Just This Once (38 page)

By the end of the day, though, Kate was discouraged. “Maybe
I should take that first place after all,” she told Hannah over dinner. “It was
the cheapest one we saw. I didn’t realize a decent furnished apartment, even a
small one, would cost so much. And I still need to buy a car.”

“No, you don’t,” Hannah said. “Because I’m going to loan you
the Yaris while you’re here. I have a new car, and I don’t need it. I’ve meant
to sell it, just haven’t got around to it yet. You’ll be doing me a favor,
getting it out of the way.”

“Won’t Drew mind, though?”

“Not at all. It’s mine, anyway. You’ll have to pay for the
Warrant of Fitness and get insurance, so it won’t be entirely free. But that
should help a lot. I did this myself, remember. I know how expensive moving
here can be.”

“I’d really appreciate that. Driving on the wrong side,
though,” Kate said worriedly.

“We’ll go out early tomorrow and practice,” Hannah promised.
“Then you’ll be able to check out other places on your own during the week. And
you’re supposed to say “left” side, you know. Right and left. Not right and
wrong.”

“Still going to feel wrong to me,” Kate told her. “But I’ll
try.”

“This is it, don’t you think?” Kate asked Hannah on Friday
evening.

“I think so,” Hannah said, looking out a window at the
treetop view. “Even though it’s tiny.”

“Just a granny flat,” the realtor escorting them agreed.
“Well done up, though, not like some of these dodgy places you see.”

 “Plus it’s not on the ground floor, which makes me feel
more secure,” Kate said.

“Takapuna’s quite safe,” the realtor told her. “You won’t
need to worry much about that.”

“That’s good to know. I’m extra cautious, that’s all.”
Kate’s mind went back to the night she had sat at her kitchen table and,
feeling the hair rise at the back of her neck, turned slowly around. The
galvanizing shock of seeing Paul’s face, pale against the window. Smiling at
her through the glass. She shivered now, remembering. No ground-floor
apartments. This one seemed secure enough, though. The single door opened onto
a tiny landing, and all the windows locked. She had checked.

“One down. Now all I need is a job,” she told Hannah
resolutely once they were in the car on the way back to St. Heliers. “But I’m
afraid that’s going to be tougher.”

“That reminds me. I have some news about that too. I
completely forgot. Drew called me today and told me the Blues office has an
opening for an accountant, can you believe it? And he’s already talked to them
about you. Email your CV—your resume—to them tomorrow and you should get an
interview, at least.”

 “The Blues? You mean the team?” Kate asked in surprise.

“Sure. It’s a business, you know. A little different from
apparel, but money’s money, right? I figured it wouldn’t matter for an
accountant.”

“I’m not sure I want to work around a bunch of rugby
players, though,” Kate said dubiously.

“They’re pretty nice,” Hannah argued. “You’ve met one of
them already, after all. Drew didn’t seem scary, did he?”

“Well, a bit. Sorry. I know he’s a good guy. But big guys
make me nervous. And he’s so . . . I don’t know. Commanding.”

Hannah laughed. “Granted. On to my second point, then. You’d
be working in the back office. The boys might come in from time to time, but
you wouldn’t be dealing with them much, I wouldn’t think. Most of the people
working there are women.”

“I’ll check it out,” Kate said. “I can talk to them, anyway.
If they do offer me the job, I’ll decide then. I can’t afford to turn anything
down without looking into it.”

Stocking her new kitchen cupboards the next week after a
ruinous first trip to the grocery store for supplies, Kate was revising her
grocery budget in her head and worrying about her rapidly shrinking savings
when her phone rang.

“It’s Bethany Edmonds, here at the Blues,” she heard. “I’d
like to offer you the position, if you’re interested.” She named a salary that
had Kate doing some more rapid calculations. She wouldn’t have much left over
at the end of each month, but she’d be able to live. She’d liked Bethany, as
well as the cheerful, professional atmosphere she’d sensed in the Blues office.
Hannah had been right that most of the employees were women. And Bethany had
told her that she’d have limited contact with the players. As if she’d be
disappointed by that. Little did she know.

It might be interesting to work for a sports team. Something
different, anyway, she told herself bracingly. And she needed a job. If it
didn’t work out, she’d look for something else.

