he’d sounded so credible, knowledgeable, and someone who wasn’t a trapshooter would have let it slide by.
“I’ll make it a priority to work with Therese and Ray to get that habit nipped in the bud.” She frowned slightly, as if this issue was something he should have made her aware of in advance. “Is there anything I need to know about Cubby?”
“Nothing of that nature.” Or at least he didn’t think there was. But it wasn’t as if he’d seen the boys on a regular basis since their parents had died. Only enough to know that they weren’t fully the same kids they’d been a year ago. Which was why it would be good to have Tori here, an objective observer. “He can get emotional. Tends to play Therese with tears, which irritates Ray to no end.”
She nodded, but didn’t look surprised. Had she seen some of that during her interview and follow-up meetings with the Selbys?
“So,” he said, determined to broach the next subject. “Do you have a feel for when you might start at the Outpost?”
“Would you mind awfully much if I got through a week here before we make that decision? It may take a while to determine what schedule works best for the boys, the Selbys and me.”
While he needed her to start deep cleaning and organizing at the Outpost as soon as possible, readying the place for what he hoped would be a busy season, that would be one less week he’d have to pay her.
“Okay, then, we’ll talk a week from now.”
“Which brings up something else you need to know...” She lifted her chin slightly, as if expecting to be challenged on whatever she was about to say. With a glance to the open door, she lowered her voice. “I won’t be accepting your proposed dollar addition to the hourly wage the Selbys offered.”
He drew a quick breath. She was holding out for more? He hadn’t anticipated an underhanded maneuver like that.
“I’m not sure I understand,” he said carefully, “what you mean, Tori.”
She clasped her hands together, looking more sweetness and light than the hardheaded negotiator she apparently was. “It simply means that I won’t accept monetary compensation that obligates me to you. Not beyond, I mean, what you pay me as your employee at the Outpost.”
“Hold on a minute.” She wasn’t asking for more money, she was ditching her “obligation” to him altogether? “I thought when we last spoke that you understood—”
“That you were buying my services as a snitch?” Her smile was entirely too perky. “I understood that clearly, Mr. Banks. Which is why I almost walked away from this job opportunity you presented. That is, until I had time to rethink a few things.”
He frowned. He’d been snookered.
To his irritation, she laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll look out for the twins and it won’t cost you a dime. Think of me as a human smoke detector. If there’s anything that concerns me about the safety or welfare of Cubby and Landon, I’ll quietly sound the alarm.”
“But you won’t be—?”
“Reporting to you? Nope.” She shrugged, as if that settled it.
His gaze flickered to the open door to ensure they were still alone.
“But...” Despite his reluctance to make an issue of something he’d picked up from his friend’s mother, he couldn’t help countering her smile with one of his own. “I can make sure the Selbys won’t retain you for long.”
Wariness lit her eyes. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Could be I’m not entirely sure you’re trustworthy.” He folded his arms. “Surely you don’t think I’d recruit you to look after my brothers if I didn’t do my homework, do you?”
As realization dawned, her pretty mouth dropped open with a sound of protest. “I can explain. That was a long time ago. And I was only—”
“Seventeen. I’m confident nothing of that nature will ever happen again. But the Selbys are quite conservative, you know, and getting arrested for trespassing and disturbing the peace might not sit well with them. A potentially bad influence on their grandsons.”
A multitude of emotions sparked in her eyes. Lips now pressed together, she looked momentarily down at the floor, most likely gathering her thoughts. Then back at him.
“Court records for a minor would have been sealed. So how did you...?”
“You’re not the only one who has friends in Jerome.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve known this all along but are going to use it now to throw a roadblock in my working here? I’m serious that I’ll involve you if I feel something jeopardizes the boys.”
“You need this job, though, don’t you?” he said softly, watching her closely. Apparently, from what he’d learned from his friend’s mother, a relationship breakup was what had sent her flying to Hunter Ridge in the first place, and he doubted she’d want to return to her hometown if she could make a go of it elsewhere. “You need the housing benefit, too, if you intend to stay here.”
“I—Yes, of course, I need both housing and a job. I’ve made no secret of that. But I don’t want to feel like an informer on people with whom I’m building a relationship. People I’ll be living with under the same roof.” She folded her arms, a reflection of his own stance. “And if you put in a bad word for me with the Selbys, in a small town like this whatever you tell them could get around. Make it difficult for me to find another job.”
He had her now. “It could.”
For a long moment, she dared to glare daggers at him. But when her expression abruptly softened, his gut tightened in uneasy anticipation of her next response.
“The other day you as good as said you didn’t have any viable alternate candidates,” she said smoothly, watching him like a kitten at a mouse hole. “I got the impression I was your last hope.”
She had him there—and had the nerve to smile at that insight. It was true he didn’t know anyone else in town who might be sympathetic enough—and discreet enough—to help him out. Or at least no one who’d be available for childcare duties.
“So where does this leave us?” Tori’s challenging stance eased as she unfolded her arms, apparently assured that she’d played the winning hand.
He had to hand it to her. She had pluck.
While he could be pigheaded here because she refused to cooperate with him across the board, that would be cutting off his nose to spite his face. He needed her in the kids’ household.
He squinted one eye. “A compromise?”
“We both have a horse in this race, don’t we?”
“Guess we do.”
“Bottom line, though, is that, outside of my work at the Outpost, I don’t want to take money from you or to otherwise be obligated to report to you.” She quirked an engaging smile. “So take it or leave it.”
