Turn My World Upside Down: Jo's Story Read Online Free

her sisters to help.
    “So, the Dailys want us to paint the interior of their house,” Jo said, reaching for the binder she’d brought into the house with her. “Seems the Money Fairy showed up last week.”
    “Ah, he strikes again!” Mike crowed.
    The Money Fairy was legendary in Chandler. Always popping up with anonymous gifts of cash when it was needed most. Whoever it was had excellent sources, because the money that showed up was always just the right amount at just the right time. For more than a year now, people had been trying to unmask the mysterious benefactor—so far, with no luck. It was a nice little mystery that kept everybody guessing.
    “I figure I’ll get Kyle Hinckey and Fred Soames for the painting,” Jo said. “They’re good and pretty fast.”
    Sam winced. “Wish I could do it,” she said, frowningat her tea before setting it aside. “I’ve always wanted to get my hands on their family room.”
    Jo frowned. Sam was the best painter/faux finisher in the business. Hurt like hell to farm jobs out and only claim a commission, but there just wasn’t any choice. “Maybe when you’re back up to it, you can talk ’em into a mural or something.”
    Sam smiled.
    “The Caseys’ roof needs replacing and we’ve almost finished the Barclay kitchen and porch.”
    “That was fast,” Mike said. “Who handled the repair of the gingerbread trim on that porch?”
    Jo scowled. “Cash.”
    “Hmmm . . .” Mike slid the tip of one finger around the rim of her coffee cup. “And was he good?”
    “Does everything that comes out of your mouth have to sound sexual?”
    “Only to the cranky and horny,” Mike said, grinning.
    “What about the Santoses’ new bathroom?” Sam asked, reaching for the binder that Jo had color-coded and cross-referenced.
    Jo snatched it away. “We start that next week. We’ll need to use a different plumber since
ours
”—she looked at Mike pointedly—“wouldn’t fit into the bathroom itself, let alone under the sink.”
    “No need to get nasty.” Mike pouted.
    “That’s what you think,” Jo said.
    “You could call Andy Bremer,” Sam suggested, making another grab for the folder. “His wife’s expecting number four. He’s looking for extra work.”
    Jo shook her head. “What is up with this town? It’s like a major population explosion all at once.”
    “Hey,” Mike said, “cold winter nights equals cuddling equals sex equals babies.”
    She wouldn’t know about that.
    “Will you hand over that binder for a damn minute?” Sam snapped, and made a lunge for it, prying it out of Jo’s determined grip.
    Jo frowned at her. “Don’t mess it all up. I’ve got everything lined up according to dates and cross-referenced by customer names.”
    “Of course you do,” Sam muttered, shaking her head as she glanced over the first of the job orders. “Why are you so damn territorial about our files, anyway?” she demanded, leaning back in the cushions to study the work orders that were neatly tucked into their own manila envelopes.
    Mike laughed. “You know how she is with paperwork. Like foreplay or something.”
    “True,” Sam agreed solemnly.
    “Is
everything
about sex to you?” Jo demanded, glaring at Mike while taking a slug of her still hot coffee. Inevitably, talks with her sisters turned to the glories and wonders of sex. And since Jo couldn’t really identify, she usually just changed the subject.
    “Better than
nothing
being about sex.” Mike shook her head sadly and reached for another muffin, dropping crumbs onto the floor as she shifted her girth. “God, Jo, do everybody a favor and take Cash out for a test-drive, will ya?”
    “Not gonna happen,” she said firmly, despite the flash of heat that swamped her in a quick and thorough wave.
    “Then stop torturing yourself and
tell
him that.”
    She looked at Sam. “Don’t you think I
have
?”
    “Not clearly enough, apparently.”
    “Yeah,” Mike said. “You’ve never had