Chapter 24
Carolina arrived home after five. Bernice had made her start working that same day which was not convenient given she was wearing black slacks and leather boots, not exactly work clothes. She stood at her front door and toed the leather boots off. She would have to get some rubber boots to work in.
She smiled when she noticed Janice’s car was gone.
“Where have you been?” Thomas rounded the corner of the house.
“I was in town where I got a job. I started today.”
He scowled as his gaze roamed up and down her body. “You’re dirty.”
“I bet you talk to all the ladies like that.”
He ignored her sarcasm and continued to examine her clothes with disdain. “Where did you find a job? Mucking out horse stalls?”
“Your confidence in me is making me blush.” She glared. “I started working at Green Thumb Nursery.”
He blinked. “But Bernice Stacks owns it.”
“Yes. And she actually hired me.” She held up her hand. “I know I know it’s hard to believe considering how much she hates me. I guess what she dislikes more is not having employees. Besides, this way she knows I’ll have the money for her vet bill that she keeps threatening me with.”
After getting her leather boots off she propped them up by the door and reached inside her purse for her keys.
“Did you make good progress with the roof today?” she asked while searching for her keys.
“Not really. Stanley fell off the roof.”
She spun around and grabbed his arm. “Oh my gosh is he okay? Did you call an ambulance?”
Thomas scowled. “He’s fine. He got into a bottle of whiskey late last night. He arrived here before I did, still drunk, and was on the roof crowing like a rooster. I startled him when I climbed up the ladder and caused him to fall. He’s fine but he just about gave me a heart attack.”
Carolina let out the breath she’d been holding. “I’m glad he’s okay. Do you really think he should be on the roof anyway? He’s a lot older.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. Though he was scowling, Carolina could see the worry in his eyes. “Working helps keep him occupied. When he’s occupied he’s not thinking about drinking. I thought I was helping him by giving him a job, but maybe you’re right.”
“It’s hard to watch someone make bad mistakes over and over again. In the end people have to make up their minds to change.” As she spoke the words, she realized it pertained to her as well. “But thank God he’s okay and not seriously hurt.”
“Don’t thank Him yet. There’s rain in the forecast and I’m a man down.”
“Is there anyone else you can hire?”
“No.”
“But that other roofer had a ton of workers when he came. I bet…”
“He had a ton of workers because he cons minorities to work for him. He hardly pays them anything and when they try to leave, he threatens to call immigration on them.”
“Are you serious? I never would have pegged him to be so underhanded.”
“You need to learn to read people’s character.”
Carolina let out a huff. “Well I hired you. What does that say about my judge of character?”
He blinked. “It only proves my point.”
She barked out a laugh.
In return he stared at her strangely.
