“You could give him the money he’s asking for,” Luther said.
“How much is he asking?”
“Four million dollars.”
“Four million dollars. Is he nuts?”
“He’s a real piece of work is what he is.”
“And if I refuse to give him the money, he’s still going to try to take Lanie from me?” I asked, an ache in my gut at the thought of it.
I pinched the bridge of my nose as I turned my back to the girls.
“Looks like he’s willing to do just about anything to get what he wants,” Luther said.
“Fuck,” I said, groaning.
“Think on it and give me a call. Say, tomorrow?”
“You want me to have an answer for you by tomorrow?” I asked.
“Any longer of a timeframe and you look like you’re floundering. Quick answers come from sure fathers. I’m not just working your defense, I’m also painting your image to the jury. Remember that.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said.
I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket. I made my way back to the kitchen table, my mind elsewhere as Amanda’s eyes followed me. I could smell her body spray as I sat down at the table, the smell pulling my eyes up to hers as she grinned at me. My eyes hooked onto her lips before I sighed.
It didn’t matter how attracted I was to her, I had to control my urges. She was still a stranger, and I knew there was no way in hell she was sticking around. Childhood home or not, the inherited property that had been dropped into her lap was in rough fucking shape. It wasn’t suitable for anyone to live in safely, and by all I’d seen, she was not exactly a handy woman. There was no way she could take on those repairs herself, nor did it seem like she had the money to fund them.
The last thing Lanie needed was to get attached to someone who was going to leave.
CHAPTER 5
Amanda
“Hey there, Sarah.”
“Hey, stranger! You forgot to call me, you know.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ve just been so busy cleaning up this place, and I forgot. You got my text message though, right?”
“I mean, yeah, but I was really hoping you’d call. So, how’s the cabin looking?”
I glanced around my grandmother’s home before I leaned against the kitchen counter.
“Not gonna lie, it’s a mess,” I said.
“How much of a mess are we talking?” Sarah asked.
“It’ll take me hiring someone to come in and do some of the repairs.”
“Oh, shit. What’s wrong with it?” she asked.
“For starters, it hadn’t been dusted in years. I’ve had the windows open trying to create crosswinds to blow some of this shit outside while I wipe everything down.”
“What do you mean by ‘everything’?”
“All my grandmother’s stuff is here. Well, mostly. Some of the furniture is gone, but the bedrooms are still furnished and so is the living room.”
“You’ll have to have all that furniture steam-cleaned with all the dust that settled,” she said.
“Yep. That’s one of the things I have on my list.”
“You have a list?’
“Oh, yeah. And it’s extensive. The staircase has to be completely redone. The wood’s so rotted and flimsy that I put my foot through it when I first came in.”
“Holy shit, Manda. Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. My neighbor rescued me and helped bandage me up.”
“You have a neighbor? Please tell me it’s a male neighbor.”
“It is,” I said, grinning. “And before you ask, yes. He’s fucking hot.”
“Ooooh, yes! Amanda, it’s about damn time you hooked your claws into someone,” she said.
“And he’s strong. Picked me up like I was nothing. He’s got these piercing eyes and rippling muscles. When he found me in the staircase, he was shirtless, Sarah. Shirt. Less.”
“Fuck. Does he have a beard? Please tell me he has a beard.”
“He does,” I said, giggling. “I figured you would like that.”
“I love facial hair on guys. Have you seen him since your accident?”
“I have. He invited me over for dinner last night, and it was a wonderful evening.”
“You went on a date, and you didn’t call me!?”
“Well, it wasn’t really a date. He had his niece with him.”
“Niece? He a babysitter or something?” she asked.
“I don’t really know the story, but she’s adorable. She couldn’t be more than three, though she talks really well so she might be older. I’m not really sure.”
“Have you learned much about him?” she asked.
“Not much. I mean, I kind of deduced that he’s a recluse. Not used to being around people. His niece, Lanie, is the one that always wants to come around. It’s almost like she drags him along.”
“A three-year-old dragging around some burly man with a beard? That’s adorable..”
“It s just about the cutest thing ever,” I said.
“Are you attracted to him?”
“I just told you he was hot,” I said.
“You can find someone good looking and not find them attractive. Remember Michael from our sophomore year?”