Hopefully not as flustered as she felt. “Sure. I was just looking at my finances and thinking about work.”
And, dammit, she hadn’t meant to tell him that because if he thought there was a problem he’d get all wound up trying to fix it for her. It just seemed better than confessing she’d been thinking about last night’s dream—the one with the hot shower and the scented, slippery body wash.
“Funny you should mention that. Can I come in?”
“Oh. Sure.” She let him in and sat on one end of the couch, hoping he’d sit in the chair across from her. Out of arm’s reach. “Why is it funny I should mention work?”
Being Kevin, of course, he plopped himself on the couch, too. Well within arm’s reach. “Okay, so we had this whole elaborate plan worked out—”
“We?”
“Huh? Oh, it was mostly Mike’s plan, though Evan helped, I think. There was also beer involved.”
“One of those plans.”
“Yup. Anyway, the plan was to be really sneaky and trick you into doing something I want you to do.”
Wow. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. “You thought tricking me was a good plan?”
“Beer,” he reminded her. “More than one.”
“What, exactly, did you guys hope to trick me into doing?”
He leaned back against the cushions and gave her his best you can’t be mad at me because I’m so damn cute grin. “Just remember, for the record, I dumped the elaborate plan to trick you because I respect you.”
“Thank you. And so noted.”
“And I trust you to be reasonable and hear me out without getting offended.”
Meaning whatever it was, it probably wasn’t going to be good. “Maybe. Just tell me what it is, already.”
“I was thinking maybe you could come to work for me. At Jasper’s, I mean.”
Wow. Speechless, she just stared at him, trying to make some sense of it in her mind. He wanted her to work at Jasper’s? She was dead on her feet after a shift at a low-key family restaurant. But a fast-paced, thriving sports bar? She’d be lucky if she didn’t drop halfway through her first shift.
“Not waiting tables, though,” he continued. “I was thinking you could work in the office. Do the books and stuff, which I hate like you wouldn’t believe. We could get you a cushy chair with one of those lumbar pillow things and everything. Rumor has it you went to college for business management.”
“Community college. And I didn’t get my degree.”
“No, but you know the stuff. And, to be honest, if I hired somebody from the outside, it would probably only be a part-time job. But if you learn how to do some inventory and stuff, we can stretch it out so you get the hours you want. And you’ll be off your feet most of the time.”
It sounded wonderful. Off her feet, in a cushy office chair with lower-back support. Nobody complaining when the staff couldn’t read their minds. No more smiling and kissing ass in the hope of filling the tip cup.
But working for Kevin? She already rented from him. It was shaky enough having a roof put over her head by the man she’d had two sort of one-night stands with. Having her paycheck come from him too was a whole new level of vulnerability.
His grin faded. “You’re not saying anything.”
“I’m thinking.” It was so tempting, but the consequences if it didn’t work out could be catastrophic. Nobody was going to hire a visibly pregnant woman.
“See, this is why I was going to trick you.”
“That wasn’t a very good plan.” She sighed, so conflicted she didn’t know where to begin. “But making up a job so—”
“Whoa. It’s not made up. I hate doing the books and the only reason I haven’t already hired somebody to do it is the fact advertising and interviewing and hiring somebody’s even more of a pain in the ass than accounting. It’s a legit job. Promise.”
It sounded not only legit, but perfect. Or almost perfect, because the risk in giving up the job she already had to work for the man whose baby she was carrying and apartment she was renting wasn’t inconsiderable.
She chanced looking into his eyes, expecting to find sincerity warming the usually playful glint. And there it was, practically pleading with her to give him a chance. To give the job a chance.
With no crystal ball, she had no idea how things would turn out—not with the baby and not with their relationship. But she didn’t need a fortune-telling device to know that, no matter how they were getting along a month from now, or three months or three years, Kevin wouldn’t walk away from her. No matter how pissed off or tired of her he got, he’d do right by her and the baby.
“I’ll do it,” she said before she could talk herself out of it.
His dimples flashed as he slapped a hand over his heart in mock surprise. “Just like that?”
“Did you want me to argue with you first?”
“Hell no, but I had pictured this conversation going somewhat differently. You’d get all offended I didn’t think you could do your job and then you’d get all pissed off and accuse me of trying to be the boss of you and then…”