His Devious Angel by Mimi Barbour Page A

much for you. You need help. And Angelo here needs a job. I thought we could work something out so you’d both benefit.”
    A pin could have dropped and been heard in the silence that only a slight breeze disturbed. First his dad looked at him, mouth open and eyes blinking rapidly. Then he turned a questioning glance to Angelo, whose hands white-knuckled the arms of his chair.
    “You think I need some help here, son? I do believe you’re right. Mrs. Brown passed away over a year ago, and I haven’t been able to organize myself into finding another housekeeper or someone to look after the gardens. As you know, Mr. Brown used to look after the yard, but he moved into assisted living after she passed on.”
    “Angelo has a wife and two children, and they need a place to live. Is the apartment you built for me over the garage still free? It was roomy and had a separate entry. Maybe they could use that for a while.”
    “Sure they could. As you know it’s furnished and needs a good clean, but I haven’t disturbed anything since you left. If his wife doesn’t mind, they’re very welcome to the place. It would be wonderful for me to have company. The gardens are huge, and the kids will have lots of room to play.”
    Happiness is such a visual thing, thought Liam as he looked at his father. The old man had always been this way, every emotion plastered across his features and open to the world. Open to anyone who wanted to slap him down and walk all over him, take advantage of his good nature to the point of being brutal and mean and horrible. Stop it! Don’t go there!
    Plans were made, wages discussed, and arrangements organized for the family to move over in the next few days. Liam would rent a small truck and, between the three men, the move would happen.
    “Can you stay for lunch?” Paul looked first at Angelo and then at Liam. The yearning on his face said it all. But his words had Liam checking his watch, and he jumped up from his chair and exclaimed, “Where the hell has the time gone? I have to go to work. Look, Angelo, I’ll drop you off on my way, but we have to leave now.”
    Glad shock rang in his father’s voice. “You’re staying stateside? No more army? Son, I’m so…so glad.”
    “Nothing’s been decided yet. I still have a few weeks.” The harsh tone shouldn’t have been used, and he regretted it as soon as he heard what he’d said and how. But he couldn’t unsay it. That had always been the worst thing about words. They couldn’t be unsaid.

Chapter Fifteen
     
     
    Sadie stopped watching the traffic and finally broke the silence. “Liam, you’re very quiet today. Are you mad that I called you on being late? Because if so, get over it. Pouting isn’t at all manly. You knew that time was important in this job. If we get behind in the first run, the rest of the day is out of whack. You can shut off my babbling anytime you want to cut in.”
    The blank look he threw her way stopped her muttering. She realized her normally chatty companion had something on his mind, and her feminine instincts told her that he’d be better off talking about it than brooding.
    “Don’t take this as an open invitation, but if you need to talk about something, I’m a good listener.” There, she decided. She’d said it plain out, and if he didn’t take her up on her offer, then the heck with him. This man had used up far too much mind space already today—and last night too, if she was being honest.
    Why he hadn’t kissed her when she’d stood there with her lips all but flapping in front of his face as an offering, she’d never know. Rubbing noses was for kids, for heaven’s sake. Yeah! But then why had it woken every rotten little sexual inclination in her body, all those aroused cells screaming at her all night long?
    She looked up to see his cheeky grin, and relief flooded. He’s back, she thought.
    “You want me to tell you here, or can we take it to a couch? Like later in your