“Ha ha.”
“Seriously Geary, Olivia is a beautiful young woman who works too hard. I’ve never known her to relax and she’s always in business suits. From what Madison and Charlotte have said over the months that I’ve known them, is that she just needs someone to love her without seeing dollar signs because she’s a McKenzie.” I pause. “The more I think about it, the more I think you’d be a perfect match.” I grin and leave him to his thoughts as I head into the house.
Placing my empty beer bottle into the recycling, I head toward my home office and come to an abrupt stop. “What the...are you doing here? Who let you in?”
Dee looks surprised at the anger in my tone, but it’s hard not to be angry when she’s in my home uninvited and has a suitcase at her feet. I briefly glance upward and count to ten, trying to control my temper.
“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” she whispers, her tears now falling. “I’ve lost all power at the house and the company can’t get to it for a few days. You have a large house
, so I figured—”
“No!” I snap. “There is a hotel in town. Two in fact. You can’t stay here.”
“Why?” she asks, her tears drying up.
I don’t understand this woman and her pushiness. I’m also not sure I believe her.
“Dee,” I say crossing to stand in front of her, “you are not staying here. So please leave.”
“The hotels are booked up for a family reunion. I really don’t have anywhere else. You’re the only one I know around here,” she pleads. “Please Derek.”
I close my eyes briefly, knowing I’m an idiot for what I’m about to do. “One night, Dee. Then you can sleep in your car if you can’t be bothered to find a hotel.” Hopefully that will make the woman do something.
“Surely you don’t mean that.” Dee steps forward and strokes my arm.
Shaking her off, I back up a step. “I mean it. This is Madison’s home now, and I know she won’t want you staying under the same roof, which I’m sure you can understand.” Sighing, I add, “Let me show you to one of the guest rooms.”
Dee looks at her suitcase before offering me a smile.
I’m not usually so rude to a woman, but ever since the beginning really, she’d irritated me, now more than ever. “You carried it inside so I’m sure you can manage.”
I smile when she follows, carrying the case as though it weighs nothing. Wanting to keep the front guest room for Olivia, I show Dee to the one in back, much to her disappointment.
“Is this it?”
I raise a brow. “Your car is outside.”
She clears her throat. “It will do then.”
Turning to leave, I have my hand on the doorknob to close it behind me when she asks, “What time is dinner?”
Holding my temper back, I face the annoying woman. “Dee, this is not a hotel, or even a guest house. If you want something to eat, then I would suggest you make yourself something in the kitchen. Both Geary and I had an early dinner tonight.” I slam the door needing to get away from her.
Stomping out back I find Geary half asleep right where I’d left him. “We have a house guest,” I grumble. “Damn woman.”
“I heard,” he drawls. “She wants you and this is probably a ploy to try and seduce you. You know that right?”
As his last words leave his mouth the heavens open and the rain forecasted earlier in the day has now arrived. Moving to stand side-by-side we watch as it bounces on the ground, loud in the quiet night.
“What about the creek? It’s still high after last week’s rain.” Geary admits. “I might check it out if this continues.”
“Yeah, do that. We’ll both go.” In this weather it’s safer riding to a creek that could possible flood in pairs. “I think I’m going to take a drive over to Dee’s place.” I look at Geary. “Check out the power issue.”
“Want company?”
I grin. “You just don’t want me leaving you here with her.”
“You got me.” He looks out at the weather. “I’m serious though. I get itchy when it’s like this. I need to keep busy.”