“I’m happy to accept,” she told the other woman. “I do want
to say one thing, though. I know that Drew had a lot to do with my getting this
job. But I’ll do my very best to make sure you don’t regret offering it to me.”

“He had a fair bit to do with my looking at your CV,”
Bethany corrected her. “But after that, it was down to you. As highly as we
think of our captain around here, I wouldn’t have offered you the post if I
didn’t believe you were the best candidate. Start on Monday, and we’ll see how
we go.”

“I was meeting Drew for dinner anyway, so I decided to come
over and check on you,” Hannah said. “The first week is always tough, I know.
How’re you settling in?”

“Good, so far.” Kate got up from her brand-new desk to give
Hannah a hug. “Getting to know what’s what. Everyone’s pretty easygoing, which
helps.”

“Always,” Hannah agreed. “But you’re a hard worker, and you
pick things up fast. I know you’ll be up to speed soon.”

A sudden hush in the big room, followed by a buzz of
conversation, had both of them turning to see what the fuss was about.  A tall,
absurdly handsome young man in track pants and gray hoodie was sauntering
across the open office with a loping grace, casting out a grin and a word to
the clearly enthusiastic staff members he passed.

He brought the dazzle to a stop in front of Hannah. “I heard
you were in, thought I’d pop by and say hello.” He smiled, white teeth flashing
and dimples creasing in his bronzed face, and gave her a quick kiss on the
cheek. “You’re looking as gorgeous as ever. Want to run away with me?”

Hannah laughed. “Flatterer.” She turned to Kate. “I’d better
introduce you. This is Koti James, centre and first-class flirt. So watch
yourself. And Koti, this is my friend Kate Lamonica. She’s just joined the
staff here as an accountant, but we used to work together, back in California.”

“What an intro,” Koti complained. “Good thing you aren’t in
the matchmaking business, Hannah. You’d be sacked straight away.”

“How ya goin’, Kate.” He turned his brilliant smile on her.
Pretty, he thought, even though she looked a bit small. Nice hair, beautiful
skin. She had a good figure, too, what he could see of it. He reached across
the desk to shake hands—and get a closer look—as Kate murmured a response.

“Welcome to the Blues. What brought you all the way down
here, besides Hannah?” He might as well take the opportunity to chat her up
before she met the rest of the boys. “Had you been before, on holiday? Or did
you just hear that the scenery was beautiful and the men were good-looking?”

“No, I’d never visited, but I needed a change,” Kate
answered, dropping his hand quickly. “And Hannah and Drew were good enough to
help me find a spot here.”

“Because Kate’s the best,” Hannah assured Koti. “The team’s
lucky to have her.”

“And we’re always happy to have another pretty girl around
the place, eh,” Koti confirmed with another dazzling smile. He was surprised to
see Kate draw herself up stiffly and take a step back.

“I think—“  Hannah started to say.

“Sorry I’m late.” Drew came up from behind them, slid an arm
around Hannah, and bent down to kiss her cheek. “Been in a meeting that’s
dragging on a bit. I need to get back to it for a few minutes more, I’m afraid.
But I wanted to come out to let you know.”

“Good to see you, Kate,” he told her. “Settling in all
right?”

“Yes, fine. Thanks for all your help.”

“No worries. That was mostly Hannah.”

“And why are you here?” the captain asked Koti with a frown.
“Need something?”

Koti put up a protesting hand. “Just saying hello. Can I
help it if you married my dream girl?”

“Your dream girl’s six months pregnant, is she?” Hannah
asked. “You have interesting tastes.”

“You’re pushing it,” Drew warned Koti. “And if you ever do
find your own dream girl, you won’t be holding onto her long if you don’t pay
more attention to what she needs. You’ll have to take better care of her than
this. Can’t you see Hannah needs to sit down?”

He reached over to lift a chair across from an empty desk
and set it down next to his wife. “You’ve got your hand on your lower back
again,” he told her. “You haven’t been resting enough, I can tell. Sit.”

“Woof,” Hannah laughed as she sank into the chair. “You’re
right, though. That is better.”

“Are you all right for another twenty minutes or so?” Drew
asked her. “I’ll wrap up as fast as I can.”

“I’m fine,” Hannah assured him. “Go on back and do what you
need to do. It’ll give me a chance to catch up with Kate.”

Drew nodded and left, throwing one last warning look at Koti
as he went.

