Tempest's Course: Quilts of Love Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

Holdings. The CEO has reviewed your bid and accepted it. The Gray House job is yours.”
    “Thank you, thank you!” She tried to modulate her voice, but the words came out in a quaver.
    “I’ve e-mailed you further details, but you may pick up your key from Mrs. Acres at the management company and move in on June one.”
    “Move in?”
    “Nothing is to be removed from the house. All work will be completed on site.”
    She fought for the right words. He could yank the bid away from her if she flubbed her response. Nothing had been signed yet . . . but moving to New Bedford? Not that she had anything to tie her to Haverhill, but—
    “Ms. Frost?”
    “Yes. I’ll be looking for that e-mail.”
    “You don’t have a problem working on-site?”
    “I . . . I honestly hadn’t anticipated that. But, you’re sending more details in an e-mail?”
    “Yes, including an agreement which must be signed and notarized and overnighted to our offices within seven days or you will forfeit the contract.”
    “I understand. I’ll be in touch.”
    The line went dead. Moving to New Bedford, even temporarily for up to four months? How would she find a place to live that fit her skinny budget? But then Mr. Chandler had mentioned something about moving in? Moving into Gray House? The place was creepy, even in the daytime.

    “You took long enough getting lunch,” Mac leaned on the pickup truck in front of the house they were roofing not two blocks from the café.
    “Soup Nation, made to order. You wanted the chowder, and it wasn’t done yet.” Tom set the cardboard tray of food on the truck hood. “So here it is.”
    “Well, we need to eat fast. Lenny’s going to be back in fifteen minutes, and we’ll finish this job today.” Mac grabbed the nearest container of fresh chowder and a plastic spoon. “Rain’s coming in tonight, so we’ve gotta get a move on.”
    Tom nodded. “Thanks for calling me about this job. I’m ready anytime you need a hand.” He didn’t want to sound desperate, but if he could get in full time with a good contractor, maybe he could quit the Gray House job.
    “That’s the thing . . . I was going to tell you later, but not when Lenny’s here. Might as well do it now.” Mac set his soup down on the truck and rubbed his forehead. “I hate to say it, but I won’t need your help after this job’s over, probably not for a while.”
    “You won’t?” Tom tried not to show it, but shock jolted through him like electricity. Couldn’t a guy ever get a break?
    “No, I’m cutting back on my helpers. I’ve got to cut costs somehow.” Mac put his hand on Tom’s shoulder. “You’re the last one I hired.”
    “I understand.” Sure, he understood Mac’s reasoning. But he didn’t like it one bit.
    “Maybe if I can find a way to cut costs, I could ask you back. But I don’t see how.”
    Tom nodded. He wanted to sling his sandwich into the street and just leave, go anywhere. But he’d done that before and burned at least one bridge to a final crisp.
    “I’ll pay you your cut today, even though I haven’t seen the rest of my own payment.”
    “Thanks.” Thanks for nothing, for four weeks’ worth of jobs . . .
    “You still have your other job, the outdoor caretaker?”
    “Yeah, I do.”
    “I bet you’re getting a lot of experience with that one.”
    “Here and there. Mostly landscaping right now.” And he wasn’t even the gardening type, either. But Chandler had told him to tend the roses while he was at it. “Not much of a green thumb, either.” He chuckled at the irony.
    “Maybe God’s pushing you out of your comfort zone,”said Mac.
    “Maybe.” If Mac knew anything about him, he considered comfort a friend who’d deserted him a long time ago.

4
    L ottie, I got a new contract.” Kelly stood on one side of the sales counter and fidgeted with the packets of needles arranged in a symmetrical pattern by the register. Threads by Lottie had become a fixture in Haverhill, as had