Page 20 of Belong With Me

Chapter Seven

Sienna

Walking into the kitchen, I saw the two girls already there. Savannah, the one who cooked that incredible feast last night stood over a frypan, bacon and eggs cooking under her watchful gaze. Taking another step, I called out, so they knew I was there. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” the younger of the two, Mackenzie, said. “How did you sleep?”

I took up the free bar stool beside her. “Like the dead. How about you two?”

“Oh, good. The work from around here ensures we all sleep like the dead.” I accepted the mug of tea Savannah pushed towards me. “Did you need milk or sugar?” She gestured over her shoulder with the tongs she’d been using on the bacon.

“Sugar if you have some. I can get it, though, if you tell me where it is.” I attempted to get off the stool to head wherever I was directed.

“Nonsense.” She stepped back to a cupboard, returning with a small clear canister.

“Thanks,” I murmured, dumping three heaped spoons into the hot tea. Stirring it in while keeping my attention fixed on the women with me.

“So, what kind of jobs do you do on a normal day that make you so exhausted at the end of it?” I asked, my curiosity now piqued from her comment. If I could learn about how hard their lives were, then perhaps when I offered to buy a parcel of land from them, they might jump at it. Especially if it would lessen the workload for them.

“The boys do most of the hard physical work. But we tend to the gardens, grow the vegetables, feed the animals and other odds and ends. It’s a huge property, thousands of hectares, so it keeps us all busy.” She lifted some bacon from the pan and dropped it on some paper towels. “We do a little bit of everything, though, there’s still fences to repair, and then the cows need to be moved today.”

“Is that where Ryder is at the moment?” Sipping my tea, I saw the two women share a glance. “What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Mackenzie replied.

“It can’t be nothing, I saw the look you two shared. Is there something I should know? A wife to be careful of perhaps?” I wanted to bite my tongue the moment that last part of the question slipped out. “A secret skeleton in his closet, perhaps?” I added in an attempt to seem less eager.

“Nope. He’s 100 percent single.” Savannah offered me a smile as she shuffled the eggs around the pan, sprinkling in what seemed to be a random selection of herbs and spices . Whatever it was, it smelled amazing.

“Oh good. I don’t want to cause any trouble for him. Not after he’s been such a gentleman in helping me out.”

The sisters shared another look between them. This time it went on a little too long. I got the sense the two of them were sharing a silent conversation. I knew that I was most likely the topic. After another minute, Savannah’s focus dropped once again to the pan. She moved methodically, turning off the stove and setting the utensils aside before pulling three plates from the cupboard underneath and setting them on the bench.

As she added bacon and eggs to all of them, she asked, “What about you? Do you have a man back home?”

Somehow, I managed not to choke on the tea I was drinking. Swallowing, I turned my attention to answering the question. “No. No one is waiting for me back home.”

“We don’t have anyone either. I’m still waiting for Prince Charming to come and steal me away.” Mackenzie’s eyes took on a wistful expression.

“If you find him, let me know. I wouldn’t mind a prince of my own to sweep me off my feet.” I was being honest. Even though I was a strong independent woman, I still wanted what most women wanted. A man who would love me above all else. Who considered me the center of his entire world.

“Wouldn’t we all,” Savannah joined in. “Hope you like a cooked breakfast. Gotta keep your energy up around here.” She bent and pulled a tray of what looked to be homemade hash browns from the oven, distributing them to each of the plates as well. Finally, she added some fresh sliced tomato on the side. It looked delicious.

Accepting the plate, I gave her a large smile. “I most certainly do.’’ After handing out cutlery to each of us, she took up the remaining stool on the other side of me, so I was between the two sisters.

For a few minutes, the three of us ate in silence. Then I was asked the first of many, many questions.

“So, what do you do for a living?” the youngest Larsen asked me through a mouthful of hash brown. Savannah shot her a look, but Kenzie shrugged and Savannah rolled her eyes skyward before returning to her breakfast.

Obviously, this wasn’t a planned interrogation. Taking note of the reaction, I quickly swallowed the bite in my mouth, before I answered truthfully, “I’m a lawyer actually.”

“Cool!” she exclaimed, excitement evident in her voice. “So, are you like those ones on Law and Order? Putting the bad guys away? Like in the courtroom? How many times do you say, ‘I object’? I’ve always wanted to say that.” She seemed excited at the prospect.

Pushing some hair behind my ear, I shook my head. “Ah, no. I’m not that kind of lawyer. Although I could be if I wanted to. I actually specialize in a different area.”

Her eyebrows knitted together at my answer. “What area?”

Figuring there was no harm in answering her, I told her the truth. “Although I do a variety of different duties for the company I work for, my specialty is contract law.”

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