Texas Proud and Circle of Gold (Long, Tall Texans #52) - Diana Palmer Page 0,17
her desk. “I don’t know. He was riding in a black limousine. He’s from New Jersey.”
Bernie’s heart dropped to her feet. She only knew one rich man in Jacobsville who rode around in a black limousine. It had to be Mikey. Jessie was beautiful and sophisticated, probably the sort of woman Mikey would really go for. Jessie was an oddity in Jacobsville, where most women weren’t streetwise. The older woman probably charmed him.
While she was thinking, Jessie’s cold eyes stabbed into her face. “He said he’s living at Mrs. Brown’s boardinghouse. That’s where you live, isn’t it, Bernadette?”
“Yes,” Bernie said shortly.
Jessie laughed, her scrutiny almost insulting. “Well, you won’t be any sort of competition, will you? I mean, no sane man is going to want to take on a woman who can’t stand up without a cane—”
“That’s enough,” Mr. Kemp said shortly from his open office door, and he looked even more formidable than usual. “You get one more warning, Jessie, then you’re on your way back to San Antonio. You do not disparage coworkers. Ever.”
Jessie actually flushed. She hadn’t realized the boss could hear her. She’d have to be a lot more careful. There weren’t any other jobs available in Jacobsville right now, and she couldn’t afford to lose this one.
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Kemp,” she began.
“Bernie’s the one who’s owed an apology.”
“Yes, sir.” Jessie turned to Bernie. “I’m sorry. That was wrong of me.”
“Okay,” Bernie said, but she didn’t really look at the other woman.
Mr. Kemp hesitated for just a minute before he went back into his office.
“Careless, Jessie,” Olivia said in a biting undertone. “Better make sure the boss isn’t listening when you start making rude comments about one of us.”
Jessie looked as if she might explode. The phone rang and saved her from making her situation any worse.
* * *
At lunchtime, Olivia and Bernie went to Barbara’s Café to eat. Glory and Sari went home, where Glory had a babysitter and she could visit with her son while she ate. Sari had lunch with Mandy Swilling, the Grayling housekeeper. Jessie was stuck in the office until the others returned, thanks to Mr. Kemp who insisted that somebody had to answer the phone while he was out of the office. Jessie was almost smoking when the other women went out the door.
* * *
“Jessie’s a pain,” Olivia said curtly.
Bernie’s pale green eyes sparkled as she dug into her chef’s salad. “You really made her mad.”
“Well, nobody else says anything,” the other woman defended herself. Her voice softened. “Least of all you, Bernie. You’re the sweetest woman I’ve ever known, except for my late grandmother. You could find one kind thing to say about the devil,” she teased.
Bernie laughed softly. “I guess so.”
“At least Sari finally said something about the heavy perfume. I know it gives her fits. She’s prone to migraines from just the stress of her job. Jessie doesn’t care what she does or says unless the boss loses his temper.” She frowned. “What’s she doing down here?” she added with a frown. “I mean, she worked in San Antonio, where salaries are a lot higher. She doesn’t know anybody in Jacobsville.”
“The boss said she wanted a slower pace,” Bernie replied.
“Sure. Like she has any stress. Unless answering the phone gives you ulcers,” Olivia said drily. “Or bending over the desk to show as much cleavage as possible when a wealthy client comes in.”
“Oh, shame on you!” Bernie said, laughing.
“I know. I’m bad. But Jessie’s worse. She met your fellow boardinghouse occupant, too,” Olivia added with a pointed glance at Bernie’s flushed face. “She’ll be after him soon. Nobody here rides around in a limo except Paul’s cousin Mikey. Sari used to, but she mostly just drives now that all the threats to her and her sister are gone.”
“He’s here for a reason, too,” Bernie said.
“A guess, or that intuition that makes most people nervous?” Olivia teased.
Bernie laughed. “Maybe a bit of both.”
“Or maybe not.” Olivia glanced up and then down again. “Any idea about what he might be doing today?”
Bernie’s heart jumped and she felt it flutter. Incredible, that she knew absolutely where he was, without even looking. “He’s coming in the door.”
She hadn’t looked up. She did now, and there he was, in a dark suit with a patterned blue tie, looking around until he spotted Bernie. He grinned as he went to the counter and placed his order, paying for it before he joined Olivia and Bernie at their table.