Sleigh Bells - Fern Michaels Page 0,22
her hair, and checked her lipstick, ready to meet Josh for lunch. “Do you want me to bring you something for lunch, Bess?”
“No, I brought my lunch. You do remember how to flirt, don’t you, Angie?”
Angie stuck out her tongue in Bess’s general direction, but in the end she had to laugh. “Do I look okay?”
“You look good enough to go fishing. Remember what I told you about tossing your line in the pond. Play it cool, and he’s all yours. That’s assuming you want him. From where I’m sitting, the guy is one heck of a catch. Go already. It’s not nice to keep the boss waiting.”
“Jeez, he is my boss, isn’t he? That’s going to take some getting used to. Are you sure I look okay, Bess?”
“You look fine, now go. Just remember to smile a lot. Pretend you’re interested in what he has to say. You don’t always have to be a know-it-all.”
On the way to the food court Angie wondered how many women were waiting in the wings for Josh Eagle. She just knew he went for the long-legged modeling types with their glossy smiles, sun-streaked hair and designer clothes. And, according to Bess, who was up on all things Josh Eagle, if any of them had a brain, they’d be dangerous. Angie sniffed. Bess didn’t know everything even though she said she did.
Josh was waiting for her by the Philly Cheese Steak booth, which probably meant that’s what he intended to eat for lunch. He was holding a twin to the legal pad she was carrying. Ah, a business lunch. She smiled.
Josh waved the yellow pad. “Guess this means we’re going to work through our lunch. I had a pretty good morning. How about you?”
“Bess and I made some progress. I want to run it all by you before I make some calls this afternoon. I just want half a sandwich and a cup of coffee. And a brownie.” She smiled. And smiled.
“Are you happy about something? You keep smiling. Is it anything you want to share?”
Angie made a mental note to slap Bess upon her return to the gift wrap shop. “Actually, I am. Happy, that is. I can see light at the end of the tunnel, believe it or not. How about you?”
“You look pretty when you smile. You should do it more often. But to answer your question, I certainly feel a lot more positive than I did yesterday morning.”
Angie didn’t know what else to do because her heart was beating so fast, so she smiled. And smiled. Then she smiled some more. I’m still going to slap you, Bess.
Chapter Six
It was midafternoon when Angie pushed herself away from her tiny desk where she’d been making call after call in the hopes of saving Eagle’s Department Store from closing its doors.
“How about a nice, cold soda pop?” Bess asked as she peered into the minifridge in the alcove where the coffeepot was located. Angie nodded.
Bess pulled over a stool and sat down next to Angie. She looked pointedly at the canvas bag at Angie’s feet. Poking at the colorful bag with her foot, she asked, “You haven’t told Eva, have you? Or Josh?”
Angie bit down on her lower lip. “I meant to tell Mom. I had it all planned, and then she up and decided to have her knee done. I didn’t want to upset her. I don’t…What I mean is, I don’t think I owe Josh an explanation. As soon as Mom is in high gear again, I’ll tell her. She knew this was not a forever job for me. I agreed to help out when my aunt died, then things went south. It’s time for me to do what I do best, and this isn’t it. Besides, she has you, Bess. It will all work out.” Her tone was so defensive, Bess winced.
“Did you sign the contract yet?” Bess asked.
The contract Bess was referring to was an employment contract between Angie and the Sunnyvale, California Board of Education for Angie to teach the third grade starting next year.
“I have three more weeks before I have to submit the contract. I can overnight it. I know, I know, I will tell my mother before the three weeks are up. Don’t go getting your panties in a wad, Bess. I know what I’m doing.”
Bess pushed her granny glasses farther up on her nose. “I don’t think it’s so much that you’ll be leaving as where you’re going. Why couldn’t you take a