Josh's Challenge Page 3

  Marguerite’s smile was infinitely better than dog poop.

  “Are you ready for lunch? My treat.”

  “Yep. Need to grab my purse and I’ll meet you out back.” Missy left the front office, took her bag from the hook next to the back door, and stepped out into the hot, fresh air. As she reached for her lip balm, a sporty red convertible came around the building, stopping in front of her. Missy hopped into the passenger seat and Marguerite hit the accelerator. Her sister soon had them parked at Molly’s Diner.

  “I hope this is all right with you. I have a hankering for a veggie melt,” Marguerite said with relish as she gracefully got out of the car.

  Missy admired her sister, the Lady in Red, grateful that Marguerite had rescued her from her professional failures. “Anything is good because I’m starving.”

  Molly’s was a local diner that boasted a U-shaped counter surrounding an open kitchen in the center of the building, with booths lining the outer three walls of plateglass windows. It had been remodeled many times over the decades, but each time it had retained the feel of the original décor. It was now decorated in blue vinyl with white piping, and chrome-and-white Formica counter tops.

  They found seats at the counter surrounding the grill. Before their tushes had time to warm up the vinyl-covered stools, their orders were taken and two iced teas were placed in front of them.

  The sisters discussed what the next step would be in their mother’s treatment, and when they were finished Marguerite asked, “So? How has your morning gone?”

  Missy explained the day’s events in detail from her most recent embarrassment to this morning’s interaction with Josh. By the time she’d finished her tale their order had arrived.

  “Uncle Dane got me a great deal on the townhouse, but I’m not sure I want to live that close to Josh King, let alone have him as my landlord.”

  Marguerite stared at her for a moment before she said, “Why ever not?”

  How could she explain her feelings to a vixen like her sister? Marguerite wouldn’t understand because she was so self-assured. It wasn’t that Missy didn’t like Josh, it was that she didn’t know how to act around him and it made her uncomfortable.

  “He’s too nice,” she said miserably.

  “And good looking,” Marguerite added.

  “Yeah,” Missy agreed. “There’s that.”

  “Look, Missy, not every man is like that creep you had to file a restraining order against.” Marguerite sighed before taking a delicate drink of her tea. “Out of all three King boys, Josh is the sweetest. You could do worse than having a rich, good-looking guy as your landlord. Besides, he really does like you, Missy. I can tell.” Marguerite winked for emphasis.

  “He’s okay, I guess,” Missy mumbled.

  “For heaven’s sake, Missy. Josh isn’t the type of man to take advantage of his tenant. Unlike your professor, Harold Klein, slimeball that he was.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this,” Missy interrupted, holding up a hand to terminate the conversation.

  “Well, not every man is a possessive liar who harasses young women, Missy, especially not Josh.” Marguerite declared the last bit with finality before she picked up her veggie melt and took a hearty bite.

  Glad to be done with that topic, Missy changed the subject. “How do you like being Jarod’s secretary now that all that undercover informant business is over? Has he forgiven you?”

  A few months prior, their uncle had enlisted Marguerite as an informant for an FBI task force to uncover the drug ring that had been plaguing Timbisha County. Sheriff King hadn’t appreciated being left out of the loop, and Marguerite had had to sully her reputation in order to get the information they’d needed. According to Marguerite, one of Jarod’s deputies had been involved, and Jarod was still upset about not recognizing what had been happening right under his nose.

  “Jarod, Lauren, and I have an understanding,” Marguerite explained. “If we all behave in a professional manner and keep our personal business to ourselves, everything will work out fine. So far it has, and Jarod even asked me where I was headed for lunch today, which was surprising. When I said I was meeting you, he asked me to tell you hello. That’s progress, isn’t it?” Marguerite raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow.

  “Please tell him I said hello back,” Missy chuckled, pleased that her sister’s professional relationships were on the mend, but she declined mentioning that Jarod had already broken the rules regarding Marguerite’s personal business by asking where she was going for lunch.

