Zero Forks - Cat Johnson Page 0,14

before splashing some in a glass for myself.

She let out an adorable snort. “By everything.”

I handed the glass to her. “Elaborate.”

Her auburn brow rose but she took the glass and finally said, “Okay. First, tell me how this house happened to be furnished, right down to the clean sheets on the bed, just when I needed a place to live?”

“That’s easy. A rich guy blew into town a few months ago and bought this house, furnished. He kept most of the original furniture, the antiques, but he bought a lot of new stuff too. Like the sheets. And the wine glasses.” I raised my glass to her in a toast.

“Then why isn’t he living here?”

“Because he’s owns Mudville House. He’s got an office and a suite to use there. He’s also got an apartment in Manhattan. And he’s got a girlfriend in town with a whole house of her own.”

Her brow furrowed. “Then why did he buy it?”

“That's a long story.” I wasn’t going to get into Brandon’s long and sordid relationship to the Van de Berg family, who’d owned this house for well over a century.

But Brandon had been interested in the house even before he discovered the family connection and that part was easier to explain.

“He loves old architecture and he’s got a butt load of money so he’s kind of a property hoarder.” I shrugged as I summed it up in a nutshell.

She laughed. “All righty. Well it worked out well for me anyway.”

“Yes, it did.” For both of us. I kept that part to myself and asked, “So the house confusion is solved. What else in bothering you?”

“You actually think you can play therapist and solve all my problems by just talking them out over a glass of wine?”

“Yup.” I nodded. “I intend to have you completely stress free.”

Yes, that sounded a bit flirty. Hell yes, I’d intended it that way.

“Oh, really? And how will you do that?” she asked, brow cocked high.

“I have my ways.”

Of course, she’d have to agree to be naked for most of them. Not all of them, but the most effective stress relieving techniques—yup. At least partial nudity was a requirement.

She drew in a breath. “Okay. Here’s something you can clear up. How are you so good with Stewie?”

“I have little cousins I take care of a lot. Next,” I prompted.

She didn’t go on, but I could see something was on her mind. Another question she was holding back.

“Anything else?”

She pressed her lips together, then shook her head. “Nothing. That’s it. All the mysteries are solved.”

I didn’t believe her one bit. But I was willing to let it go. We had time. Months under the same roof. Hopefully, shortly in the same bed too.

“All right.” I nodded.

I was nothing if not patient when it came to a woman I wanted this badly.

My cell buzzed with a text. I pulled it out of my pocket. Cash and Bart were on their way over to get Romeo. Apparently, I’d taken too long returning him to the farm.

Good. That meant I wouldn’t have to leave and risk missing saying goodnight to Sarah before she went to bed. It also meant I could finish this glass of wine since I wasn’t driving.

Things were working out well all around.

“My brother’s coming over to pick up the dog.”

“Does Stewie know that?” She glanced at the staircase behind me.

I smiled. “Yes. We discussed it.”

“And he’s all right with it?” she asked, looking doubtful.

“Yes, but I had to promise he could see him tomorrow. If that’s all right with you.”

“I’ll be an hour and a half away in my office, so tomorrow is up to you. But yes, it’s fine.”

“That’s your commute? Ninety minutes on the road?” I cringed.

“Give or take, depending on traffic. Yeah.”

“Jesus. I didn’t realize.” I didn’t express the fact that I thought that was crazy. That the two-mile drive to the farm in the morning was about as far as I wanted to commute for any job.

None of that would do me any good. The last thing I wanted to do was convince her to move closer to her job. I wanted this woman in this town, day and night.

Still, I hated she had to drive so far to make it happen.

The sound of a truck on the drive told me Cash and Bart would be knocking on the door any moment, but I had something to say before then.

“You should ask about telecommuting. Brandon hooked up kick ass wi-fi in this place. You could

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