“Mom,” she said faintly. “How are you?” Stupid question. Her mother was never all right. Always some crisis.
“I’m in trouble, Faith. I need your help.”
Faith closed her eyes and bit down on her lip. Through the receiver, she heard a sound like cars passing on a highway. Was her mother at a pay phone? It wasn’t likely Celia could afford a cell phone.
Don’t ask, Faith. No questions. You don’t want to know anyway.
“Faith, are you there?”
“I’m here,” Faith whispered. If only she hadn’t answered the phone.
“I need to borrow some money, baby. Just a little to tide me over until I get another job and a place to live.”
Faith swallowed back the stark disappointment and closed her eyes to call back the sting of tears. As dumb as it was to hope that one day Celia Martin would get her act together, Faith clung to it nonetheless.
Why couldn’t she have a mother? A real mother. Someone not so bent on screwing up everything in her path who could have a real relationship with her daughter.
“Faith, I really need it this time, honey. I’ll pay you back, of course.”
Of course. What a laugh. Faith’s hand squeezed the receiver of the phone until a sharp pain snaked up her arm.
“Not this time, Mom,” Faith said, surprising herself with her refusal.
The long, silent pause that settled over the line told Faith that her mother was just as surprised.
“But honey, I need the money to get by.” Desperation edged Celia’s voice. She became more forceful. “I told you I’d pay you back. I have to find a place to live, buy gas and food. As soon as I get settled and find another job, I’ll be okay.”
“That’s what you say every time,” Faith said quietly. “Only it never ends. I can’t continue to bail you out. It’s time you took some responsibility for yourself.”
Before Celia could respond, Faith gently replaced the phone on the receiver. Her hands shook as she pushed away from the desk.
“Is everything okay?”
She jerked her head up as she heard the strange voice. Leaning on the doorframe of her office door was a man. And not just any man. He took up the entire doorway.
“C-can I help you?”
He stood upright and walked the remaining distance to her desk. He stuck out his hand to her. “Gray Montgomery. The new guy.”
Her mouth rounded to an O. She slid her hand into his and instead of shaking it, he merely held on and squeezed gently.
“I’m Faith Malone.”
He smiled, and his blue eyes twinkled at her. “I know.”
She blew out her breath. “Of course, you know. I’m the only woman who works here, so I couldn’t be anyone else.”
“Am I interrupting anything?” he asked as he let go of her hand and gestured to the phone. “You seemed upset.”
She shook her head and continued to stare up at him. Lordy, but he was an intimidating sort. “It was nothing. Was there something you wanted?”
The phone rang, and she jumped about a foot. The sick feeling in her stomach returned with a vengeance. It was probably her mother. She continued to stare at the phone, unwilling to pick it up, not wanting to deal with an overwrought mother who manipulated her at every turn.
A large hand covered the receiver and yanked it up.
“Malone’s,” Gray bit out. There was a long pause, and he looked up at Faith with that searing gaze. “I’m sorry, but she stepped out for a moment. Can I take a message?”
Please, please don’t leave a message. She couldn’t take some hysterical spiel from her mother. Not to a complete stranger.
Gray put the phone back down.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
“No problem. Are you okay? I got the impression you definitely didn’t want to talk to whoever was on the phone before.”
She shivered as he continued to stare at her with those intense blue eyes. “I’m fine. Really. Now, was there something you wanted?” she asked again.
The corners of his mouth quirked up in an amused smile. “You trying to get rid of me?”
She flushed. “Sorry, of course not. I’m very glad to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Pop and Connor. Are you settling in well? I haven’t seen you around the office.”
Shut up, Faith. She wanted to drop her head on her desk. She sounded like a complete airhead.
He cleared his throat. “I’m glad to meet you as well. I’ve also heard a lot about you from Pop and Connor. I’m moved into the apartment just fine, and this is my first time in to the office.”
His eyes twinkled as he continued to regard her with a smile. Beautiful eyes too. Deep, rich blue. He wore his hair short, spiked slightly on top. Probably didn’t have to do much more than rub a towel over it, wave a comb in the general direction and go.
“I was hoping you could direct me to my office?”
She blinked and yanked herself from her slow perusal of his attributes. She stood up, knocking her knee against the desk. Pain shot up her thigh, and she grimaced.
He raised a brow but didn’t comment. She opened her top desk drawer and rummaged around a few seconds before pulling out a set of keys.
“These are the keys to your office and to the building. I’m sure Pop has given you all the security codes, but if not, I’ll write them down for you.”
She thrust them toward him, and his hand closed around hers once more. A warm tingle skittered across her skin as his thumb brushed across her knuckles. She yanked her hand back and walked around the desk toward the door. When she reached the hallway, she turned back to see him still watching her. She was pretty sure he’d been eyeballing her ass, but as soon as she’d turned around, his gaze shot upward.
“If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you your office.”
He pushed off from where he’d leaned his butt on her desk and started toward her. She swiveled back around and walked three doors down to the vacant office that had been assigned to him.
She opened the door but didn’t go in. She gestured inside with her hand. “Here you are. If you need anything, let me know.”
“I’ll do that,” he said in a low voice as he walked by her.
Gray felt her gaze, knew she was watching him as he moved inside the doorway. They’d both done their share of looking. When Mick had given him details on Faith Malone, Gray hadn’t expected her to be so beautiful. Or so innocent looking.
“I, uhm, I’ll get back to my office now. I’ll see you around. If you need anything, just holler.”