Rising (Anderson Special Ops #2) - Melody Anne Page 0,83
“It sounds as if you had a marriage of the ages. I wish my Katherine could’ve met her.”
“Me, too,” Mr. Melville said as he took his leave.
“I’d love to have a refill,” Joseph said. Erin wasn’t sure what to say to this man now that Mr. Melville had departed. He’d been great at keeping the conversation going.
“Of course,” she said. “What has you out so late?”
He put a little creamer in his cup, then sipped it as his gaze zeroed in on her. She felt as if a spotlight had turned on and she was being dissected. She’d never met Mr. Anderson so she couldn’t understand his interest in her. Maybe he’d known her grandparents. He seemed to know a lot of people.
“I came to make you an offer,” Joseph said. He could’ve told her there was a UFO in her parking lot and little green men were asking for French fries and she’d have been less shocked. He sat back sipping his coffee while he waited for her response. It took several seconds before she was able to get words from her mouth.
“What kind of offer?” she finally asked, hoping that hadn’t come out sounding disrespectful.
“I have some very honorable men who work for me and one is going on a mission and needs a partner. I’d like that to be you.” Joseph looked as if he was as comfortable as could be sipping his coffee while sitting on her red vinyl seat with a few cracks in it.
“A mission?” she asked. She might sound like a parrot but she was seriously confused.
“Yes, a mission. Can you go?”
She started to speak, then shut her mouth, then tried again. It wasn’t until the fourth try that words actually came out. “Why in the world would you think I could do a mission?”
He laughed, looking as if he was having a great time. “I think the question is to ask why you think you couldn’t do a mission.”
“I work at a diner in the middle of nowhere,” she told him. “I think my question is much more valid than yours.” She clamped her hand over her mouth, imagining her grandmother smacking her with the broom. She’d been taught to never be disrespectful to people, and those words had come out far too rudely. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound like it did. I’m just in shock. I don’t understand what I could possibly do for you.” Her cheeks were flushed.
Joseph smiled. “I wasn’t in the least offended. I’ve shocked you,” Joseph said. He took another sip of his coffee. “But I do love that you were taught respect and honor. I’ve heard your grandparents were good people. This was their diner, correct?”
“Yes, it was,” she said.
“Do you love working here?”
“Yes,” she automatically replied, then looked down and shook her head. “I don’t hate working here. I get to meet amazing people and I feel close to my grandparents. But I can’t honestly say I love working here. I had dreams once, and then life happened.” Why was she saying this to Joseph Anderson? She was a small pea in a huge bushel of pods. He didn’t care about her story.
“When I lost my grandparents I’d often go back to places they’d taken me. I sometimes still do, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve had the honor of being with them,” Joseph said. “It’s okay to want to be reminded of the past.” He paused again. “But we can’t allow the past to prevent our future.”
She was horrified when tears sprung to her eyes and spilled over. She quickly turned away and grabbed a Kleenex and wiped her face. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I’ve been having a bit of a rough day, which makes me think of them much more, and then I get all weepy. It’s very unprofessional.”
Joseph reached over the counter and grabbed her hand, squeezing. “Never apologize for feelings of love and loss.” She nodded at him. “Now, back to the mission. Just say yes.” It was a command, she had no doubt about it. But coming from him, it didn’t seem rude, it didn’t seem bad. It made her want to say yes without argument.
“Why me?” she again asked.
“Because I think you’re the only one for the job,” he told her.
“Why in the world do I feel like I need to say yes?” She was so confused.
“Because I’m a hard man to say no to,” he said with a laugh.