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I laugh nervously, setting the cup back down. “No, you’re fine.”
“I meant, you’re uncomfortable being taken care of,” she corrects, like she can see through me to all of my disappointments. Lottie seems like the kind of woman who is observant enough to notice, but smart enough not to call attention to it. That’s how she’s outlasted everyone here – everyone except Darren.
“I didn’t grow up like this,” I admit and motion around the chef's kitchen.
“I didn’t either, if it makes you feel better.” Lottie smiles wide, accentuating the crow’s feet on either side of her soft brown eyes. She looks to be in her fifties—not old, but not young either. Her hands are telling – large knuckles and swollen fingers – that she’s spent most of her life taking care of other people. If she’s worked for the Walker family since Darren was little, then she must have started really young.
“I hope you don’t mind that Darren is having me come twice a week to take care of some of the household duties,” she says. “If there’s anything you need from the grocery store besides the usual, just add it to the list.” She points to the notepad clipped to the refrigerator.
“I’m afraid that’s my fault.”
Lottie tilts her head in question.
“The press are here because of me.”
“The press are like dogs,” she explains. “Another squirrel will get their attention, and they’ll be in the neighbor’s yard before you know it.”
I can’t help but laugh. “That’s an optimistic way of looking at it.”
“Only way to get through it,” she says. “Until then and even beyond, if you have any preferences on groceries, just let me know.”
“Oh, whatever Darren wants,” I say, waving her off.
“Honey, this is your house now, too,” Lottie says while wiping down the counter. That may be temporarily true, but it doesn’t feel like it.
I take in a deep breath, the smell of the cooling scones still permeating the air. “I don’t know what Darren told you…”
“He told me that you saved him.”
I wonder if that’s what Darren really said, or if that’s what she so kindly inferred from whatever story he told her, but either way, it’s not true. Her expression turns serious, and she places a hand over mine in a kind gesture, warm and motherly. “After what happened to his parents, I thought he would be alone.” She looks at me with a thoughtful expression. “Until you.”
I open my mouth to correct her, although I have no idea what to say, but then Darren enters the kitchen and Lottie pulls her hand away.
“Don’t believe anything Lottie tells you,” Darren greets as he enters the kitchen and grabs a scone from the plate in the middle of the island, making a pleased sound as he takes a bite.
“So you didn’t pee your bed when you were ten?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
“What? No!” He looks horrified.
Lottie laughs while Darren’s eyes light up. “I think you may have met your match, Darren.”
Darren takes another bite of his scone. “You have no idea,” he grumbles, chewing the pastry.
I take a sip of my coffee with satisfaction.
20
Dog and Pony Show
Evangeline
“I thought you were joking that it was a masquerade ball,” I say, while Darren holds the mask in his hand.
“Unfortunately, no.”
He turns me around to face the mirror while he brings the mask over my eyes and ties it at the back. It’s made of red silk and glitter, covering the upper half of my face with an intricate design that wraps around the sides and top.
The dress is made of a thin red silk that hugs every curve. The slit up the side goes all the way to the very top of my thigh.
