Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
The man frowns and looks down at the clipboard. “Says here Hayden Atwater requested service. Is that your husband?”
The surprise melts out of me, and I shake my head. “No, it isn’t, but I know who that is. What exactly did he say I was having done?”
“Security camera installation. It’s already paid for. Won’t take long, we’ll be out of your hair in no time.”
I shake my head. “Can you excuse me for just one moment? I need to call Mr. Atwater.”
The man is confused, but not knowing what else to do, he nods his head and turns back to talk to his crew.
Sighing, I call Hayden’s office and tell his secretary I need to speak with him about an urgent matter. A moment later, Hayden picks up the phone.
“What are you doing?” I demand without so much as a hello.
“Good morning to you, too,” he answers.
“Good morning,” I mutter, unable to ignore my manners entirely. “Now, would you care to explain what you think you’re doing?”
“I think I’m working. Boring stuff, really. Not worth talking about. What about you? How’s your day so far?”
“There are men in my driveway wanting to install security cameras they say you ordered.”
“Correct. It occurred to me that with the neighbor issues you’ve been having, cameras would be a good idea for real, so I ordered some to be installed right away.”
“You can’t just order cameras to be installed in my home without my permission, Hayden. This is my house, not yours.”
“So I should have the one in your bedroom taken out?”
My jaw falls open. “What?”
He laughs. “I’m kidding. When would I have had a camera installed? Besides, only a crazy person would do that and then tell you about it.” I hear a noise, like he’s covering the phone to say hello to someone else—probably the client he’s meeting with. Then he comes back to the phone. “I have to go now, but everything should be taken care of. I’m paying for the cameras and the installation. All you have to do is sign the paper because it is your property.”
“That’s…” I sigh. “Actually, that’s really nice of you, but also very inappropriate.”
“I’m going to make you an ‘inappropriate jar.’ You know how most people have swear jars? Every time you say that word, you have to drop a quarter in. We’ll be paying for vacations in no time. If you need anything else, just text me, all right? Easier to sneak in a response between tasks.”
“I don’t have your cell phone number.”
“I’ll text you.”
Does he have my cell phone number?
I hate that he’s rushing me off the phone because I have more questions about this camera installation business. He really should have asked if it was something I even wanted, but he should have at least told me before springing an installation appointment on me.
I go back outside to ask the installation guy how all this works and sign his paper.
By the time I get back inside, Parker is downstairs, frowning as she peeks out the window.
“What’s going on out there?”
Crap. I don’t know whether to pile more little white lies on top of the existing ones, or if I should just tell her.
Then again, this whole Hayden thing is only temporary. As soon as he solves my neighbor problem, he’ll be out of our lives for good.
I don’t want to upset her for no reason, and she’ll never know if I don’t tell her. The only possible way for her to find out would be if Landon said something to her about it, but in order for that to happen, Hayden would have to mention it to him.
That seems unlikely. From what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think they share as much as Parker and I do.
“I’m having a few cameras installed,” I tell her casually, bending the truth to its breaking point.
Her frown deepens. “Why?”
“Just for extra security. I’m tired of the juvenile pranks eating up so much of my time, and this should put a stop to them. Next time someone does anything to our property, there will be video evidence, so I’ll be able to take immediate action.”
“That’s a good idea,” Parker says with a nod, walking around the island to grab a cereal bowl out of the cupboard. “We should have thought of that sooner.”
I did. I just couldn’t afford good cameras and professional installation, and I didn’t trust myself to install the cheap ones.
While Parker fixes herself a bowl of cereal, I grab some fresh pineapple out of the refrigerator.
My phone vibrates on the table. I glance over at it, but do a double take when I see a phone number I don’t have saved and a text that says, “What color genie outfit are you wearing today?”
I grab the phone quickly, but tell myself not to act suspicious. Parker isn’t paying attention, anyway; she’s texting on her phone.