do you have to lose? You need a job, I'm offering you one."
"I can't marry you," Sara said miserably.
"If you won't consider my suggestion, I'll have to call the Valley View, and complain about what's happened. I just don't have the time to look for someone else now, and I'm sure as hell not going to let Kelsey suffer because you're getting cold feet."
"It's all a mistake," Sara's heart beat so loudly, she could barely hear herself speak. "You can't complain to the Valley View. Claire will lose her job. She has a little boy to support, and her husband refuses to pay alimony."
"Try me," Jason said grimly. He had problems too, and the fear that he would lose Kelsey overcame everything else.
"I...I need some time to think."
Sara put a hand up and rubbed her forehead, as if to get rid of the warring pictures there.
"I can give you till tomorrow morning."
Jason Graham face didn't show an inch of give. Her first impression of him being stern and tough had been right, after all. Their gazes clashed and Sara felt as if she were drowning in the power of his will.
"You need a job, Sara. I'm offering you one. We could help each other. Please don't let me down."
The plea, and the way he said her name startled her. In that second she knew Jason Graham was no domineering ogre; simply a man desperately afraid of losing his child.
"I'll call you by tomorrow morning." She got to her feet and held her hand out.
"What about dinner?"
"I can't eat anything now. Thanks for the iced tea."
She turned away telling herself she had to get away, give herself a chance to calm down, to think things out. Getting into Uncle Samuel's old car, she rested her head on the wheel.
Who was it up there that was the patron saint in charge of employment? All she'd asked for was a regular, nine to five, ordinary job. What she'd gotten was enough to shake any human being's faith in patron saints and prayer. She'd been offered marriage.
Not for the normal reasons of course...just so Jason Graham could keep his daughter.
Sara's vision blurred as she backed out of the parking lot. She couldn't let Claire suffer.
What had made Jason Graham decide she was the right candidate for the job? Did she have a stamp on her forehead that said, `Easily bullied. Plenty of experience slaving for a manipulative man' ?
Marriage to Jason Graham would only be a replay of her life so far. Sara could never enter any kind of bondage willingly again. Not if she starved.
It's a business arrangement.
She'd dreamed about marriage; about finding someone who would love her; someone whom she could share the rest of her life with. Her dreams held a house, a warm loving man, children.
What kind of a man suggested marriage could be a business arrangement?
Pulling into the driveway of Uncle Samuel's house, Sara stared at it. The four bedroom house with an indoor swimming pool on an acre of land, was as close to a prison as she ever wanted to be.
The mailbox at the end of the drive held two envelopes. One was from Jason Graham's office. The other was from Uncle Samuel's lawyer. Her fingers shook as she ripped open the latter. If only she could have a little more time to find another job.
Your uncle specifically mentioned in his will that your occupancy of the house was to be terminated a month following his death. It was not to be extended under any circumstances.
I regret....
The rest of the words ran together as tears filled Sara's eyes. Angry tears. Even from his grave Uncle Samuel had the power to hurt. Her mother had worked herself to death for him and he hadn't cared. Sara had given him twenty four years of her life. That was twenty four years too many. She had to get out of here as soon as possible.
An hour later, after a shower and a sandwich, Sara paced the kitchen floor. Claire had taken Bobby to her mother's in Sacramento for the weekend, so she couldn't even call her. How could
"I can't marry you," Sara said miserably.
"If you won't consider my suggestion, I'll have to call the Valley View, and complain about what's happened. I just don't have the time to look for someone else now, and I'm sure as hell not going to let Kelsey suffer because you're getting cold feet."
"It's all a mistake," Sara's heart beat so loudly, she could barely hear herself speak. "You can't complain to the Valley View. Claire will lose her job. She has a little boy to support, and her husband refuses to pay alimony."
"Try me," Jason said grimly. He had problems too, and the fear that he would lose Kelsey overcame everything else.
"I...I need some time to think."
Sara put a hand up and rubbed her forehead, as if to get rid of the warring pictures there.
"I can give you till tomorrow morning."
Jason Graham face didn't show an inch of give. Her first impression of him being stern and tough had been right, after all. Their gazes clashed and Sara felt as if she were drowning in the power of his will.
"You need a job, Sara. I'm offering you one. We could help each other. Please don't let me down."
The plea, and the way he said her name startled her. In that second she knew Jason Graham was no domineering ogre; simply a man desperately afraid of losing his child.
"I'll call you by tomorrow morning." She got to her feet and held her hand out.
"What about dinner?"
"I can't eat anything now. Thanks for the iced tea."
She turned away telling herself she had to get away, give herself a chance to calm down, to think things out. Getting into Uncle Samuel's old car, she rested her head on the wheel.
Who was it up there that was the patron saint in charge of employment? All she'd asked for was a regular, nine to five, ordinary job. What she'd gotten was enough to shake any human being's faith in patron saints and prayer. She'd been offered marriage.
Not for the normal reasons of course...just so Jason Graham could keep his daughter.
Sara's vision blurred as she backed out of the parking lot. She couldn't let Claire suffer.
What had made Jason Graham decide she was the right candidate for the job? Did she have a stamp on her forehead that said, `Easily bullied. Plenty of experience slaving for a manipulative man' ?
Marriage to Jason Graham would only be a replay of her life so far. Sara could never enter any kind of bondage willingly again. Not if she starved.
It's a business arrangement.
She'd dreamed about marriage; about finding someone who would love her; someone whom she could share the rest of her life with. Her dreams held a house, a warm loving man, children.
What kind of a man suggested marriage could be a business arrangement?
Pulling into the driveway of Uncle Samuel's house, Sara stared at it. The four bedroom house with an indoor swimming pool on an acre of land, was as close to a prison as she ever wanted to be.
The mailbox at the end of the drive held two envelopes. One was from Jason Graham's office. The other was from Uncle Samuel's lawyer. Her fingers shook as she ripped open the latter. If only she could have a little more time to find another job.
Your uncle specifically mentioned in his will that your occupancy of the house was to be terminated a month following his death. It was not to be extended under any circumstances.
I regret....
The rest of the words ran together as tears filled Sara's eyes. Angry tears. Even from his grave Uncle Samuel had the power to hurt. Her mother had worked herself to death for him and he hadn't cared. Sara had given him twenty four years of her life. That was twenty four years too many. She had to get out of here as soon as possible.
An hour later, after a shower and a sandwich, Sara paced the kitchen floor. Claire had taken Bobby to her mother's in Sacramento for the weekend, so she couldn't even call her. How could
Similar Books
Seeing is Believing
Sasha L. Miller
The Plains of Laramie
Lauran Paine
The Music Trilogy
Denise Kahn
Tickled to Death
Joan Hess
The Noh Plays of Japan
Arthur Waley
Cut the Lights
Karen Krossing
Catch Me If You Can (The Mancini Way)
Jordan Silver
Alien Hunter (Flynn Carroll)
Whitley Strieber
TKO (A Bad Boy MMA Romance)
Olivia Lancaster
Poison Shy
Stacey Madden