Secrets Whispered from the Sea - Emma St. Clair Page 0,26

somehow worked for her. Because even with her nose wrinkled and zero makeup on, Emily was gorgeous.

“You’ll see for yourself soon. Jackson usually deals with them. Everyone loves Jackson. But he’s wrapped up in new baby delirium, so you get me.” She must have seen my worried expression, because she waved a hand. “It will be fine. I’ve got this. I don’t like them, but I haven’t had issues so far.”

She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as she was convincing me. I didn’t honestly know how worried I should be. But the place was a total disaster still. I’d barely even started on getting rid of Nana’s hoarding treasures. Except for the blankets and pillows on the couch where I slept, it looked the same as the day I arrived. Would it even pass an inspection?

“So,” Emily said, setting down her tablet and looking around the main living area of the cottage. “Where are we going to start?”

We?

I blinked at her. “You want to help with this mess?”

Emily lifted a shoulder. “I don’t have another project at the moment, and you look like you could use two extra hands and an impartial eye. You can totally say no.”

“To that offer? I’m not saying no. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve just been kind of staring at it all since I arrived.”

“It’s overwhelming.” Emily walked over to the kitchen. “Why don’t we start clearing off the counters? I think it’s pretty easy to get rid of this.” Holding up a plate with an ugly floral pattern, she raised her eyebrows.

I laughed. “I don’t know. I’m kind of torn on that one.”

“Got any boxes?”

That was one productive thing—maybe the only productive thing besides getting a new phone—that I’d done that morning. I left Emily stacking plates and glasses on the kitchen counter and jogged downstairs to my car. I was pulling flattened cardboard boxes out of my trunk when I heard a car door slam and turned to see a semi-familiar face walking up my driveway from an older black SUV.

Just as grumpy and with just as sexy of a stubbled neck as he’d had while fishing the day before.

Oh, no.

“Hello,” I said, the word coming out involuntarily, almost like a yawn or a cough.

His eyes—which I could now see were a stormy blue green—zeroed in on my face. I saw the moment he recognized me, because his eyebrows pulled together and the corners of his mouth dipped.

Clearly, my good impression stuck with him. Which probably would not bode well for my inspection. If he was the inspector. I had to hold out some shred of hope as he strode toward me that he was here for some other reason.

“Can I help you?” I asked, shifting the boxes. Dang things were getting heavy.

“I’m supposed to be doing a preliminary inspection with Emily Echols and someone named … Clementine?” His nose wrinkled slightly when he said my name.

My neck felt hot, and I was aware of how my shirt stuck to my lower back. “I’m Clementine. You can call me Clem.” His brows furrowed even further, and the words poured from my mouth like a leaky faucet. “Or just Clementine. I’ll answer to either one. Anyway. Emily’s upstairs. I’m just bringing up these boxes.”

As in, I could really use your help with these. I even kind of shoved them a little bit in his direction. Not that I was some kind of damsel in distress who couldn’t carry things. But there were a lot of boxes, and they were awkward and heavier than they looked, already slipping from my arms.

But the inspector, who still had yet to introduce himself, didn’t get the hint. Instead, he walked under the house, looking up for a long moment. Then, without another word, he made his way up the stairs, stomping and shaking the railing as he went. I really hoped he didn’t put his full weight on it. With my current impeccably bad luck, I’d end up settling a lawsuit. Following behind him, I fumbled with the stack of flattened boxes, trying to angle them so I could watch whatever he was doing. His assessing gaze missed nothing, and I could almost see the mental list he was making.

Without waiting for me to invite him, he walked right inside the house, with me fast on his heels. A few boxes slid from my grip as I made it inside. I let them all fall to the floor, wiping sweat