Chapter 5
***RYAN***
Ryan hit the save button, then sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh.
He’d just finished the last paper he’d ever write as an undergraduate, and he felt like celebrating.
Looking up at the clock, he realized it was long after lunch and too early for dinner, but hopefully he could convince one of the guys to go out with him for a few hours, maybe shoot some pool and grab a burger after.
Tempted to read the paper one more time, he forced himself to close the file, then, with a huge sense of accomplishment, emailed it to his professor.
He was so close to student teaching that he could practically taste the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, only to remember that peanut butter wasn’t allowed in schools anymore. “Hey, you look like you just won the lottery,” Aaron said from the doorway. “I definitely want some of what you’ve got.”
“I just turned in my last paper, now I just have two tests left, and then I’m done with class work,” he said. “I’ll be ready to start student teaching in January.”
“Lucky you, next semester is going to be my hardest,” Aaron said with a sigh. “Not that this semester has been easy, finals are killing me. I could use a break.”
“Let’s go play a couple games of pool, I feel like celebrating,” he said, shutting down his computer. “We can grab something to eat afterward, my treat.”
“That’s a deal, just let me go grab my coat,” Aaron said.
“We can check on the pretty blonde I just let in to see Hattie, she’s interviewing for the assistant job…
I wouldn’t mind hiring her as my assistant.
She’s got these big blue eyes and curly blonde hair.
I couldn’t see what was under her coat, but if her legs are any indication… ”
“Whoa, boy, slow down, this woman is going to be working for Hattie,” he said, laughing and shaking his head. “I’m sure the last thing she wants is you ogling her all the time.”
“Hey, I’m not a creep,” Aaron said, grinning at him. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t see me doing it.”
“You’re impossible,” he said, grabbing his coat. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”
He thought he’d beaten Aaron to the entryway, but after waiting for ten minutes, he realized his friend had been serious about stopping in the kitchen before they left.
With a sigh, he got up from the chair and headed down the hallway to the back of the house, picking up the sound of Aaron’s voice long before he walked into the kitchen.
The last thing he was in the mood for was watching his friend flirt with some random woman, and he almost changed his mind about going out with Aaron.
Then, he heard a voice he was sure he’d never forget.
Heart pounding, a mixture of excitement and dread spreading through him, he poked his head in the room, then let out an audible groan when he saw the woman standing in the middle of the kitchen with Hattie.
The counter was covered with baking materials and a delicious smell came floating to him, making his mouth water.
The woman was wearing one of Hattie’s aprons, which made him feel a little off balance.
He stumbled as he walked into the room; everyone turned to look at him, including the woman.
When her blue eyes met his, he was flung back to the night they’d met.
A wave of warmth washed over him, and his body started to tingle with desire, making him wish he had stayed in the hallway. “Uhhhh…hey everyone,” he said, feeling like an idiot. “It sure does smell good in here, Hattie.”
“Oh, that wasn’t me,” Hattie said, turning to the woman. “Paula is responsible for that delicious smell. She’s my new assistant; I’d be an idiot not to hire her.”
“Really?” Paula asked Hattie, then gave her a hug when she nodded. “That’s great, I’m so excited. When do you want me to start?”
“Monday will be fine. You and I are going to make a great team,” Hattie said, a big smile on her face. “Now we just need to get rid of these boys so we can talk details.”
“We were just on our way out,” he said, unable to take his eyes off Paula, who saw him watching her and began to blush. “It was nice to meet you. I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Hey, I’m not going anywhere until I get to taste whatever that is in the oven,” Aaron said, grinning at Paula. “Anything you made must be amazing.”
“I’m a little rusty; it might not be that amazing. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Paula said, then turned away from them and pulled a baking sheet out of the oven. “They need a few minutes to cool.”
All he wanted to do was run away; his body was going crazy.
His dragon was awake and very interested in the woman standing on the other side of the kitchen.
Even worse, Aaron’s interest in her was sending stabs of jealousy shooting through him.
He was also afraid that it was no coincidence that the woman who had seen Marcus in his dragon form was standing in the fraternity house kitchen.
He wasn’t sure how she’d managed it, but he was sure she was there for a reason other than baking cookies.
“They should be cool enough to eat now,” Paula said, interrupting his thoughts. “I hope you like them.”
Studying her intently, hoping that she knew he was onto her, he grabbed the cookie she held out to him, then took a big bite and chewed slowly, hoping to look intimidating.
Annoyed to discover that it was better than any cookie he’d ever tasted.
He finished it in only a couple of bites without even fully enjoying it, then grunted and shrugged his shoulders as if he wasn’t thinking about begging for a second one.
Aaron didn’t hold back his praise, and the jealousy was back before he could drag his friend out of the room.
It was an ugly kernel of anger deep in his belly that smoldered and burned, leaving him shocked and embarrassed.
