Page 8 of The One Who Saw Her: Boone

Vivi took a slow, deep breath. She'd worked for Peter for five years and had yet to take an actual vacation. But instead of pointing that out, she went her usual route—away from confrontation and straight into avoidance.

Vivi: What can I help with?

Peter the Prick: I've forwarded you some emails that need immediate attention.

Which meant he'd forwarded her all the busy work he didn't want to deal with.

Vivi: I said I'd be available for emergencies.

Peter the Prick: This is an emergency. And thanks for always being there for me.

Vivi was about to type a polite response when she heard footsteps coming from down the hall, then a strange man walked in. Barefoot, shirtless, and dripping from the shower, sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

He froze when he saw her. She froze right back, then grabbed the belt of her robe and tightened it like armor. “What the hell?”

“I didn’t mean to scare you. You must be Colter's friend?"

"I'm nobody's friend," Vivi said quickly. "And aren’t you the guy I Got Stood Up In Vegas guy from the café?"

He gave her a lazy smile. "Eli. I live here.” He leaned against the counter, utterly unbothered by the fact that he was nearly naked. "So. How long have you been, uh, visiting?"

Before Vivi could decide whether to be offended or mortified, another voice joined in.

"Eli, you seen my⁠—"

The man stopped mid-sentence as he stepped into the kitchen, eyes darting from his half-dressed brother to Vivi. He was in a pair of athletic shorts, a wrinkled snap button shirt, and bed head tall enough to put him closer to god.

His brows shot up. "Didn't know we had company."

"She's not mine," Eli said immediately. "I thought she was yours."

Mr. Iron Man flipped a chair around and straddled it. "Nope. I thought she was yours."

They both turned to look at Vivi, who was approximately three seconds from melting into the floor from embarrassment.

"Oh, for crying out loud. I’m nobody’s anything! I just came down for coffee."

That's when the unmistakably British voice rang out, smooth as Earl Grey and twice as sharp. "Well, well," the older woman said, with an air of amused judgment. "Look who's gracing my kitchen."

"I met you last night," Vivi said, surprise and confusion colliding in her chest.

"Lady Readean Callahan," the older woman said, her accent sounding more Queen than Lady.

"What are you doing here?" Vivi asked.

Lady Readean leaned regally against the counter, a sly smile on her face. "Darling, I live here. Right behind the ranch house, in the in-law cottage. My own homey little hideaway just close enough to keep an eye on my grandsons and far enough to have my privacy."

Vivi blinked. "Wait, you’re Boone’s grandmother?”

"Grandmother, godmother, confidant, occasional referee of questionable decisions. But you can call me Lady Rea."

The woman took in the scene—Eli half-naked, Colter smirking, and Vivi standing in the middle like she'd been caught trespassing—and sighed dramatically.

"Christ on a crumpet," she said, gliding toward the stove. "If I didn't know better, I'd think I'd walked into a porno. Someone tell me, did I miss the part where we find out if there will be a crossing of swords?"

Eli groaned. "Nan. Not helping."

"Oh, I think I'm being very helpful," she said, putting the kettle on. "You're half-dressed before noon, Colter's wearing last night's shirt, and there's a woman in my kitchen looking like she's reconsidering all her life decisions. That's my entertainment for the week."