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Chapter 8

Love and respect. - Anonymous, Thacker, Alabama

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ORCHID’S PHONE RANG, and she met Dwight’s eyes, then glanced at Powell. He nodded just a little, and she knew that nod meant he’d keep an eye on her. She would be fine—but when someone was working, they needed to be aware of where she was.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, she saw it was Daphne and took a few steps away.

Powell hadn’t seemed overly concerned about her grandmother, but Orchid knew the infection in her knee replacement was serious.

Not only had it kept her off her feet for several months, but it had proved resistant to treatment, and Daphne’s concern was that it would spread and become life-threatening.

Her mother, Renée, was more concerned about her inability to work and being forced to sit inside with her leg straight and propped up.

“Hello?” She glanced over her shoulder and saw Dwight and Powell deep in conversation.

She’d have to remember to thank him later for distracting Powell and allowing her to take this call.

Powell was definitely at the age where she was curious about what was going on, and Daphne was trying to keep her from worrying about her grandmother’s health.

Orchid was all for that.

“Hey. Just calling to check on Powell. She okay?”

“She’s good. We’re at the auction house right now. We were petting the kittens, but now we’re watching the new guy use the pressure washer. Actually, Powell is talking to him right now, and I’m watching them.”

“The new guy?”

Yeah, she should have figured she couldn’t get that one past her friend. “Somehow Dwight tricked my brother into hiring him.”

There was a loud, telling silence on the other end of the phone. Although Daphne’s reaction was probably much the same as hers. What in the world would Dwight need a job for? He was a baseball player, not a common laborer.

“He must be pretty desperate to be around you.”

“I don’t think so.” She hadn’t been sure what all to make of his declaration that he wanted to be friends. She was suspicious, for sure. But he hadn’t pushed her. He’d never pushed her. She liked that he respected her while still letting her know that he wanted her. Chasing her, but giving her room to breathe.

It was appealing for sure.

“Come on. That has to do something for you. The man’s a ballplayer, and I could be wrong about this, but I’m betting he doesn’t have to work a day in his life if he doesn’t want to at any job other than baseball. The fact that he’d hire on at your family’s auction barn and...what did you say he was doing? Pressure washing stuff? Doing manual labor, just to be near you... Tell me that’s not romantic.”

She could admit she’d been flattered. Not even flattered, because that implied that what he was doing wasn’t sincere. She had been charmed, well and truly.

“You’re right. But I don’t want to read too much into it.”

“How can you read too much into that? I mean, the man could rob a train for you, I suppose, and it might mean more—”