“But it cost me my job, Gray.”
“Then we’ll find you another one. Okay? I’ll help in any way I can,” I said.
“I don’t know if you can,” she said breathlessly. “I called to cancel the other applications because I thought this house was a sure thing. I just knew it. I felt so confident in it, and I don’t have the extra money to replace those applications to see if something else will work.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I said. “Trust me. We will.”
I scooped her up into my arms, abandoning the cocoa I’d made her. She needed a distraction. Something to make her smile and draw her away from the world for a little while. I walked us into the television room and settled her down onto the couch, then flipped through the channels until I found a movie marathon of Marvel movies. Not my cup of tea, but Michelle seemed entranced by them. She probably didn’t get out much to go see a movie in a theater, so the second her eyes hooked to the television I let it be. I sat down beside her, pulled her against my body, and stroked her arm as she watched them with great intent.
Hearing her laugh lifted the burden from my heart, but the remnants of her tears on my neck made me hate Stillsville even more. I didn’t think it was possible to hate a place as much as I did that town, but the people in it always seemed to find ways to blow my shitty expectations out of the damn water. I stroked her arm through the first two movies, and by the time the third movie started up, her head sagged against my chest.
Soft snores filled the television room a few minutes later and I knew she was out.
Carefully, I picked her up and carried her into her room. She needed to rest. To clear her mind so we could come up with some sort of alternate game plan. She didn’t have a choice. Until I left town again, she was staying at Anton’s. It would put a roof over her head and I could keep her stomach full until she figured out something. And with the money I’d be paying her to help me with the house, she could add that to what she had so she could get by. Hell, maybe I’d stay behind and make sure she was taken care of before I left.
Or maybe I’d just take her with me.
I shook the thought from my mind. I couldn’t take her with me. Was I an idiot? I had a business to run. A life to lead. Traveling to do. I couldn’t uproot her and expect her to just keep my home and lay in my bed until I got home every damn night. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to present the opportunity and expose my greatest fear.
That all of this was still a ruse.
I settled her down into her bed and tucked her in. I wanted to crawl in with her and hold her close. I wanted to snake my hands underneath her robe and dig my hands into her pliable softness. But she needed some space, especially after her whirlwind of a day.
Hell, her whirlwind of a week.
I looked outside and watched the sun set below the trees. Michelle would probably sleep all damn night, which meant a lonely bed for me. But it felt good to look across the hallway and know she was in there. In my home. Sleeping safely and waking up to a meal in the morning.
Anton’s home.
Not my home.
Why did I think it was ‘my home’?
I cleaned myself up and fell into bed. I tossed and turned, waking up and hoping Michelle was there next to me. I still wanted to walk across the hallway and crawl into bed with her. Feel her press that luscious ass into my groin until she woke up and I could slide into her heat. My dreams were filled with thoughts of her. Those sounds and her body and her tits piled in my face. Her pussy sitting on top of me and riding my lips until her juices dripped down my neck.
I woke up rock hard and had to relieve myself in yet another shower before I could focus on cooking breakfast.
As I laid the bacon out on a tray to bake, my cell phone rang. I reached over for it and picked it up, not even bothering to see who was calling. But I really should have looked, because I was in no mood to address my realtor at the moment.
“Mr. MacDonald! I’ve set up another showing for you.”
“Have you vetted the person this time?” I asked.
“I got your message, and I want to apologize. When she came into my office, Miss Cecily seemed very interested in the property.”
“You live in this town, Mr. Angier. You grew up here yourself. I know you’re familiar with Cecily and her family. I know you knew damn good and well she couldn’t afford Anton’s property. So before we go any further with our relationship, I want you to tell me why you allowed her to schedule a viewing of the property.”
“Believe it or not, I checked her financials and it all checked out. She could afford the down payment, so I set up the meeting.”
“She could afford the down payment. On the salary of a waitress,” I said.
“I can’t go into specifics, but it’s in the past. I promise you, Mr. MacDonald, I’m not scheduling this property to be viewed by anyone who isn’t personally checked and has passed my standards. Her credit score was in line, her financials were in line, and she seemed interested. So I booked the showing. But, if you’ll listen to me, this one is a very serious offer.”
“I’m the one who gives the orders. Not you. Now, you’ve got thirty seconds to tell me about another showing before I go with another realtor,” I said.
“It’s a solid offer. There’s a non-profit the next county over that’s looking to transform Anton’s place into a senior living home. It’s got all the amenities and the kind of set-up they’re looking for, and they are looking for an opportunity to expand.”
“Why not expand in their own county?” I asked.