“Sure.” She stood and turned for the beverage station. “I’ll be right back.”
I tried not to stare at her perfect ass as she walked away. Tried and failed. Her jeans clung to her curves, and her hips swayed a little with every step. It was hypnotizing.
She returned a moment later with our drinks—a beer for me and a wine for her. Halfway to the table, she faltered, squeezing her eyes shut briefly and taking a few breaths. And then she continued on as if nothing had happened.
“Thanks,” I said as she slid the beer over to me. “You okay?”
“Yep.” She lifted her glass to toast, though I sensed she was putting on a brave face. I’d worked in the field long enough to know when someone was in pain and trying to hide it. “To starting over.”
I tapped my glass against hers, gulping down the liquid. She smiled at me, but I remained wary. A few days ago, she’d been spitting nails, threatening to throw my “eyesore” off her land, and now she was buying me drinks?
“Should I be concerned this is poisoned?” I teased, though I knew better. Chase liked her, and he’d known her in high school, before…all this.
“Give me a little credit, will you?”
“Mm-hmm.” I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest. “What are you up to, hotshot?”
Her lips parted slightly, and then she attempted to conceal her surprise with a smile. “Nothing. I just wanted to do something nice.”
“How’s it going with your dad’s practice?” It wasn’t the topic I wanted to discuss, but it seemed safer than asking about the house.
“I’ve been going through his files to transition the practice.”
“You mean sell it.” My patience was waning after a long day of work. I didn’t like playing games or being manipulated. If she wanted something, she needed to get to the point. I might not like it, but I’d respect her more.
“Notsellit,” she said. “A law practice like his isn’t really something you’d sell. He was a solo practitioner, and it’s more about helping his clients collect their files and find new attorneys.”
“You could be their new attorney,” I said, though I didn’t know why.
Why on earth would I encourage her to stick around? She’d been nothing but a pain in my ass since she’d arrived. Still, if she was motivated to stay, maybe she’d see the value in the home and decide it was better not to sell. Then what? We’d share the house? Live there together?
I took another swig of my beer.Scott, what the hell were you thinking?I asked the heavens, not expecting an answer.
She shook her head. “No. I’m not going to take over his practice.”
“Right. Because that would be beneath you,” I muttered.
“Excuse me.” She glared at me from across the table, palms pressed to the surface. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You.” I lifted my head to meet her gaze. “You are my problem, Audrey.”
I downed the rest of my beer and stood as well, tugging on Max’s leash. “Come on, girl.”
“How dare you judge me. You don’t even know me.” She faltered, sucking in a breath as she winced.
My stance softened at her obvious pain. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…” she ground out, “fine. And you can stop pretending that you care.”
“I might not know you or care about you, but I cared about your dad.”
“I’m sorry.” She slumped. “Truly. I’m just—” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, said, “This week hasn’t been easy for any of us. I have a lot of balls to juggle here and in Boston. A lot of responsibilities.”
“Right.” I dug my hands into my pockets. She hadn’t once mentioned the loss of her dad. It was all aboutherresponsibilities andherto-do lists andherlife. “Well, I’ll leave you to yourresponsibilities.”
I pushed past her and tried to continue walking, even as Max dug in her heels. I rolled my eyes.Women.
“Look,” Audrey huffed, coming to stand beside me. “I meant what I said about extending an olive branch. So, if there’s anything I can do, anything you need from me…”