***Paula***
“Don’t mind Aaron, he’s a sweet guy, he just goes overboard sometimes,” Hattie said, scooping the cooled cookies off the baking sheet and stacking them on a platter. “How about we get this cleaned up, and then we can sit down and go over a few details before you officially take the job.”
“That sounds great,” she said, gathering up dirty dishes and taking them over to the sink. “But I’m sure that I want the job unless you’re going to make me pay you or something.”
Hattie laughed, “I’ve hired a few assistants over the years who should have paid me to put up with them, but you’re definitely not in that category,” she said.
“I just want to make sure you’re properly compensated for the contribution you’ll be making.
Honestly, I didn’t think I’d find someone as experienced as you are.
Hiring you will give me a lot more freedom and potentially make me a lot more money.
It’s important to me to be fair. I just started this business, I’m still trying to figure everything out, and how much to pay you is one of those things. ”
“I’m sure we can figure it out together,” she said, feeling a little guilty. “And if one of us isn’t happy with the arrangement, we can always renegotiate. Nothing is written in stone.”
“You’re right,” Hattie said, giving her a big smile. “It’s going to be so nice working with you. I think this will be a great opportunity for both of us. I guess I’d better cancel the rest of the interviews.”
They finished baking the cookies and cleaned up while Hattie gave her a rundown on the parties and events listed in her contract with the school, a fairly substantial list that included both simple and fancy desserts.
She was ready for a break when they finally sat down at one end of the huge table that occupied the other half of the room with a cup of coffee and a cookie.
Hattie didn’t seem like she was in any hurry to get down to business, and they chatted about baking, favorite recipes, and cooking disasters for a while.
Sensing that she had the perfect opportunity to get some background information, Paula got up and refilled their cups when they were empty, hoping to keep Hattie distracted for a few more minutes.
When she sat down again, she quickly reviewed the questions she wanted answered most, then looked over at the older woman with a smile on her face.
“You seem to love working here so much. I hope I can find a job that makes me as happy when I graduate,” she said. “I guess you’ve been working here for a long time.”
“Oh, no, I’ve only been here since the boys were freshmen,” Hattie said, shaking her head.
“I’m good friends with the owner of the house, and when he decided to donate it to the scholarship fund, he wanted to make sure there was someone he could trust keeping an eye on things.
It’s been the perfect job, but I’m afraid once the boys graduate, I’ll be moving on.
That’s why I’m starting the catering business.
I’ve grown to love this town; I don’t want to leave. ”
It took her a second to sort out what Hattie meant, then it hit her. “So, the fraternity won’t be here next year?” she finally asked, the wheels turning in her head. “I thought these things were usually around for decades and decades. Was this one only for Aaron, Ryan, and their friends?”
“Oh dear, I’m not sure about all of that,” Hattie said, slightly panicked, clearly regretting what she’d said.
“I just meant my contract is up at the end of this year, I’m not sure what my friend is doing next year…
we should really get back to discussing your hourly wage.
I don’t want to take up your whole Saturday. ”
Pleased that she’d uncovered her first mystery inside the house, even though it didn’t explain what she’d seen that night, she dropped the subject, afraid to push Hattie too far.
Instead, they negotiated an hourly wage and figured out what hours she would work, then after writing it all down for both of them, Hattie sent her on her way with a bag of cookies and a copy of her schedule.
Getting back into her car, she couldn’t help the satisfied smile that spread across her face.
She was starting her first undercover assignment, even if it wasn’t sanctioned by a newspaper, it still felt like she was finally starting her career as an investigative journalist.
Connie was waiting for her when she walked in the door, an anxious look on her face. “Well, how did it go?” she asked. “You’ve been gone so long, I was beginning to get worried.”
“I got the job, and the pay is amazing. I feel a little guilty, though,” she said, taking off her coat. “She’s a really nice lady, I bet she doesn’t even know there’s something weird going on around there.”
“Did you see something?” Connie asked, eyes wide. “I thought you said you weren’t going to go poking around.”
“I didn’t, I just meant, the other night…
well…you know,” she said, hanging up her coat.
“There is something off about that fraternity. It’s only been around for a few years, and after Ryan and his friends graduate, it’s going away, or at least that’s what it sounds like.
Hattie suddenly shut up and wouldn’t talk about it anymore. ”
When she turned around Connie was staring at her, hands on her hips, a frown on her face.
“Paula, you promised,” she said, her voice full of frustration.
“You’re going to get yourself in trouble; these people are probably in the mob or something.
You’re going to get yourself killed if you don’t stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. ”
“Now you’re being silly. The mob, please, Hattie is not in the mob,” she said, waving her hand in the air. “We were just having a conversation. I know when to push and when to back away. She didn’t suspect anything. You need to stop worrying.”
“I’ll stop worrying when you let this whole thing go,” Connie said. “You saw something weird. It happens to a lot of people; just forget about it and move on.”
“I wish I could, I just can’t get it out of my mind,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s driving me crazy, I have to get to the bottom of this, Connie. I promise I’ll be careful.”