Page 22 of The Rogue

And this…might just be why Ilovethis town.

5

“Where you takin’ hernow?” my father calls after me before the door shuts behind us. “To apologize to someone else she screwed over?”

I pull open the passenger door and Tess doesn’t need to be asked to jump in. “Wait here,” I order, half certain that when I come back, she’ll be gone, and half …not.

Pulling the door to the inn open, I stalk over to the check-in desk, where my father is casually looking over the day’s ledger like he didn’t just act like the biggest asshole on the planet.

“The hell is going on? Something bite you in the ass this morning?”

“Don’t worry, I called a buddy of mine—not a cop. He’ll take her off your hands and see that she leaves town quietly.”

“Wha—who did you call?”

“Who cares? She’s not our problem anymore.”

“Do you know she woke up before dawn this morning, cleaned up my wreck of a living room, dusted the goddamn curtains, and madepancakes?”

Dad doesn’t look impressed.

Or surprised.

“Withsliced strawberries. All before Jackson even came downstairs.”

He points a finger at me. “She’s up to something.”

I’m outraged. “She’s out of work. Cut her some slack.”

A smirk spreads across my father’s face, followed by a laugh.

“What?” I snap.

He shrugs like it’s nothing.

“You’re not going to tell me why you just turned Hulk on her?”

“I wanted to see something.” Scratching his chin, he scans me likeI’mthat something.

“I’m out of here.” I curse and stalk to the door.

Dad calls after me. “The next time you think about bringing someone over here to humiliate them, I’d like a heads up.”

“That’s probably never going to happen again.”

“Glad I could still teach you something.” He checks his watch. “Oh, and make sure Tessa grabs something to eat soon.”

I turn back. “What do you mean?”

“She’s been up for almost five hours. She’ll need fuel soon.”

I’m static for a brief moment. Snapping out of it, I head back and hop into the driver’s seat of my truck with a grunt. “You knew he was faking all along?”

A grin that brightens her eyes spreads across her face. “Not until just before we left. He had me goin’.”

I confirm she’s buckled before turning back to the road. “You ever cause any trouble at Township Bakery?”

“Not that I can think of. Why?”

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