Sleigh Bells - Fern Michaels Page 0,23

job around here? Why do you have to go all the way to California?”

Angie jumped off her chair. “See! See! You sound just like my mother. I’m thirty-five years old. It’s time for me to do what I want. I stayed here after my dad died so Mom wouldn’t be alone. I still live at home, for God’s sake. What thirty-five-year-old do you know who still lives at home with their parents?”

“Josh Eagle,” Bess said smartly. “I think he’s thirty-seven, though.”

“Well, he’s leaving, too. I guess that makes us both late bloomers.”

Bess mumbled something that sounded like, “You just tossed your line in the pond, now you’re going to let it sink to the bottom.” Angie ignored her and picked up the phone again to make another call.

Standing outside of both women’s line of sight, Josh Eagle turned on his heel and left as silently as when he arrived. His shoulders were slumped, and he was dragging his feet.

Why should he care if Angie Bradford was leaving in January? He was leaving, too, so he wouldn’t miss her. Would he?

The thought was so disturbing, Josh stopped in the middle of the main floor where all kinds of activity was going on. He felt like one of the mannequins as he watched the merchandise being wheeled out of the store on dollies.

The urge to throw his hands in the air and run as far and as fast as his sneakered feet would take him was so strong, Josh reached out to grasp the edge of one of the counters to hold himself in check.

Damn it to hell, he liked Angie Bradford. Really liked Angie Bradford. For some strange reason he suddenly felt like she’d betrayed him.

Josh made his way to his secret haven, the stairwell that led to the second floor. This was where he always went when things went sour with his father, or when he needed to get a handle on something. He sat down on the steps and looked at the hole in his sneaker over his big toe. He looked around at the gray stone walls that suddenly seemed as gloomy as his thoughts.

Josh knew what he should do, but did he have the guts to do it? For the first two years of his tenure at Eagle’s, he’d spent a lot of time out here in the stairwell trying to decide if he should go toe to toe with his father. Out of respect, he’d never done that, and now here he was. He needed to go to Angie, tell her he’d overheard her conversation, and ask her point-blank what her intentions were. She’d probably tell him it was none of his business, and he’d have to agree with her. But…And there was always a but…He liked her, really liked her. That’s exactly what he should do. No doubt about it. Oh, yeah. So what if she told him it was none of his business? He was a big boy, he could handle a put-down.

Before he could change his mind, Josh banged open the door leading to the main floor of the store, where he retraced his steps.

As soon as he hit the small entryway to the gift department, Josh called Angie’s name. Bess took one look at his face and excused herself.

“What’s up?” Angie looked up from the notes she was making on her pad.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were planning on leaving?” His voice was so cold, so gruff-sounding, Angie felt her heart kick up a beat. She immediately swung into her defense mode, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at the tall, good-looking man towering over her. “What?”

“You heard me. I came down here to talk to you, but you were talking to Bess and I didn’t want to intrude so I waited…”

“And listened to a private conversation. That’s pretty sneaky in my opinion. I don’t think it’s any of your business, Josh. Which brings me to my next question. Why do you care what I do or when I do it as long as it doesn’t interfere with the store?”

Josh hated the stubborn look he was seeing. He was all too familiar with that look. He’d seen it every time they met in court. He advanced a step and sat down on the stool Bess had vacated. He hooked his feet in the rungs and rocked back and forth. “I shouldn’t care, but I do. I’m not sure why that is. I really didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I’m sorry