Pinky Promise (Riverbend Romance 2) Read Free

daughter’s hand in a firm grip. But they worked together and the two new best friends went to school together. He’d see Kelly again.

Chapter 2

    “Kelly!” Her coworker, Vanessa, greeted her the next morning when she walked in the Public Works Department’s entrance to Town Hall. “They’ve called a staff meeting first thing.”
    Sound casual. “Oh? What’s up?”
    Vanessa leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Have you seen our new head? Girl, that man is a splendid specimen.”
    “A what? ” Not that Kelly hadn’t noticed. She chuckled. “Only you would use those words. So he’s not some graybeard here to put in the last few years before retirement?”
    “Are you kidding me? Wait until you see him.” Her co-worker glanced around and whispered, “Dibs.”
    Nice try. No way was Ian Vanessa’s type. “Aren’t we a being a tad bit possessive this morning? Over someone we just met?” Kelly eyed her friend. “If you’ve even met him in person yet.”
    Vanessa shivered. “You’ll see.” She looked past Kelly’s shoulder and her eyes widened. “There he is now.”
    Did she have to play this game? Either way, it was about to get embarrassing. She’d worked in this department for two years, keeping her head down, staying out of trouble, and doing her best for Elena. Surely no one could fire her for having met her new boss... and having their daughters hit it off. She groaned, earning her a worried look from her friend, before turning to glance over her shoulder.
    “Kelly! Good to see you this morning.” Ian strode toward her, a cute smile creasing his face.
    Vanessa’s elbow found her ribs. “You’ve already met?” she whispered. “I’m so gonna get even with you for this, girl. Letting me blather on.”
    “Good morning.” Should she call him Mr...? Man, she couldn’t even remember his surname at the moment. Her mind totally blanked at the warmth in his brown eyes. A sharp elbow in her back jogged words out of her. “Have you met Vanessa yet? She works with me on the landscaping crew.”
    Vanessa slid past Kelly and took Ian’s hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Tomlinson. I’m sure things will run smoothly in Public Works with you in charge.”
    Ian chuckled and quirked a grin at Kelly. “Well, I hope so. It will take a bit of time to settle in and get my bearings. I won’t keep everyone long for the meeting. I know you all have plenty to do.”
    Yeah, she did. And it didn’t involve daydreaming about her new boss. Feet on the planet, head out of the clouds — that was the way to keep her and Elena grounded. She’d been doing just fine for seven years.
    Thankfully, Ian turned to greet some of the other employees in their division and gestured everyone toward the lunchroom. That meant he wasn’t witness to Vanessa standing in front of her, hands on her hips, eyebrows raised. “When did you meet him?”
    Kelly sighed. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal of this. For all you know, he’s married.”
    Vanessa leaned closer. “Is he? Then he sure shouldn’t be looking at you like that, girl.”
    “No, he isn’t.” Not that Kelly knew his precise situation.
    “Which is it?”
    “He’s not married, but you didn’t know. You practically threw yourself at him.”
    “Did not, girl. That’s just my way.” Vanessa winked. “But, you know, if he were interested, I wouldn’t turn him down.”
    Nearly everyone had filed into the lunchroom by now. Kelly stepped around Vanessa, but her coworker held her arm in a tight grip. “Not so fast,” she said in a low voice. “How did you meet him?”
    “When I picked up Elena after school yesterday. He has a little girl in the same class, and they hit it off.” Wowza, that had been more than hitting it off. “He was there to get his daughter. The girls introduced us all around.” No point in mentioning the ice cream.
    “Well, isn’t that convenient.”
    “Maybe it depends on your point of view.” Kelly removed her