Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
"Would he get permission to do that?"
"No, of course not. But that's not the kind of thing that would stop my brother. He tends to forge ahead with his plans and deal with the legal side later."
"But you said it doesn't belong to him."
"He insists on regarding the house as company property. He refuses to accept that it belonged to me personally. He claims that I used company money to buy it, which is not the case. When I wouldn't let him take it over and do what he wanted with it, he started trying to push up the selling price, with the idea of forcing me to give him a commission. But then you came along, and I sold it for less than I paid for it, and he was furious."
"You sold it for less than you−? Why did you do that?"
He looked straight at her.
"Because you said it was magic. I thought you were the kind of person who would appreciate it. I guess I liked the thought of you living there one day with your future husband and maybe some kids."
“I’m sorry for what I thought of you.”
“Thank you for that. Though, it is the kind of thing Paul would do. He enjoys that kind of game."
"I thought you were in it together," she said, feeling more than a little ashamed. "How was I to know?"
"You might have−" He stopped.
"Yes, I might have." She met his eyes. "With anyone else, I probably would have. But there was so much you weren't telling me, I didn't know if I could trust you or not. You behaved so oddly the time you came by to see me. You wouldn’t tell me what Paul and Holly were up to−"
"I know, I should have explained, but I couldn't think how. I was so furious with Paul, I didn't know what to say."
"Both times something started up, you stopped it dead. I didn't know what to make of that. Especially as you didn't call."
"After what had happened, I didn't dare."
“I’m very sorry that I misjudged you so grossly.”
Their conversation was cut short by a loud pounding on the front door.
“Why is it that people cannot use a doorbell these days?” he gasped, trotting off to answer it.
Jo heard raised voices and then King was thundering into the living room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw her sitting there in another man’s robe.
“What the hell is going on here?” he roared.
“It’s not what you think,” Jo told him, bewildered. How had he found her? Why was he here?
“I’d fucking hope not. Where are your clothes. We’re leaving. We’ll discuss this elsewhere,” he said, taking a step toward Saul menacingly. In Saul’s defense, he didn’t budge out of fear.
“Her clothes are in the laundry room. She was soaked through. I’ll get them.”
Saul left the room, leaving her to face King who appeared furious.
“What are you doing here?” Jo asked.
“Paul sent me here. He said that Saul had pulled you into his car and he was concerned for you. Funny, though. You don’t look like you’re in danger.”
Jo looked at him wordlessly. A part of her was charmed that he was so furious with her, but then again, what right did he have to be? Was this just because he thought she was violating the terms of their agreement or something more.
Saul emerged with her clothes and pointed her toward a bathroom down the hallway. She accepted them and went to put them on, noting that her panties were now on top of the pile. Had they fallen out of her pocket while she slept? Probably, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She slipped into them quickly and returned to the living room.
“Afraid there wasn’t much I could do for your shoes. I did put them near the heat to dry, but they’re still fairly damp,” Saul told her, pointing toward the light sneakers sitting on a nearby radiator.
“Thank you. We’ll talk again soon,” she said, now more embarrassed than ever at being dragged away by King but knowing there wasn’t much she could say about it.
She followed him out to his bike, noting that the rain was all but gone now. He handed her a helmet wordlessly and helped her on the back. It wasn’t exactly what she had envisioned for her first ride on the bike, but she supposed it would have to do. In a few moments, they were roaring down the highway toward his cabin.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“What you did back there was very uncool,” she said in the evenest voice she could muster once they were back at King’s place.
“Was it? Do you know how worried I was about you? First, you tell me that Saul Turner is defrauding you and Paul backs up his claim, then I find you there at his house, wearing nothing but his robe?”