Bluegrass Courtship Read Free

Epson to do. I won’t get a thing done if he’s all over this the way he wants to be.”
    Annie sighed. “There’s an octopus on every project. And it usually is the one who sent in the application. It’s great that they feel such a sense of ownership, but…”
    â€œHoward is a bit of an attention and control freak,” Janet offered.
    â€œBeing elected for three straight terms as Mayor of Middleburg does not qualify you to run a bulldozer.” Drew gulped down some water before continuing. “He can’t be the guy to knock down the gym. You need certification to do that sort of thing. Try and talk to him again, will you, Annie?”
    â€œAnd that,” said Annie, gathering up a clipboard, “is the other part of my job. Shenanigan Prevention and Octopus Wrangler. Put that on a business card.”
    â€œShenanigan?” Drew looked at Janet.
    â€œLong story,” Janet answered dryly.
    â€œYou two finish going over that list. I’ll go deal with His Honor.” Annie snagged her coffee mug—a green mug with the white Missionnovation logo on both sides—and headed out the door.
    â€œI’m Drew,” Downing said as he extended a hand. She thought it was funny that he introduced himself—everyone knew who he was. Janet noticed his watch was a combination of a snazzy face and a rugged leather band. “And you’ve met Annie. You got any trouble—any concerns at all—you bring ’em to one of us. We aim to do right around here.”
    â€œSo I keep hearing,” Janet replied.
    â€œWell,” Drew said, shucking off his coat and tossing it on the couch behind him, “if you don’t mind my saying so, you looked a bit skeptical back there in the store.” He took another swig of water and pulled Annie’s file of lists over in front of him. “So you’re the Bishop in Bishop’s Hardware?”
    â€œThat’d be me.”
    He cocked his head to one side and eyed her. He hadbrown hair, shot through with a smattering of very hip-looking blond streaks. He sported an expensive brand of athletic shoes, but they’d definitely seen a lot of wear. His jeans were one of those expensive brands, too, but they had rips in both knees and a streak of paint down one side. Still the kind of man better suited for some slick California café than a Kentucky diner. There was no arguing he had a face worthy of television—tawny complexion, strong jaw, killer dimples. The color of his eyes wasn’t that noteworthy—it was mostly the gigawatt intensity that made Janet look twice. “You don’t see too many female owners in the hardware business,” he offered. “Especially in small towns. How’d you get into it?”
    Janet was well aware of her uniqueness. Even though she’d been around the store for years, contractors all over the county gave her a hard time when she first took over, testing to see if she really knew her stuff. And she did. Janet knew the name of every type of screwdriver by the time she was three. She was mixing paint by the time she was ten, and could recommend the proper pipe fitting by the time she could drive. “Genetically,” she replied. “My dad owned the store.”
    â€œMy dad was a plumber,” Drew said as he dug his hand into the box of cookies and pulled out two. Janet could see the memory overtake him, diffuse the light in his eyes. “He wouldn’t know what to make of what I do now.”
    â€œWas?” She just knew by the way he said it.
    â€œHe died four years ago, just before we signed the deal for Missionnovation. Your dad like how you run the store?”
    â€œHe’s been gone for a couple of years now. I like to think he’d be fine with how it’s going.”
    Drew raised an eyebrow. “You’re old enough to havebeen running a hardware store for five years? Don’t they have child labor laws