Kate watched him go, then turned back to Hannah with a
frown. “Doesn’t it bother you when he tells you what to do?”

“What, that he tries to take care of her?” Koti asked before
Hannah could answer. “What could possibly be wrong with that?”

“Sorry, by the way,” he apologized to Hannah. “Should have
seen that myself, got you a chair.”

“Surely Hannah knows if she needs to sit down or not,” Kate
countered. “She doesn’t need you to tell her. Or anyone else, for that matter.”

“So a man can’t even look after his wife, the way you see
it,” Koti retorted. “Pretty extreme. Is that the way it is in the States now?
Glad I don’t live there.”

“I didn’t say that.” Kate flushed. “Just that it can be
another form of domination, if you’re not careful. A woman isn’t a child who
needs to be looked after.”

“Reckon we should be more like women,” Koti shot back. “Sit
around and share our feelings instead. God forbid we try to protect the women
we love. It’d probably be better if we got rid of all that shocking
testosterone entirely. Because first it’s fetching a chair and holding a door,
eh. Next thing you know, she’s in a burqa.”

“Whoa.” Hannah held up her hands. “Time out. Drew doesn’t
push me around, Kate. Far from it. And Koti, where’s all that famous charm? If
the two of you want to argue about this, how about doing it when I’m not
around? Come to think of it, how about not discussing my marriage in front of
me, too? Have a heart. Do it behind my back, like everybody else.” 

“Sorry.” Koti looked shamefaced. “Out of line.”

“That was so rude of me,” Kate said, chagrined. “After
everything you’ve both done, too. Sorry, Hannah. I got carried away.”

Hannah nodded in acknowledgment. “Thanks for coming by to
say hello, Koti,” she told him. “It’s always good to see you.”

“Dismissed.” Koti smiled ruefully. “No worries.”

“Kind of a jerk, isn’t he?” Kate asked after Koti had left
the room, accompanied by longing looks from the female staff. “He sure thinks a
lot of himself.”

“He’s just a flirt, that’s all,” Hannah said. “And he gets a
lot of reinforcement for it. Believe me, most women flirt back. But underneath
it all, he’s really a sweetheart.”

“If you say so. I can’t say I got that. Just because he’s
nice to you, you like him.”

“Well, of course I do. How else am I going to judge
somebody, except by how I see them behave?”

“Everyone’s nice to you, though. Even me. Because everyone
knows you’re an angel on earth, and you like everybody,” Kate complained.
“That’s a lousy test. How about if you judge him by the way he behaved towards
me? Which would make him, let’s see now, a jerk.”

“I’m not sure that was your most shining moment either,
though,” Hannah told her with a wry smile.

“You’re right,” Kate said penitently. “And I apologize
again. But Hannah. You’ve always been my role model. You know that. You’ve
always been so strong, so independent.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” she hurried on. “I can see how much
Drew cares about you. It’s really all right with you, though, having him talk
about looking after you?”

“It’s really all right. I take care of him too. It works
both ways. And you’re wrong, you know,” Hannah told her gently. “I understand
why you said what you did, after the experience you’ve had. Being protective is
part of a man’s makeup, true. But it’s not the same thing as being domineering
or abusive.”

“Who’s abusive?” Drew came up behind her.

“Not you,” Hannah assured him.

“I hope not,” he said, startled. “Ready to go?”

“Sure. See you later, Kate. Thanks for entertaining me for a
few minutes. You’re still going to the game with me Friday, right?”

“I’m counting on it. Have a nice dinner, guys.”

Kate sighed as she watched them leave. She wished she could
think somebody would ever look at her like that. True, she could take care of
herself. But it would be nice to have somebody care that much.   

“Be careful there.”

Kate turned at the words. “Sorry?”

Her neighbor Corinne, a pleasant woman in her early 30s,
nodded at her. “Dead easy on the eyes, Koti. But he’s a player. Always has an
eye out for the new girls in the office. If you want a bit of a fling, he’s
your boy. It may only be for a night or two, though.”

“It sounds like he’s cut quite a swath around here,” Kate
said with surprise. “For you to know that much about him.”

“There’ve been a fair few girls through here who could give
you a review of his performance, let’s just say. Always someone ready to put
her hand up where he’s concerned. And some hearts broken too. That’s why there
was a vacancy for your position, you know.”