“That I am,” Olive replied and stuck her hand out, Belle took it and Olive’s fingers closed around hers. Olive’s grip was so firm it was a little scary and she shook Belle’s hand so stoutly, Belle’s entire frame shook with it and the whole time her hazel eyes never left Belle’s face.
Belle returned her look as best she could and the woman dropped her hand.
“This is Dirk,” Olive said, motioning to the black man. “He’s your new shop assistant.”
Belle’s mouth dropped open as Belinda cried, “Isn’t that great?”
“Oh my goodness gracious,” Belle whispered, her eyes glued to Dirk. “You’re a man,” she told him.
He grinned and his white teeth flashed so brightly Belle was temporarily blinded.
“Last time I checked,” he answered, his voice so deep it hit the room like a thunderclap.
“Oh my goodness gracious,” Belle repeated.
“Until this morning, he worked on Sloane Street. Now he works for you,” Olive announced.
Belle looked back to Olive and asked hesitantly, “Um, can I talk to you a second?”
Before Olive could answer, Belle grabbed her hand and dragged her to the back of the store, up the stairs and into the workshop.
Then she whirled on her and got close. “Does Jack know that’s my new shop assistant?”
Olive’s eyebrows went up. “Not exactly. He told me to get you an assistant. He usually doesn’t follow up once he gives a directive. He just expects it to get done. Which it always does. Hence Dirk,” she finished, throwing a hand casually toward the stairs.
“I think,” Belle said in a voice filled with portent, “he’s expecting it to be a girl.”
“He said ‘get the best’. I got the best,” Olive declared. “The best just happens to be a man.”
“I’m not sure he’s going to like this,” Belle informed her.
“Why not?” Olive asked.
“Because, well…” She paused, not certain how to point out the obvious because it should be obvious. She went with, “He’s a man.”
“So?”
“It’s not just any man, he looks like a superhero,” Belle shared. “Or, at least, he looks like he could play one on TV.”
Olive leaned back, crossed her arms on her ample chest and grinned. “I see. You think Jack’ll be jealous.”
“Um…” Belle began but her mind screamed, yes!
“Let me tell you something, Belle Abbot. Jack Bennett doesn’t get jealous. A woman’s stupid enough to look another way, which, by the by, has never happened, as in never, he’d let her. He doesn’t have a lot of patience for idiots,” Olive informed her.
“I act like an idiot all the time,” Belle shared.
Olive’s grin turned into a smile. “Well, that may be so but you’re also darned pretty, you smell good and you have more dignity in your little finger than every woman Jack’s ever dated while I’ve been working for him all combined. So I’m guessing you get a free pass on being a pretty, dignified idiot who smells good.”
Belle stared at her, dumbstruck then asked on a whisper, “You think I have dignity?”
“I think anyone who can ignore those vultures outside for a year and who turns down offers to cash in on a tragedy has dignity. Yes. And lots of it,” Olive answered but wasn’t quite done. “You’ve got so much dignity I’m soaking some up just standing next to you.”
It was such an outrageous thing to say, Belle let out a surprised giggle.
“I’m thinking you have dignity too,” Belle told her.
“Yes, of course I do,” she replied breezily. “Though, I lose some of it when Jack calls me on a Sunday afternoon and tells me to find a shop assistant by the next day.”