Page 46 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Is the house okay too?”
“Uh huh.”
Lauren exhaled. Okay, just another clumsy moment. “Who was that that answered your phone?”
“Roan.”
“Who is Roan?”
“This is his house.” Oh,thatRoan! For heaven’s sake this was taking much too long to get answers out of Beth. “Put him back on the phone, would you?”
Beth handed the phone to Roan. He braced himself for another yelling. “This is Roan.”
“Have you got a last name, Roan?” Lauren demanded.
“McCabe.”
“And you live up the road?”
“Yes.”
“And this is your grandmother’s house Beth is staying in, not the home you keep your tourist victims shackled in? Is there a basement? A secret room? Hidden cameras? A shed in the woods?”
Jesus, this Lauren woman would put the fear of God in the Pope himself! “I swear to God my intentions are honorable and nothing nefarious is going on. Bethany invited me in for a cup of tea then she got turned around and accidentally put the electric kettle on the stove.”
Yep, that sounded like Beth all right. Okay, he was telling the truth. No more need for the tenth degree. “Thank you for helping her.”
“It caused a little smoke. No real harm done. Listen, I’m going to leave and let you two talk.”
“Thank you, Roan.”
Before leaving, Roan picked up a box of tissues from a desk in the living room, handed them to Beth and quietly let himself out.
“Roan said everything is fine and no harm was done,” said Lauren.
“I know but …”
“Go and eat some of that fruit and cheese.” Lauren figured she wouldn’t mention the stove. Everything else would need heat.
Still on the phone, Beth ate and drank as Lauren suggested and now things didn’t look as grim.
“Lauren, I was having a nice morning. It’s not raining for a change, and I slept so well. I was finally comfortable here.” Beth took another drink of orange juice before relaying what happened next. “So comfortable that I was walking in the garden—naked.”
It didn’t take Lauren but a second to put two and two together. “Roan saw you outside? How much did he see? Does he know the carpet matches the drapes?”
“Yeah,” she drawled.
“That’s more action than you’ve seen in?—”
“I know how long it’s been, thank you for reminding me. Could we focus please?”
“Here’s what you’re going to do. Wash your face with cold water and get dressed, then you’re going to the store to get your own groceries and you’re going to make some chicken soup.” Beth made the best chicken soup. This would take care of two problems with one solution. Beth would have to use the kitchen stove again, and she would make herself some nourishing food.
“I still have some stew from Roan and I’m flying home tomorrow. I don’t need groceries.”
