“So, what’s going on?”
“Do you have any interest in taking over your mother’s position at Heartstone?” Griffen asked bluntly.
Surprise washed across Savannah’s face before her eyes narrowed on Griffen. “That depends. Who would I be working for?”
“Us,” I said.
Savannah’s eyes flared even wider. My heart racing with terror and exhilaration, I dove headfirst into the fiction Griffen and I would have to live for the next five years.
Reaching out to close my fingers over Griffen’s, I sent him what I hoped was a loving smile. “Griffen and I—uh—we’re together.” At Savannah’s doubtful look, I sucked in a breath and tried again. I’m a terrible liar. I’d have to learn.
“We, uh, we’d been talking,” I fumbled, thinking we should have practiced our story before we tried it out on a real, live person. From the corner of my eye, I caught Griffen’s wicked grin. My heart kicked up even faster. I hadn’t seen that grin in years.
He scooched his chair a few inches closer and wrapped his arm around me. Looking straight at Savannah, he said “My dad’s death changed things. Hope and I don’t have to keep our relationship a secret anymore. We got married this afternoon.”
Griffen leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my jaw. My heart thumped so hard I thought it might explode right out of my chest. Savannah stared at the two of us in silence before she let out a snort identical to her mother’s and shook her head.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you two are going to have to practice that routine if you expect to sell it around town.”
Griffen’s jaw went hard. He flipped his hand over, closing his fingers around mine. “As far as anyone’s concerned, that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Savannah rolled her eyes but withheld further comment. Instead, she asked, “Why me? Why an NDA? Would you be living there for real? Because I’d love to take on Heartstone. I know the house, I know what it needs, but I’m not getting stuck there with Sterling and Brax and whoever else decides to show up.”
Griffen let go of my hand and braced his elbows on the table. “I can’t tell you about the NDA unless you agree to take the job. I can promise you that Hope and I will be in residence full-time, and if anyone gives you a hard time they’ll answer to me.”
Savannah took a deep breath and let it out slowly, thinking. Finally, she said, “I need health insurance. I have a decent policy through the Inn—”
With a glance at Griffen, I cut in, “If you decide to take the job, the policy that covers Sawyer Enterprises employees will also cover staff at the house.”
Griffen shot me a curious look and I explained, “When they changed insurers a few years ago, I helped Uncle Edgar and Prentice research and set up the new policy they offer their employees. Harvey can double-check because I didn’t handle the details for Heartstone, but I’m pretty sure that Heartstone Manor qualifies as a small business as far as the insurance is concerned. I can’t promise the coverage would be any better than what you have at the Inn. It’s probably the same policy.”
Savannah nodded. “The Inn policy is pretty good, considering. What kind of salary are you thinking? Where do we live? I’ve got Nicky. He goes to preschool a few days a week. I try to organize my shifts around that and my mom pitches in when she can, but otherwise, he’s with me. Do you have a problem with him running around Heartstone?”
“Of course not,” Griffen said immediately. “As far as salary—excuse me for a second—” He got up and disappeared down the hall, following the path Miss Martha had taken earlier.
He returned a few seconds later and threw out a number, adding, “That’s what your mother was making when she quit, plus twenty percent. We need you to be in charge of staffing for the house and grounds, organize a cook, maintenance, daily cleaning—everything your mom used to do.”
“Everyone will be in residence,” I added.
“Everyone?” Savannah asked, incredulous. “That’ll be… interesting.”
Griffen ignored her comment and went on, “Heartstone expenses come out of a trust Harvey Benson oversees, so he’ll need to sign off on everything. He’s already given preliminary approval for you as housekeeper.”
I leaned in and caught Savannah’s eye. “In fact, you’re the only one we’ve agreed on, aside from your mother.”
Savannah sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, still thinking. “Any crap from Sterling or anyone else and I’m out.”
“Any crap from anyone,” Griffen said, “and you come to me. I’ll kick any of them out before you.”
Savannah’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean it?”
“What are you worried about?” I asked before Griffen could answer. I knew he meant what he’d said. We couldn’t afford to lose our witness. If one of his siblings wanted to get themselves kicked out of Heartstone Manor for being an ass, that was their problem.