Page 26 of Sheltered By Love

Thankfully, it’s Jaxson, the brute who looks like he could pulverize concrete who saves me from myself.

“Alright with you if we take a look at the back while the kettle boils? No one will see us from the street.”

From behind me, chairs scrape across the floor, grating on my already frayed nerves as I try to keep my voice from sounding wobbly. “That’s okay by me. Just shut the back door or Roger will jump his pen and try to explore.”

For a moment I think I’ll have time to recover from my slip-up, but when I turn to see if they’re all leaving, I’m sorely disappointed.

While the others trail out, Zane hangs back, watching my every move. “We never did go over your background. All I know is you moved here from Arizona.”

I pull out the sugar, milk jug, and tray and place them on the table. “I’m not sure what you mean exactly. I filled out all the questions you wanted in the application. I even let you do a police check and a credit check.”

He folds his arms across his chest. “Why’d you want to live in a big house? Hoping to meet someone here? Get married?”

I’m in no mood for an interrogation. “Why is it, that your brothers and your cousin all have impeccable manners, and you have none.”

His posture hardens. “You’re dodging the question.”

“And you’re supposed to be helping your brother catch criminals not treat me like I am one.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “If you were going to ignore my rules about pets, why didn’t you get a dog?”

It’s a safe enough question to ask, so I reply. “I was worried enough about Maggie at the pet shop ratting me out to your family as it was. Everyone knows everyone around here.”

He shifts his weight to one leg. “Not because they’re harder to pick up and move in a hurry.”

All the blood in my body feels like it’s trickling to my toes. If I could, I’d back out of this ridiculous agreement, but that would give him even more reason to treat me like I’m a suspect.

“What makes you think I’d need to worry about that?”

He doesn’t reply for a while, just gazes out the window to where his brother and cousin are pointing at the roof.

When he does bother to answer me, his blue eyes fix on my face making me even more nervous. “Are you worried about it?” he says.

I’m tired of feeling like I’ve done something wrong when I haven’t so I slam the kettle down on the table.

“I’m a very private person, and my background has nothing to do with why you’re here, so kindly stop asking me invasive questions before I call your brother and tell him you’re making it impossible.”

His eyebrow quirks and the faintest hint of a smile graces his otherwise stony features. “You mean tattle on me.”

I’m so frustrated, and tired, that I throw my hands in the air. “I shouldn’t have needed to.”

He doesn’t move, and barely seems to be breathing as he studies me.

I didn’t expect an apology, and he doesn’t offer one. Just turns on his heel and joins his family in my garden just as my phone rings.

I pick it up, hoping it’s an order, but it’s Nicki on the other end of the phone.

And she sounds breathless with excitement.

“I just had a visit from Garrett Reid. He said he was just following a ‘line of inquiry’ whatever that means. But he asked me tons of questions about your business. Are you in trouble?”

I wish I’d had time to ask Garrett how I was supposed to answer this. “No, I’m not in any trouble,” I answer carefully.

She sucks in a breath. “Oh, crap balls. Zane wouldn’t answer any of my questions when I saw him the other day either.”

I check what’s happening outside, and sigh. “Will you call me when your grandmother is ready for a visit? I’d love to come to see her.”

Obviously disappointed by my lack of gossip, I can almost hear the pout in her reply. “Okay. Sure. And you call me if you find anything out! The Reid boys are up to something, and I’m dying to know what it is!” she says.

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