  Just as Missy began to dig into her own sandwich, Josh and his father, James King, sat down at the counter to their right. All of Missy’s new confidence fled her the moment she heard Josh’s voice. She risked a glance in their direction and immediately got snared by his dazzling blue eyes. He seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

  “Hello, ladies,” he said with a wink and that infamous lady-killer smile.

  “Hey, Josh,” her sister lilted. Marguerite was as big a flirt as Josh, and most people mistook her confidence for arrogance, which sometimes broke Missy’s heart. Other times, Marguerite asked for it.

  Missy gave him a weak smile before focusing on her grilled ham and cheese. The sandwich was now making her stomach churn. She picked at some fries and tried to pretend that Josh wasn’t there. That turned out to be impossible because Marguerite struck up a conversation with the two men.

  “I’ve been hearing rumors about this place, Mr. King. Is it true that you’re trying to buy Molly’s now that Derek Lawlor is facing bankruptcy and jail time?”

  Missy rolled her eyes. Her sister was such a buttinsky, but to Missy’s surprise, Mr. King smiled and answered willingly.

  “Yes. King Construction had been in contract with Lawlor to renovate the establishment. Since my company had already completed a large portion of the work, it seemed like a waste of manpower to leave it unfinished. Besides, Molly’s is a Timbisha landmark. So the paperwork has come through, and you are now speaking to the joint owners of Molly’s Diner and Casino.”

  “Joint owners?”

  “I’m partnering with Josh,” Mr. King said proudly.

  “So it’s true? Molly’s sign will come down?”

  Josh shook his head. “We met with the town council. The old sign will have to come down because it no longer meets code. However, since Molly’s is so well known, we don’t want to risk losing her customer base. The new up-to-code sign will be a replica of the original, only adding the word ‘casino’ to the establishment’s name.”

  “Look at you, Josh King. With the two townhouses, and now Molly’s Diner, you’re becoming quite the real estate mogul in Timbisha. Any other ventures to add to your bachelor status?” Marguerite shamelessly flirted, and, for reasons she didn’t want to examine too closely, Missy didn’t like it one bit.

  Josh only smiled, looking truly humble. “No, nothing at this time. My family keeps me so busy with our various projects and renovations that I’ll barely have time to work on Molly’s, which is why we’re doing this jointly.”

  Mr. King said nothing, but Missy didn’t miss the unmistakable look of pride on his face. Then Josh claimed Missy’s attention, making her stomach drop and the food on her plate completely unpalatable. “How’s our kitten doing? Any news?”

  “Our kitten?” Marguerite asked. “You and Josh got a kitten together?”

  “No, we didn’t get a kitten. I found it while I was jogging yesterday. I thought her leg was broken, but Doc did x-rays and it’s a birth defect. She’s getting her vaccinations today, and then I can take Ginger home.”

  “Ginger?” Josh’s smile was radiant and filled the coffee shop with sunshine, almost making her lose her breath. “’Cuz she’s orange, right? I approve,” he said, raising his cup to her.

  Missy blushed but needed to secure Ginger’s living arrangements. “It’s okay if I bring her back to the townhouse, isn’t it? I’d really like to keep her, and I’ll pay a pet deposit
, if you’d like.”

  Josh’s smile faltered. “Tell you what; I’ll waive the pet deposit on one condition.”

  Missy swallowed. “What’s the condition?”

  “That you let me visit her whenever I like,” he said with a wink.

  “Th-thank you.” Missy turned to Marguerite. “Uh, I think it’s time for me to go back to work now.” Marguerite threw her an understanding look. Relieved, Missy paid the check.

  “Goodbye gentlemen. See you next time,” Marguerite sing-songed as they walked out the door to her sporty convertible.

