Coldhearted Boss(96)

“As of?”

“Last night,” she announces confidently.

I finally lose the battle with myself and laugh. It’s all so ridiculous. I whip the hat off my head, smooth my hand over my hair, and then drop it back into place. She tracks my movements with careful attention.

“Don’t they make you wait 24 hours to report a missing person? Seems like you should give it 48 for ending a marriage. You might change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

“Excuse my French, but I don’t have time for this shit.”

Even now, problems are piling up outside the door of this office.

Anyone else would stand up and leave. I’ve been known to bring grown ass men to their knees, but she doesn’t seem to care. In fact, she leans forward, props her hands on my desk, and locks her gaze with mine.

“I need this job.”

“I disagree.” My niceness is gone. My patience is all used up. “Look, you’ve made your dramatic gesture, now I think you should run back home to California. No doubt you’ve taught your husband a lesson. I’m sure he’ll buy you whatever pretty thing he’s been holding out on.” I stand and start dialing my ranch manager’s number so I can return the call he left earlier.

She reaches forward, picks up the phone from its holder, and slams it back down.

Damn. She’s spoiled and crazy.

“I know Helen’s gone, and you need somebody. Give me the job.”

“You’ve never worked a day in your life. By the time I train you, Helen will be back.”

“We’re not talking rocket science—how hard could it be? I’ll stay out of your way.”

I level a steady gaze down her small frame. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

“I’m not leaving this office until you give me a job—any job.”

Just then, a light bulb flips on that illuminates the way out of this mess. It takes all my energy to keep my face neutral. She can’t know it’s a trap or she’ll see right through my intentions. Meredith wants a job, I want her to get the hell off my property, and it seems we can kill two birds with one stone.

“Any job? That works for me. I need a housekeeper. Mine quit last week.”

She arches a delicate brow. “Couldn’t stand her boss?”

I grind my teeth. Isn’t she supposed to be groveling? Ingratiating herself as best she can? Instead, it feels like she’s calling the shots in my damn office. “She moved to be closer to her daughter. That’s the only job I have for you. Take it or leave it.”

She stands up, dragging her hands from my desk. “So I’d be your maid?”

“You’d also cook meals, do laundry, wash the dog—that sort of thing. Toilets need cleaning at least once a day—you saw the guys that’ll be using ’em, and tonight is chili night.”

I’m laying it on thick at this point. No way she’s staying.

She glances away for a moment. “I don’t—that is, I’ve never…”

I return my attention to my desk, writing her off. I’ve never had to fight a grin so hard in my life. I figured it wouldn’t be hard to scare her away, but this was a little too easy. One mention of scrubbing toilets and her knees are quaking. She’s a second from bolting. Once she’s gone, I’ll finally have a minute to catch up on work. I’ll give my manager a call and shoot off an email to Helen, demanding she return early in exchange for putting me through the trouble of dealing with this brat.

It occurs to me that Meredith hasn’t moved. Oh, right. She’s stranded out here.

“Or”—I glance up at her from beneath my brows, speaking offhandedly—“I’ll get one of the hands to give you a ride back into town.”

She’s looking at me like I’ve grown a second head. “What are you talking about? I’m not leaving. I’m taking the job—on one condition.”

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