Do You Hear What I Hear?

His smile slipped a notch. “What?”

“You can plan the party yourself.”

There. Problem solved. Libby hadn’t wanted to plan the Christmas party before she found out who her co-chair would be, but now…well, having a mammogram was higher on her list of things she wanted to do. At least a mammogram had some intrinsic value, something she’d found totally lacking in Joshua Gardner. Unless she considered his great head of hair—which Libby definitely wasn’t considering.

“I don’t know the area,” Joshua protested. “I mean, I might be from Erie, but things have changed since I left home.”

“I’m sure you can find someone else to help you.”

Josie and Pearly had been quiet in the back room—too quiet. She was betting either of them would willingly throw themselves at the man’s feet, and help plan the party.

“I’m sure one of my employees would volunteer.”

A small thud came from the back—a thud she was sure her two employees were responsible for. Whether it was Pearly and Josie thumping, Sure we’ll do it or What are you thinking? Libby wasn’t sure. The only thing she was sure of was that she didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary with Dr. Gardner.

“What are you afraid of, Libby?” he asked quietly.

“Ms. McGuiness,” she corrected. “And I’m not afraid of anything. You just rub me the wrong way, and I don’t have the time or patience to pretend your arrogant, overbearing manner is acceptable. So, keep your flowers, your hair and your smiles to yourself. And find someone else to help with the party.”

“Are you telling me that you are immature enough to let one small incident mar any further relationship between us?”

He removed the cape and stood, facing Libby. She had to crane her neck to look him in the eyes, but look him in the eyes she did. “Let me assure you, Dr. Gardner, I have no interest in a relationship with you. You might think that no woman can resist you, but I’m quite capable. I have no desire—”

“I wasn’t talking about a personal relationship,” he interrupted. “I was talking about a professional relationship. We’re both members of the Perry Square Business Association, and we’re neighbors. Surely you’re adult enough to put one small disagreement behind us, and work together on this one little party. Unless you’re avoiding me for some other reason.”

Libby knew a challenge when she heard one. She shouldn’t care what he thought, as long as he thought it somewhere she wasn’t. But despite the fact she should just let him think whatever his tiny little mind wanted to think, she found herself saying, “Fine.”

“Fine. You’ll stay my co-chairman?”

“Yes. But no more flowers, no more parking anywhere near my car and we keep our meetings as brief as possible and strictly business.”

Again, Joshua extended his hand and this time, reluctantly, Libby accepted it in an impersonal handshake.

“Partners,” he simply said.

“For now,” she added.

“Thanks for the haircut.” He reached in his pocket and handed her a bill. “Will that cover it?”

“Just let me get you your change.”

“Keep it. Could we meet tomorrow night after work?”

Libby wanted to say no to both the tip and the meeting. But the tip would go toward Meg’s computer, and tomorrow was Friday and Meg was spending the night with the Hendersons, so it was convenient. But it irked her to tell the good doctor so.

“Fine,” she said grudgingly.

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow after work, Ms. McGuiness.” He turned and left the store.

As if every ounce of energy had drained away, Libby sank into the chair that was still warm with Joshua Gardner’s body heat.

“Way to go, honey,” Pearly said as she burst from the back room.

“For a minute there, I thought you’d blown it.” Josie patted her hair. Her opinion was, bigger was better, and her red-from-a-bottle hair was certainly proof of that philosophy. Despite its impressive height, there was never a strand out of place. Josie’s nails were as loud as her hair, and just about as big and red. As the shop’s manicurist, she felt her nails were advertisement, and she advertised as much as she could. “I mean, Mabel found the perfect guy for you to work with.”

“Perfect?” Libby snorted. “He’s overbearing, arrogant, very unhumorous in his I-think-I’m-soooo-funny way, and—”

“Flowers. Tell us about the flowers,” Pearly commanded. Pearly, the shop’s other hairstylist, still carried her Georgia roots in every word she uttered, just as she carried her own natural graying brunette hair. Pearly didn’t believe in pretenses, not even with hair color. Soft and very Southern, Pearly was a lady to the core of her being.

“You two were eavesdropping.” The accusation held very little heat. Libby was well aware that Pearly and Josie were professional eavesdroppers and busybodies. That’s why they got along with Mabel so well. There was no way they would have been able to resist the opportunity to spy.

“Of course we were spying,” Josie said, honest to the core.

“You should have just gone home. You didn’t have any more appointments,” she grumbled.

“And miss all the action?” Josie laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“What was that thump back there?”

“Me kicking the wall,” Josie admitted. “I thought you’d blown it.”

“I wish I had.” Libby rubbed her temple. Dealing with Joshua Gardner had given her a headache. Dealing with Josie and Pearly was intensifying it.

“Honey, when fate throws a good-looking man in your lap, it’s best to catch him.” Pearly was always spouting off down-home wisdom.

“Personally I’ve found it best to duck.” Especially if that man was Joshua Gardner.

“You’re hopeless,” Josie said, snapping her gum for emphasis.

“No, I’m a realist. And realistically there’s no way Joshua Gardner and I will ever get along.”

Joshua Gardner was a realist. Realist enough to know that working with Libby McGuiness—Ms. McGuiness—was going to be a huge pain. Either the woman didn’t like men in general, or she just didn’t like him. It didn’t matter which it was—working with her was going to be a chore. He should have just let her bow out and asked Mabel to find someone else he could work with.

But he hadn’t let her bow out.

In fact, he’d practically insisted she continue chairing the party. His actions didn’t make sense. And if there was one thing Joshua Gardner liked, it was having things make sense.

Maybe that’s why his breakup with Lynn had been so difficult. It didn’t make sense. He’d thought they were happy…right up until the day Lynn told him she wanted a divorce. The divorce didn’t make sense to Joshua, at least until he’d met Lynn’s new boy-toy. Twenty-five with a washboard stomach. Then it made plenty of sense.

He looked down. His stomach wasn’t exactly a washboard, but it wasn’t potbelly, either. He took care of himself, but didn’t push the line to obsessing about his body. And though he wasn’t twenty-five anymore, he was happy being almost forty. Well, maybe not happy, but not dreading his forties. No midlife crises for him, unless you counted a failed marriage, and picking up and starting over again.

He’d been living the life that he’d always wanted…Well, except for kids. He’d wanted them. She hadn’t. And they had none.

Lynn said she’d worked as hard for her degree as he had for his, and she wasn’t about to give up all that work for some mewling brats. He’d pointed out he’d be willing to split the burdens fifty-fifty, just like he wanted to split the joys, but Lynn would hear none of it.

In the end, nothing was split quite fifty-fifty, but the settlement was fair enough. Lynn had bought out his half of their practice, and it had given him enough to start over. To start here in Erie, his hometown.

Though his family had scattered throughout the country, this was still home.