  Josh tapped on the remote clipped to his visor as he made the turn into his driveway. The last of the sun’s burning rays had just been doused by the western mountains, and stars were beginning to blink in the eastern sky. As the earth cooled, the desert air was filled with the scents of hardy sage brush and barbecue grills. June was usually too warm to cook indoors, so most folks in Timbisha were inclined to have their dinners outside. Josh usually ate with his family at the King estate, but tonight he’d worked on the plans for the casino renovation well past dinner time. He also wanted to check on his tenant.

  Every window in the townhouse next door was lit. When he’d checked on Melissa this morning, moving boxes still filled her front room, even though she’d been living there for two weeks. Remembering those boxes made him wonder if Jarod had discovered anything about the weird package left on her front porch.

  Maybe she needed help unpacking? Personally, he was a little OCD. Living out of boxes for two days—let alone two weeks—would’ve driven him to the funny farm, but with helping with the care of her ailing mother, preparing for a new job, and now the kitten to tend to, Josh reckoned that Melissa hadn’t had time to put everything away. It couldn’t be easy for her living in such disarray.

  Yeah, he needed to help her get organized.

  Having made the decision to see her again, he wasted no time with a quick shower and an even faster primp. When he was done, he ran back downstairs and swiped a bottle of red wine from the kitchen counter, not wanting to show up empty handed since he was showing up uninvited. Knowing this would be the perfect opportunity to get to know her better; he had a backup plan in case she refused his help with unpacking. He would encourage her to talk about Ginger because she seemed comfortable discussing animals.

  He had a plan.

  From her front porch, he could see directly into the living room through the storm door. She wasn’t downstairs, so he rang the bell. He heard her yelp and then some clattering from above before her loud footsteps were tromping down the staircase.

  Long legs and bare feet were the first things his eyes landed on as she stepped off the bottom tread of the stairs on her way to answer the door. He’d already broken out in a cold sweat before she stood at the front door in a t-shirt and shorts that emphasized those long, sleek stems.

  He’d always thought of her as willowy, but damn. She was taller than most of the women he knew, around five feet ten inches. He was only a head taller, and he remembered how they had fit together perfectly when they’d shared the wedding dance. Her thick auburn hair was in a jumbled pile on top of her head, instead of the usual French braid that she seemed to favor. Loose tendrils teased her face, curling at her temples and sticking to a fine sheen of perspiration that dotted her forehead. Her eyes widened in alarm when she recognized him through the storm door. Tonight their strange color had a bluer tint, matching the color of her shirt.

  Unfortunately, the anxiety on her face reminded him of a panicked filly. He raised the bottle of wine and asked, “Can I come in?” She looked around as if to seek help, making him wonder what had happened in her past to make her so jumpy. He’d known her forever, for heaven’s sake. She had to know that he wasn’t a deranged lunatic. “I just thought you might need some help unpacking…and I wanted to see Ginger,” he rushed to say.

  Bingo.

  At the mention of the kitten, she straightened her shoulders and reached for the door handle. “Sorry. Yes, of course. I just wasn’t expecting anyone.” Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but as she opened the door for him, she cleared her throat and asked, “How was your day?”

  “Long,” he answered. “Have you eaten?”

  She raised her surprised eyebrows even further. “No, I must’ve lost track of the time. Have you?”

  “Nope.” He glanced at the boxes scattered around the living room. “I think a pizza is in order. I’ll call Pizza Factory and have one delivered. What kind do you like?”

  “Any kind of pizza is my favorite,” she said with a smile.

  A smile! He was definitely making progress. “I’ll surprise you, then. While we wait, where do you want to start with these boxes?”

  “Honestly, I have no clue, which is why they’re still full,” she said with disgust. “I hadn’t realized I’d accumulated so much stuff while I was at school.”

  “How about the kitchen? Is everything unpacked in there or does that need work?”

  “Needs work. I think all of the kitchen boxes are stacked in there already. If you want to start there, I can go through these.” She indicated the pile stacked in the living room. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not one bit. I’ll order dinner and then I’ll tackle the kitchen.”

