Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Eleven
Cleo
The next week was hectic.
All my clients were in residence, and they all seemed to need something, from repairs to their chipped counters, fresh flowers because the ones I delivered just a few days ago had wilted, or needed extra groceries because they were having people over for apps and drinks.
I almost forgot to deliver Deacon’s dry cleaning and his packages.
I unlocked the door and let myself inside, knowing he wasn’t home from work yet. I kicked the door shut behind me and carried the packages to the dining table. He seemed to get a lot of paperwork delivered from his office, which was odd because he seemed like the kind of person who would prefer paperless communication, unless they were really important documents.
He also had a lot of bills, trivial stuff like cable, phone service, and health insurance. I always had to remind him to pay them because he got sidetracked with his work and forgot about it. Last month, he got a nasty letter from his healthcare provider, saying they would drop him from his plan unless he paid the missed bill, along with a penalty fee.
I’d ask him again if I could pay his bills. I did it with other clients, used a checkbook they gave me for a separate account so I could write everything out and send off the bills, thus keeping their primary accounts private. The clients didn’t even have to worry about it. I wanted Deacon to have the same luxury. Now that he was more comfortable around me, maybe he would accept my help.
“What a nice surprise.”
I nearly jumped ten feet into the air at the sound of the man’s voice.
I dropped the dry cleaning and gripped my chest, letting out a quiet yelp like a frightened dog.
“Sorry, Cleo,” Tucker said with a chuckle. “Didn’t mean to scare you.” He emerged from the kitchen, holding a paper plate with a sandwich he’d made. He set it on the dining table, wearing nothing but his sweatpants. The upper part of his body was completely bare, showing off a ripped physique similar to his brother’s.
I was mortified. “No, I’m sorry.” I averted my gaze immediately, infringing on his privacy when I had no right. “That was my mistake. I forgot you had moved in with Deacon. That was so stupid of me.” It had completely slipped my mind even though I’d dropped off the groceries just days ago.
“Whoa, it’s okay. Not a big deal.” He took a seat at the table, a glass of water beside him.
I picked up the dry cleaning from the floor, straightening the clothes underneath the plastic cover. “Just let me put this in his closet, and I’ll disappear.” I walked down the hallway and entered his bedroom. A bright red thong was on the floor, like he’d had someone sleep over the night before…and she forgot her panties.
How did you just forget your underwear?
What was her plan? To come back and ask for them?
I hung up his clothes then returned down the hallway, where his nearly naked brother was still eating.
He took a bite and chewed, staring at me with brown eyes similar to Deacon’s. His were a lighter color, as if drops of honey were mixed with the chocolate.
“Is there anything you need before I go, Tucker?” I couldn’t get the sight of the bright red thong out of my mind, just lying on his rug near Deacon’s bed, impossible to miss. The woman who had been here obviously did it on purpose—so he wouldn’t forget about her. I pictured a rude blond bimbo like the last one I saw, and it annoyed me because none of them were good enough for him. I guess they were good enough for a one-night stand…which was probably all he wanted.
Tucker patted the seat next to him. “Take a break.” He put half his sandwich on a paper towel and pushed it to the spot he wanted me to fill.
“That’s very nice, but I have things to do.”
“Come on.” He patted the table again. “Just five minutes.”
I didn’t want to blow him off if he would be a tenant for the next week, so I sank into the chair but didn’t touch the sandwich. “How’s the move going? Probably overwhelming, right? California and Manhattan couldn’t be more different.”
He shrugged. “I worked in LA before this, so I’m used to the people, the traffic, all that good stuff. But you’re right, it definitely has a different feel to it.”
“Where are you working?”
“The Four Seasons.” He took another bite of his sandwich. “I’m one of the managers there. They transferred me from California, and I thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery. Besides, Deacon is here. It’s weird living on the other side of the country from him.”
“I didn’t know you guys were so close.”