Page 40 of Sweet Little Thing

I didn’t care what they needed if it meant she was gone. I wanted Maisie to vanish.

“We thought you’d be happy she was ready to get back together. We didn’t know.”

I nodded. I hadn’t told them or anyone else about Maisie coming on to Stone. I’d led them to believe she ended things with me. My funk had been about returning to Savannah and facing this life, one I had no choice in. Before Beulah, I’d been empty and filled that void with countless expensive parties. They’d all assumed I was moody over Maisie. Now, they knew the truth.

“So the help. . .” Sterling said with his eyebrow raised,immediately fucking up.

“Don’t call her that! She has a name. Use it. You treated her like the help today, and that will be the last time.” I seethed as I spoke.

“I’m also sorry about that. In our defense, the last time we were here, she was then considered the ‘help.’ Why didn’t Beulah correct us? She let us order her around.”

Because she was Beulah, kind and observant, with a non-existent ego. “She’s the most genuine person I’ve ever known. She didn’t wait on your asses because she thought she had to. Beulah did it because you’re my friends. This is my home. She was making sure you felt welcome and as usual, you all took advantage.”

Sterling frowned. “Really? That’s. . .different. I just thought she was a smoking hot piece of ass.”

“Don’t,” I warned.

“Damn man, when you’re gonna change shit up, why don’t you let us know? That was completely unexpected,” Tate said as he walked through the gate.

“I was unaware you’d be coming unannounced for a visit anytime soon.”

“We always come unannounced,” Tate reminded me. He was right. I’d never had an issue in the past. I wanted them here. Needed anyone to help me deal with this place and its emptiness. Especially when my mother was here.

“I know,” I responded. “And it’s fine. I should have told you, but things changed fast. There wasn’t any time to tell anyone. Not that I needed to announce it.”

“It was a surprise but hey, I get it. I thought she was hot since the first day I saw her. Couldn’t figure out how she’d managed to get Portia to hire her.” Tate said grinning and I knew he didn’t get it. I could try to explain that she was more than gorgeous. But I knew them well enough. They wouldn’t understand. Theyhadn’t had a Beulah walk into their lives. It was as foreign to them as she’d been to me.

“I’m going to go get Beulah. You can start over and apologize for ordering her around all day. Not for her sake, because she doesn’t expect it, it will just make me feel better. Not much, but it’ll help.”

Tate looked back at the pool house. “So, we fix our own drinks, correct?”

I wasn’t responding to that.

“Jesus, dumbass, yes,” Sterling said with a shake of his head.

“Just checking. Is the bar stocked? These things are important, you know.”

I left to find Beulah. Tate could fend for himself. I had no idea if the pool house bar was stocked, though he had two fucking legs and could see for himself.

I found Beulah wiping down the kitchen counter and asked, “Can you not stop cleaning?” I inquired with amusement in my tone.

“I clean whenever I get nervous. It’s impossible for me to be still.”

I took the rag from her hand and pulled her into my arms. “There’s no reason for you to be nervous. I got rid of Maisie. The two idiots now know the score. Let’s go outside and enjoy their company. I, too, would like you to know my friends.”

Beulah nodded, then kissed my chin, which was as high as she could reach. “Thank you,” she replied.

Why she was thanking me after she’d waited on those three all day was confusing. “You never have a reason to thank me. Now, let’s go before I decide that kissing you is a better idea, and we end up in my room for the rest of the evening. . . possibly never leaving.”

Beulah laughed, happiness back in her eyes, the uncertainty disappearing. I held her hand and walked her through the house,the warmth of the outside hitting us in the face as Sterling looked up, Tate now on the phone, drinking a beer and talking.

Sterling smiled and said, “Sorry about today. We had no idea, and the Maisie thing was bad, and we should’ve called before we came.”

“Have you ever called before?” Beulah asked.

“Well. . .no. . .but from now on we will. I will. Don’t know about dipshit over there.”

“Then why would you suddenly start? I don’t mind that you came without calling.”

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