Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 141255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
What was she like before Kruna? I wondered if I’d ever see that side of her. I was torn between waiting for her to tell me her story and finding out myself.
As I was drifting off to sleep, I heard her whisper, “You’re a dream I was too broken to even wish for but somehow you still came true.”
Damn.
The next morning, I was up before she was and I texted Zack. I told him to try to find out about her but not to tell me the information until I asked for it. I gave him the information I had, which was minimal, that she’d been at Kruna almost 23 months, that she was almost 23, she’d had an Alaska driver’s license, and went to teacher’s college and then taught first grade in an English school in Thailand before Kruna. He said he’d see what he could find out.
Suddenly I heard keys and my front door being opened and then Sarah Martinez was at my alarm panel, punching in her code. Aw shit; I meant to cancel her today.
“Mornin’, Dario. How was the business trip?”
“Hey Sarah, I meant to call. I don’t need you here today. You can skip–”
“What? I need to do your laundry and change the bedding, and wow…it’s too clean. What’s up? You replace me?”
“I have a houseguest and she’s tidy. She did the laundry already.”
“She? Your sisters said you were on a date Saturday.” She was smirking.
“Leave it alone, Sarah.”
She laughed a big belly laugh. “I hear she’s a pretty little thing.”
“Time to go. I’ll let you know about the next time I need you. Don’t just pop by.”
“You need groceries?” She put her purse on my island.
“No. You stocked me up for like a month with enough food to feed a family of six just a few days back.” I passed her the bag and jerked my chin toward the door. She put the bag down again and picked up a sponge by the sink and started wiping the already spotless counter. For fuck’s sake.
“Where did you meet her?”
“Sarah, I’ve got shit to do. You can see yourself out.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll take your dry cleaning with me.”
“No, I’ll deal with it.”
“Don’t be silly, I pass there on the way to Lisa and Tessa.”
She put the sponge down and started to walk past me toward my bedroom, but I blocked her. “I’ll get it. She’s still asleep.”
Sarah grinned like a cat that ate the canary.
I was about to head to the bedroom when the door opened and Angel came out, dressed in my grey flannel pajamas, her hair tied into a ponytail. She’d bought a few pairs the other day but it was pretty obvious that she preferred mine.
Sarah’s face lit up.
“Fuck me,” I grumbled.
Angel froze in her tracks.
“Good morning! Angel, right? I’m Sarah Martinez. I’m Dario’s housekeeper. Housekeeper for the girls, too. I flit around, like a happy cleaning and cooking butterfly. But I’m like more of an auntie to the family. Can I get you coffee or tea?” She moved to my counter and fetched a mug.
I gave Angel an eye roll as she wandered over.
“Nice to meet you,” she said to Sarah.
“How do you take your coffee?”
“Extra milky, 2 sugars. Thank you very much.”
“Ooh,” she winced. “That much sugar is bad.”
“Oh, I know it,” Angel said. “I gave it up for 2 years. But I’ve backslid. I’ll probably give it up again soon.”
Sarah smiled. “Good. Give it up as soon you can, mija, It is so bad. I read this book…”
I took that opportunity to go grab my dry-cleaning bag, kissing her on the forehead as I passed. She gave me a warm look and ran her hand up my chest and sank into me while I kissed her forehead.
“I’ll be one sec, Sarah,” I said but Sarah was too busy educating Angel on the evils of sugar to acknowledge me.
When I got back to the kitchen, they were sitting at the island chatting and Sarah had her own cup of coffee. Fuck.
“Come for a sec, baby?” I dropped the garment bag on a sofa and led her into the den and shut the door.
“We need a cover story,” I told her.
She nodded.
“So,” I started. My phone rang. I grabbed the desk line. Private Caller.
“Hello?”
“Dario Ferrano?”
“Yeah?”
“Sheridan Leo. Local associate to Stanley Smith.”
“What’s up?”
“Stan asked me to meet you and deliver an envelope to you. Says there’s time-sensitive information in there for you.”
“Courier it to my office.”
“I’ve been asked to hand it to you and no one but you.”
I got her address, told her I’d pick it up on my way to my office, and hung up. Angel was still in front of me.
I looked at her blankly for a second. “Right. Cover story. If anyone asks we’ll say we met on the plane coming back from Thailand. Stick close to the truth. I was there on business. You and I met on the flight here. You taught there but that ended and you’re relocating here. Your plans to stay with a friend fell through when we got to the airport you found out you had no place to stay and were goin’ to a hotel but I offered my spare room and you’re staying here for now.”