“Busy,” I say. “Lots of clients.”
“Speaking of work—”
“Oh no, you have a look on your face,” I interrupt. I’m not able to contain my smile because I have a feeling of what’s coming.
“Soooo, I ordered more clothing for the men’s line, and I’d absolutely love it if you could model for me again.”
I pop a brow at her. “Do I have a choice?”
“No, not really.”
I chuckle, and she playfully shrugs.
“I’d be happy to help, but I’m keeping my clothes on next time.”
She parks in the driveway, and we get out. “Hmm. We’ll see about that. I swear those abs are what sold the whole stock.”
I chuckle because I’ll do whatever she needs. I want her to be successful, and if I can contribute in any way, after everything she’s done for me, I will.
“Just wait until swimsuit season. Speedos are making a comeback,” she teases, and I groan.
Once we’re inside, I set my duffel bag on the floor and pull out my dirty clothes. Everleigh walks into the kitchen as I go to the laundry room.
When I come back, she’s visibly confused and upset.
“You okay?” I ask, getting a glass of water.
“No.” She’s kneeling beside Sassy who’s acting weird. Her eyes are glazed over, and she’s lying around lazily. It’s not typical.
“What’s goin’ on?” I ask, worried about her.
“I think someone was in here. Sassy was chewing on something, and now she’s acting all sleepy.”
“Why do you think someone was here?” I ask roughly, though I’m trying not to panic.
“Some things in here look like they’ve been touched. Like the pillow on the couch. The magazines on my table.” She lifts Sassy’s head in her hands to look into her eyes. “She might need to go to the vet if she keeps acting like this.”
“See if she’ll drink some water,” I suggest, then grab a flashlight. “I’m going to walk around the perimeter to make sure no one’s out there.”
My adrenaline rushes as soon as I step into the cool air. I pop my knuckles, ready for a fight.
I double-check every window is locked and wasn’t tampered with, then I go to the back door, searching for any forced entry point. The backyard and front are clear. Nothing looks out of the ordinary.
I go back inside and check on Sassy.
“Did she eat or drink anything?”
“Yeah, she did. I think she’s going to be okay. She’s kind of perking up. I’ll watch her the rest of the night, and if I need to bring her to the emergency clinic, I will.”
I bend down and pet Sassy’s head. Her ears lift. “You okay, girl?”
Her nose pushes into my hand.
“Are you hungry? I’ll make us something,” I tell Everleigh.
She nods. “Starving, but can we just order pizza instead?”
“With pineapple?” I ask with a wink.
“A man after my own heart.” She smirks, then places the orders. “Did you see anything out of the ordinary outside?”
I shake my head. “Everything looked normal. Nothing broken or forced opened. No footsteps. Is it possible she got her zoomies and was on the couch and coffee table?”
“I don’t know, maybe. But I’ve never seen her act like this. I just have this eerie feeling like someone’s been in here. I could’ve sworn I smelled perfume that wasn’t mine.”
I wrinkle my nose, trying to smell what she smells, but I don’t notice anything. Since I looked outside, I decide to check around the inside of the house. If anything was moved, I haven’t noticed. However, Everleigh knows her house better than I do.
Fifteen minutes later, there’s a knock on the door, and Everleigh jumps. Sassy lifts her head, then slowly jumps on the couch. I’m happy to see her moving around.
I take the pizza from the delivery driver and hand him a tip. When I turn around, Everleigh is staring at me with a wide-eyed expression.
“Food and then a shower for you,” I order. “You’re tense, and you need to try to relax.”
“After the Escalade and the detectives and Chad’s crazy family, the last thing I can do is relax,” she admits. “Maybe I should get a security camera.”
“Couldn’t hurt,” I say.
We sit on the couch and eat slices of greasy pizza with juicy pineapple pieces. It’s exactly what we needed. She puts on a show, and we watch in silence. After we’re done eating, I put the leftovers in the fridge and meet her back in the living room.
Sassy’s lying next to her, still begging for crumbs.
“I think I’m gonna take a shower,” I tell her.
“Not a bad idea,” she says. “I kinda want to sit in the tub until my skin prunes. Do some meditations or something to calm the hell down before bed.”
I grin. “Good. I’ll be waiting for you.”
After I’ve showered, I wipe down the kitchen counters while I wait for Everleigh. Exhaustion takes over, so I go lie in bed, fighting falling asleep until I know she’s in here with me.