  She excused herself and jogged back up the stairs. He watched her disappear before hitting the Pizza Factory number on speed dial on his cell phone. He ordered a large combination pizza for delivery, and because he was extra hungry tonight, he also got an order of chicken wings and a two-liter bottle of cola to wash it all down. When he put his cell phone back in his pocket, he began opening up boxes marked with a K.

  Because this unit mirrored his own floorplan, he put her things away in the same places where he’d put his own: drinking glasses in the cupboard next to the sink, silverware in the drawer below that, etc., but she was only upstairs for a few minutes before she came back down with the kitten under her arm. It had been bathed and was purring happily.

  “How’s she doing?”

  Melissa smiled. “Ginger’s doing great. Doc and I talked about it, and amputation of the deformed limb is an option, but I’d like to wait and see how she gets around before putting her through a procedure like that.”

  “Can she walk on it?” Josh asked, concerned that the poor creature might have to have surgery.

  “Pretty well. Here, I’ll show you.” She set Ginger on the floor. The kitten looked up at the both of them for a minute and then limped to a bowl that Melissa had designated as a water dish.

  “She was probably dumped out in that ditch because of the deformity. I’m surprised she’s so friendly,” Josh said as he squatted down to give the kitten a soft stroke down her back. Ginger immediately started purring, a rough sound reminding him of his ski boat, and trying to weave herself around and between his feet while he was in his precarious position. He gently picked her up to prevent the unthinkable. She weighed less than a pound. Then he stood and cradled her in the crook of his arms, feeling the rumble of her purring against him.

  “She likes you,” Melissa said, sounding a little surprised.

  “Of course she does. What’s not to like?” He smiled as Melissa blushed a pretty pink.

  When the doorbell rang signaling that the pizza had arrived, he sauntered over to the door.

  “I caught your shift, huh?” Josh asked the kid holding his dinner, grinning ear to ear. “I guess you’ll expect a large tip.”

  Charlie laughed. “I don’t expect anything, Josh. Cute kitten.” Charlie Armstrong was Julie’s little brother. The Kings had helped Julie raise Charlie when Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong were killed in a car accident six years ago. Julie had just barely been able to support herself and her brother, but with the emotional support of Josh’s family, the boy had grown up strong. The eighteen-year-old now lived with the rest of the family at the King estate.

  Josh opened the door for Charlie, directing him through the maze of boxes to the kitchen where h
e placed the food on the counter. “Hey, Missy!”

  “Hey, Charlie.” Melissa returned his smile with one of her own. “What are your plans now that you’ve graduated high school?”

  “I’ve been accepted to the University of Nevada. So I’ll be heading to Reno in the fall.”

  “What are you studying?”

  “I’m undeclared for now. I’ll take all my prerequisite classes before I decide, but I’ve narrowed it down to either animal husbandry or criminal justice,” he said with a chuckle.

  Josh gave Charlie a pat on the back, then gave his shoulders a bro hug. “My man here received a full ride scholarship. We couldn’t be prouder.”

  “Congratulations, Charlie!”

  “Thanks.” He seemed to be embarrassed and began to back away from them toward the door. “Good to see you, Missy. You’re my last delivery so I’m heading home.”

  MISSY SMILED AT Charlie’s embarrassment. She remembered when she’d gotten so much praise for her scholarship; she hadn’t wanted to be the center of attention, either. She caught Josh’s look of pride before she opened the door for the young man.

  “Drive home safely, Charlie. Tell your sister I said hello.”

  “Will do, Missy.” He yelled into the townhouse, “See you later, Josh!”

  “Back at ya, kiddo,” Josh answered around a mouthful of pizza.

  “I think you embarrassed him,” Missy said as she shut the door and followed the drool-worthy scent of pizza back to the kitchen.

  Josh turned the box around revealing a fine pie loaded with all kinds of goodies. Missy closed her eyes and hummed, “Combo?”

  “Yup. No anchovies, though. I hope you aren’t disappointed.”