Page 11 of Close to Heaven

While he was occupied, she took off her coat and set it and her purse on a chair. When he turned around and faced her, his eyes flicked over her, and she tugged on her sweater self-consciously. They hadn’t discussed the dress code at the interview, so she’d worn what she’d thought was appropriate: a vee-neck sweater, black dress pants, and black ankle boots. She’d kept her jewelry simple: silver hoop earrings and a silver heart necklace. However, the way he was looking at her made her question if she’d made the wrong choice.

“I wasn’t sure what to wear.” She hated that she sounded like an insecure teenager on her first date instead of a professional working woman.

Jax cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. “What you’re wearing is fine. We’re pretty casual around here, as you can see.” He motioned to his own clothes, which gave her the freedom to gaze at him again.

“How about I give you a tour while the coffee’s brewing?”

She nodded and followed him out of the kitchen, glad for the distraction. Remember Trevor, she silently repeated as she trailed Jax down the hall.

While he gave her the tour, she feigned interest in the tiniest details, though her brain was elsewhere. She’d had a cup of coffee in her cabin, so she couldn’t even blame it on a lack of caffeine.

You’re being ridiculous. So he’s good looking. Big deal! He’s your boss and Dakota’s brother. Besides: YOU HAVE TREVOR!

“Avery?”

“Hmm?” Somehow they’d ended up back in the kitchen, and he was holding a coffee mug out to her. “Oh. Great. Thanks.”

She carefully took the mug without touching his hand, though she almost burned her fingers in the process. Then the doorbell chimed, and Jax looked immensely relieved.

“I think Mary’s here,” he said.

Once again, she followed him down the hall, but this time, she kept her gaze trained on her coffee mug instead of his perfectly shaped buns.

“Good morning,” Mary trilled as they entered the lobby.

“Morning,” Jax said. “I just gave Avery the grand tour, and now she’s all yours.”

Avery heard the relief in his voice and wondered if Mary had too. If she had, she didn’t react to it.

“Let me grab a cup of coffee, and then we’ll get started,” Mary said.

Jax held up his hand. “I’ll get it for you.”

“Such a sweet boy,” Mary said quietly as he walked away.

Boy? Avery thought he was the furthest thing from boyish, but she kept quiet. Mary put her coat and purse in a small closet behind the front desk, and then Jax returned with her coffee.

“Thank you, dear,” Mary said.

“I’m off to check on some maintenance issues with Cody. Call if you need anything.”

“Will do,” Mary said, but he’d already gone out the door.

Avery exhaled a bit too loudly, and Mary laughed. “You’re not nervous, are you?”

Mary had such a nurturing way about her that Avery answered honestly. “He intimidates me a little.”

Mary flapped her hand. “Jax is just a big pussycat.”

“That’s exactly what Dakota said.”

“It’s true, only don’t tell him I said so.”

Avery chuckled. “I won’t.”

“Well, let’s get started, shall we?”

Avery nodded, anxious to focus on something other than her new boss. For the next two hours, she listened intently as Mary explained the fundamentals of the job. After Mary had shown her how to take reservations, Avery fielded a few calls that came in and recorded the reservations on the computer. For a family-owned company, she was impressed by how technologically savvy they were.