Foolish Notions Read Online Free Page B

becoming concerned because her treatment
starts so soon and she won’t decide on a nurse until she talks
to you.”
    “Maybe if I give her a call I can
explain that it just isn’t possible.”
    “That won’t work.” He
picked up his pen again and tapped it in an erratic fashion as he
gazed out the window. A phone call wouldn’t be enough for his
mom. She would want to see Samantha in person. “Come see her.”
    “Come?”
    “She’s staying with me.”
    “I see.”
    “If you’re not busy, why
don’t you come over to the house tomorrow? That way you can
tell her in person that you can’t work for her. Make something
up if you have to. It’s the only way she’s going to back
down.”
    “Well—”
    James heard the hesitation in her soft
voice and guessed correctly that she didn’t want to risk seeing
him. He ground his teeth together and took a slow deep breath. “I
won’t be home.”
    “It’s not—”
    “I have to work all day. Just
stop in. It would be a wonderful treat for her—she would love
to see you.”
    “Yes, I would love to see her,
too.” There was a moment of silence before her gentle voice
rang through. “Tell her I’ll be by.”
    “Sam—Samantha—”
    “Yes?”
    “Thank you. You don’t know
how much I appreciate this.”
    The phone dangled in mid-air before he
gently set it back.

Chapter Three
    James buttered the two slices of
cinnamon toast lightly and set a cup of coffee on a bed tray. He eyed
Ginger, his housekeeper, as she came out of the utility closet. The
flashy gold-toned earrings that dangled from her ears matched the
rhinestones embedded around the collar of her shirt. He smiled at his
flamboyant housekeeper. “You are a miracle worker with flour
and baking powder,” he said as he took a bite of toast. “This
is my third piece.”
    “I’m glad you like it.”
Ginger ran her hand across a strip of molding, checking for dust on
the stark white cloth she had sprayed with cleaner. “I should
have made two loaves.”
    He nodded in agreement and polished off
the rest of the toast. “Might I ask why you are cleaning houses
when you can bake like this? You should have a bakery in old town
somewhere.” He held his hands up. “I can see it. A quaint
little shop nestled between two antique stores. The aroma of baking
yeast would permeate the store and seep outside, drawing in people
who were looking for right-from-the-oven goodies.”
    “It does sound tempting. But if I
were to do that, people like you would be living in filth.”
    “People like me? Are you trying
to imply that I’m dirty?” He stumbled back and made sure
he kept his amusement out of his voice. “You wound me, Ginger.”
    She rolled her eyes at his drama then
laughed. “Not at all. However, you are a very busy bachelor who
doesn’t think about separating his white clothes from his color
clothes or the ungodly amount of dust that accumulates on the ceiling
fans.”
    He tilted his head suspiciously. “You
clean my ceiling fans?”
    With an over exaggerated nod, which
caused the large hoops in her ears to swing, she said, “See
what I mean? You’re not dirty, just busy.” She wrapped
the leftover cinnamon bread in plastic wrap and stored it in the
cabinet nearest to her. “Have you found a nurse yet?”
    James’s mood instantly shifted
from enjoyable teasing to somber. “No, we’re working on
it.”
    Ginger gave him a sideways glance.
“Marie being stubborn, or are you?”
    As James watched Ginger meticulously
sweep the dining area, it dawned on him how much they had really
gotten to know one another over the last year. Ginger was more than
just a housekeeper, she was a friend. When she had found out Marie
was sick she started to come in an extra day a week. Fortunately, she
usually brought a little something to eat, too. “I think it’s
a little of both of us. We can’t seem to agree on a nurse.”
    “The two of you are too much
alike.” She bent to sweep a pile of dirt into a