“Uh… Prince… I mean Edward,” he began. “What types of tasks do you need help with?”
Edward sighed, considering the vast amount of work the castle required to even get it up to code let alone fully restored. “Everything from acquiring the exact type of slate shingles for the roof—they have to be period and…” He scratched his head, annoyed that he couldn’t think of the shingle type. “I can’t remember the name of the style the historian used.”
“Romanesque revivalist.” The words fell easily from Clementine’s lips.
She really did know her stuff. And he really needed her.
But, he realized, from the deathly quiet of Wicke Salvage with not a single customer in sight, she might just need him more.
“The job pays very well,” he said and looked from Clementine to her father and back. “I’d like to hire you, Clementine.”
She opened her mouth, but before any words could come out, her father spoke for her.
“Clementine would be glad to take the position,” he said, smiling. Another old man who strongly resembled Mr. Wicke emerged from the back room.
“What position?” he asked, scratching his mostly bald head and releasing a quiet burp. Edward noticed a white stain of what looked like pudding on the collar of his red and black plaid flannel.
“Clementine’s been offered a position to aid restoration at the old Kawell, Castle, Stoddard!” Clem’s father said, his face beaming.
Stoddard removed his glasses and wiped them with a yellowed handkerchief. “Clem, that’s fantastic!”
Clementine stood between the two men, lips pursed. Her eyes dug into Edward, as if she knew that he had her in a sticky spot. She turned to her father. “I’m not sure I’m really the right person for the job, Dad,”
The man called Stoddard placed a fat hand on Clementine’s shoulder. “Well, of course you’re the right person for the job, Clem! Tell her, Dirk. Tell her she’s the right person,” he said.
“Your uncle Stoddard and I think you’re the perfect person, Clem.” Clementine’s father gave her a look that Edward could read as if it were written in bold ink.
We need this job, it said.
Clem’s father stepped forward and placed his hand on his chest. He gave a little bow, which made Edward slightly uncomfortable.
“I’m Dirk Wicke,” he said and gestured to the other old man. “This is my brother, Stoddard. We’re co-owners of this lovely establishment.” He laughed, and Stoddard released a little snort. “On behalf of Wicke Salvage, we’d like to express our gratitude for the faith you’ve put in our Clementine here. You won’t regret hiring her.”
Clementine let out a long sigh and rolled her eyes.
“When should she start?” Dirk asked.
Edward set his eyes on Clementine’s and his lips tilted into a devilish grin. “When can you move into the castle?” he asked.
“Move in?” Clem’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung open. It was bad enough she was getting suckered into working for him but to move into the castle? What in God’s name was this man thinking? Her father inched closer to her, protectively, as if he too was less than thrilled about this idea. Even though the opportunity to restore the castle would be a fantastic chance for her personally, and a life preserver for their failing business, she knew neither Dad nor Uncle Stoddard would allow her to move forward if they sensed any impropriety.
“Please don’t get the wrong idea,” Edward said. “Clementine would have an entire wing to herself, and I can promise you there would be no… funny business.” Clem stifled a laugh at the tall, chiseled prince, usually so poised, now tongue-tied and tripping over words.
Dirk raised one eyebrow at Edward and crossed his arms over his thick chest. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t see why you need our Clem to live there.”
Edward clasped his hands together, his eyes imploring. “The deadline for the restoration completion has been moved up, and I’m certain that if I don’t have people working 24/7 on the project and someone, namely Clementine, to oversee, it will never be properly finished.” He swallowed. “I’ll pay extra. You can name your price.”
The last thing Clem wanted to do was accept his offer, but Edward’s desperation could work out for her. She could make good money and elevate the reputation of her family business in the process. This could be the shot she’d been waiting for if it worked out.
If she could control her attraction to Edward and focus on the project. A big if.
She stared at Edward’s hands, the fingers that had tangled themselves in her loose hair the night they’d met when she hadn’t even known his true identity. A warmth wove itself into her core, as the memory of his lips took over her thoughts.
She blew all the air out of her lungs. Maintaining self-control around him was not going to be easy.
“Let’s go outside,” she told Edward and let him follow her through the shop. She glanced back at Uncle Stoddard and Dad and winked before leading Edward into the deserted street. She didn’t want them to hear what she had to say to Edward, because if they did, they’d know exactly how she’d acquired some of the treasures she brought to their shop. Even though it wasn’t technically stealing, she preferred to keep her stealth operations under wraps.
Once outside, she faced Edward squarely.
“I appreciate your consideration of my offer, Clementine,” he began. “If you—”
“I have one stipulation,” she said, interrupting him. If this arrangement was going to work out, they had to have as little conversation as possible, starting now. “I want access to every other historical site you have flagged for demolition so I can gather materials before they’re destroyed. If you agree, I’ll move into the castle today.” She stood firmly, hands on her hips and looked up at him, trying hard not to notice how his dark eyes grabbed her and held on.
“Fine,” he said.
That was easy.
“You can take whatever you want from the demolition sites, but I need to accompany you when you go.”
She started to shake her head, annoyed. The last thing she needed was a chaperone.
“I can’t allow you to traipse around alone in buildings that have been condemned, Clementine,” he said. “It’s dangerous. You could get hurt, and I would be liable.”
She couldn’t really argue with him.
Reluctantly, she nodded. “Fine,” she said, and he smiled. Suddenly, a thousand rays of sunshine lit up Edward’s face, bouncing from him to her. She’d never really seen him smile before. Not like this.
“You won’t regret this,” he said, and took her hand to shake it.
A shiver ran down her spine as his warm fingers closed around hers.
This was going to be bad.
4
Edward wrung his hands together at the bay window as he watched Lance drive up the winding hill to the castle, knowing Clementine was in the backseat. He didn’t understand his own nervousness. He’d worked with thousands of women. This one wasn’t any different.
Or was she?
He made his way through the foyer and to the front door of the castle to be greeted by the image of Clementine emerging from the car. God, she was beautiful, and the fact that she seemed to have no idea just how attractive she was made him drawn to her all the more.