason for your mishaps.” He lowered his head and leaned toward her. “Because I’m not going anywhere.” Blue eyes sparkled beneath heavy lashes. Gorgeous eyes that could pull an unsuspecting lady into their depths. She knew the truth about men, though. They might be handsome and strong, but none ever stayed when it mattered. Even if they wanted to, death could take them.
His face was open, not hiding anything. Determination oozed from him. Determination that threatened her livelihood.
Mary Lou straightened to her full height and squared her shoulders. She surprised herself when she dared to lean closer to him. There was only room for breath between them. “Nor am I.”
Andrew opened the front door and stared at both of them as they jumped apart. Why did she feel guilty? She’d only been making her point to Jared. There was no reason to blush with embarrassment, but she felt the heat in her cheeks just the same.
“Good morning, Andrew.” Jared greeted the apprentice with a completely normal tone.
“Mr. Ivy.” Andrew looked at her then. “Miss Ellison. Are you okay?” He looked back at Jared. Mary Lou almost laughed at the idea that Andrew
