Justin started to say something, then changed it. “Regardless, I’m offering you a paying job—equal to what you were making before.”
The job paid more than that. But seeing as how she had no previous experience and had been willing to settle for the internship, she really shouldn’t argue. She raised her chin a notch. “First year architects start at least a pay grade higher.”
He met and held her gaze across the patio, bracing his hands against the back of a chair to lean forward. “After a two-year internship,” he countered levelly.
She almost said yes right then—until he shifted his stance and backed off just the slightest bit. The most innocent of moves that told her he wasn’t sure of her answer, even though she knew she’d accept. She couldn’t afford not to, career wise or financially.
But he wouldn’t be at her house offering the job if he didn’t need her. With a new awareness, she took in the rigidity of his posture, the tightness of his expression, and knew without a doubt he didn’t want to be here. The realization was empowering and disheartening all at once. She focused on the emotion she knew how to handle and slid open the French door. “You’ve seen my design, then?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
Still no apology—no explanation of why she’d been fired in the first place? Wow, he really knew how to go about this.
“So you just want to use me, too.”
“No.” He pushed away from the chair to stalk toward her. “Dammit, Marley, I’m going to pay you.”
She shrugged and walked inside, then heard him bang the door shut as he followed her. She didn’t care that she’d angered him, nor did she worry he’d change his mind. Facing him across the living room, she asked, “If I accept, how do I trust you not to fire me again if things get ‘complicated’?”
“Besides the fact that I don’t think you’d take it so well a second time around? You’ve got talent.”
The sudden flash of his dry humor didn’t fool her. “Compliments only make me distrust you more.”
“No compliment, just a statement of fact. The building you created is beautiful, and I’d like to be part of bringing it to life.”
He really did know how to go about this. Though careful not to show it, excitement coursed through her at the thought of her building coming alive. She raised her gaze to find him regarding her closely. His body language still radiated all kinds of tension. She crossed her arms and anchored her stance. Time to see just how bad he needed her.
“Why the undercover bit?”
His gaze shifted for a split second, then returned. “Take the job and I’ll see what I can do about the higher pay grade.”
Suspicion took root. Why didn’t he want to talk about why he’d lied?
Do you really care? Shut up and take the job!
“Seriously? I’m supposed to trust ‘I’ll see what I can do’ coming from you?”
Muscles flexed as his jaw tightened. “You want it in writing?”
“For starters.”
He shook his head with a bark of laughter and headed for the door. As he passed her, her heart rate sped up at the thought that she’d screwed herself royally. She spun around to stop him only to have him whirl to face her before she could speak.
“You know, this is fricken’ unbelievable. How in the hell does my father rate? You get cozy over coffee with the man who would’ve screwed you over without blinking but I get the third degree for offering you money?”
Whoa. Back up. “What do you mean, ‘cozy over coffee’?”
His mouth twisted in a disgusted grimace. “I saw you two Friday morning.”
“What’d you do, follow me?” She spat the question in defensive sarcasm, never expecting him to confirm it.
“Just once. And that’s all I needed to see.”
Dots connected in her head, setting off an explosion of anger that nearly blinded her. “That’s why I was fired?”
The flash of guilt in his expression was all the answer she needed. Besides, she’d heard enough.
“Marley…”