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“So what they say about you is true, after all.”
Sultry and willowy. Even her voice was smooth and soft on the ears.
“You are a vision, dear.” By a glance, the woman couldn’t be a year or two older than Juniper. She raised a delicate, manicured hand to rest on her arm. “You haven’t stolen my sweet Marshall’s heart away, have you?”
Juniper’s brows pulled together in confusion. “Excuse me?”
Perfectly plucked and brushed brows peeked out beneath a curtain of bangs as she sighed with exasperation at Juniper’s question.
Well then.
Juniper’s phone buzzed again. This time Juniper stole a glance and read Gran on the screen.
While distracted the woman pushed past Juniper into the round spacious foyer. Off to the side, a twin rounded staircase led to the second floor and Juniper’s escape.
“Priscilla Masterson. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”
That put the brakes on and grabbed Juniper’s attention.
With an air of importance and impatience, the woman pushed her hand into Juniper’s. In her defense, she was too shocked by the Barbie of a woman and all the details Stella had shared with her while Marshall had been on overseas calls the night before to properly introduce herself.
According to his sister, the one-time duo had dated for all of three seconds, but by Stella’s words Marshall had broken it off and the oil princess hadn’t taken the rejection too well.
Regulating the whip of sarcasm that crossed her mind and threatened to come out, Juniper closed the door silently and counted to five. “Please come in,” she said instead.
Red lips pursed in defiance. In a snappy tone, the woman demanded, “Marshall, where is he? I need to see him.”
Well, right away, your highness.
“Of course.” Juniper wanted to pat herself on the back for her civil tone when the woman would tempt a saint to sin.
Marshall popped out of the kitchen and came up beside her just then with a tight smile thinning his lips which she read as one hundred percent irritation, but not at her.
“Priscilla. What are you doing here?”
Wow. His tone came out a little cold even to her ears.
Clearly ignoring the iciness, Priscilla waved a hand in indifference. “Marshall darling, I see you couldn’t wait for me to return from my trip abroad. Such impulsive decisions.” That earned Juniper a peculiar look of dismissal as Priscilla closed the space between them and came in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek in greeting from Marshall.
So this was the evil oil princess. Juniper had laughed at Stella’s tart description, but now she kind of agreed.
Juniper pictured her with Marshall and despite the desire to laugh it off, she had to admit that they looked good together.
On that thought, Juniper took a step back to distance herself and give them their privacy. A hand to her elbow drew her up short as she moved for the stairs. Marshall shifted a pleading gaze her way and she sucked it up. It’s the least she could do for him, she supposed. He’d offered her a place to stay and made breakfast, after all.
“Truly, you should have called earlier, Marshall.” Priscilla stood a little too close for Juniper’s comfort given she was four inches away from them both. “I’m back now so there’s no need to marry the help. Daddy told me everything.” Another cursory glance and suddenly Juniper felt naked. “Daddy wasn’t too happy about this turn of events either when I talked to him this morning. He’s having second thoughts about the deal you two are set to sign with all the unease in your company.”
“There’s no need to worry. Juniper and I have everything worked out. There’s no need for you to be here, Priscilla.”
Now Juniper wasn’t the only one getting the dirty looks.
“Aren’t you going to offer me coffee so we can talk? You might want to hear what I have to offer on this deal with daddy.”
Marshall sighed. “This way.”
He sounded as happy as Juniper felt.
Her phone went off again, this time in rapid-fire. What in the world? She glanced at the screen as Marshall led them to the kitchen.
