Page 23 of Valentine Nook
She certainly hit the nail on the head with that description. I’ve never met anyone so irritable, and I say this after spending less than five minutes in his presence. Then I remember what Eddie the barman said, that Lando was grumbling about me renting his cottage.
That’swhy he doesn’t like me? Because Irentedhiscottage?
“No, I don’t,” he snaps and turns to his sister. “Are you planning to drink your entire summer away?”
“Maybe.” Clemmie shrugs, placing the jug on the table.
I swear once her back is turned that Lando’s scowl intensifies.
“Oh hey, Lanny, Holiday was telling me she saw a trespasser in the glen the other day. You don’t know if any of the farm staff have been down there, do you? Particularly any hairy ones? Holiday said he was gross and hairy, and completely naked standing in the waterfall.”
It’s almost in slow motion how Lando’s head tilts and one of his brows slowly rises. “Gross and hairy, was he?”
I dare not look at Clemmie.
Not for one second do I want her to know that this is the guy whose dick she asked about. If someone described my brother’s dick to me, I’d want to puke. Figurativelyandliterally.
“I never said gross,” I mumble.
“It sounds like you did. Unless Clemmie’s lying. Are you calling my sister a liar?”
I look at Clemmie, hoping she’ll rescue me, but she’s too busy filling our glasses, one of which she passes to me.
“Oh, and Pierre said he’d be happy to teach you.”
“Who’s Pierre?”
“Our chef. He said he’d happily teach you what he can.”
“What?”
The pair of us turns to Lando, whose face hasn’t changed, though it’s slowly becoming redder.
“Holiday wants to learn how to cook. Pierre said he’d teach her,” Clemmie explains.
“Pierre has enough to do here without running a culinary school.”
Clemmie’s giggle does nothing to lighten the tension. I don’t think she’s even noticed it.
“Lando, what are you on about? It’s not a culinary school. It’s a couple of lessons for Holiday while she’s having some time off. She wants to learn how to cook.”
I can’t decide what’s worse—Clemmie’s obvious happiness at helping me or her brother’s annoyance that she has.
Lando realizes he won’t have any luck persuading Clemmie to give up her idea of their chef teaching me to cook. So he tries me instead.
“It’s not included in your rental, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Lando!”
Oh. Perhaps that’s what his problem is. He’s short on cash and needs money. My eyes flick to the mullioned windows of the mansion / castle. It can’t be cheap running this place. I bet they’re one of those rich-on-paper families, but all their wealth is tied up in property or gold mines or something. Old money problems . . . something I know nothing about.
My money is so new it’s still shiny.
I smile my sparkliest smile, the one I save for billboards,chat shows, and magazine covers. Maybe that will win him over. “Of course, I’ll happily pay him.”
“No. Absolutely not.” Clemmie gasps. “Lando, what is wrong with you? Holiday, I apologize, he’s not normally so rude. Although he has been much more of a dick than usual lately.”
Lando stares at his sister, and I swear I hear his teeth grind together. I can tell he’s on the verge of retorting, but instead, he silently turns on his heel.
