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“Would you stop that?”
Her eyes widened. “Stop what?”
“Smiling like there’s nothing wrong.”
The smile slipped from her lips. “What’s wrong?” And then she glanced back at the cats and the smile returned to her lips. “Oh, you mean Marshmallow running away. Don’t worry. She looks perfectly fine. Maybe we should set up dates for these two so they quit running away from home in order to visit each other.”
“Stop with the cats,” he ground out. “This has nothing to do with them and you know it.”
“Boy, you’re in quite a mood.” She walked into the kitchen. “Would you like a muffin?”
“No. I wouldn’t. I want you to tell me why you talked my sister into selling our home.”
Jillian’s eyes widened. “I…I didn’t. I had no idea.”
He studied her expression, admiring the way she could so easily fake a surprised expression. “Don’t play coy. I already spoke with Beth. She told me the whole story.” Okay, maybe not the whole story as he hadn’t given her a chance, but she’d told him enough. “What were you thinking?”
“Beth did stop by Tangled Charms, but I didn’t tell her to sell the house. I would never do such a thing.” Jillian sent him a tentative smile. “Sit down and I’ll get us some coffee.” She stepped into the kitchen area and retrieved two mugs from the cabinet.
He couldn’t sit down. He was too worked up. There was something he was missing. But what?
And then he recalled his sister’s words. “Beth seems to think if I buy the Crooked S that we’ll get together.”
Jillian’s hand trembled, spilling coffee over the side of the mug. She muttered under her breath as she cleaned up the mess. “I don’t know where she would have gotten that idea.”
His phone buzzed but he ignored it. “Are you sure?”
Any signs of a smile faded from her face as her eyes narrowed in on him. “Avery Wainwright, I don’t know what sort of women you usually run around with, but I have no designs on you. None whatsoever.”
“So you’re saying you weren’t hoping if the family home was sold that you and I…that we’d move into the Crooked S together—”
“No. I didn’t. And I wouldn’t.” She crossed her arms and if looks could kill, he’d be dead on the spot. “You need to take your cat and go. Now.”
Chapter Nineteen
If only it was that easy…
But every time Avery moved toward the couch, both cats ran as though knowing they were about to be separated. This time they scooted under the couch. Avery smothered a string of colorful words.
He inwardly groaned. He’d definitely rolled out of bed on the wrong side. He sunk down on the throw rug covering the hardwood floor and leaned back against the couch. Maybe he’d reacted too strongly and jumped to the wrong conclusions. But how would his sister have come up with the idea to sell the house without talking to Jillian?
He choked down his pride. “I’m sorry. Would you mind telling me what happened today when you saw my sister?”
Jillian turned around from where she’d perched on one of the two barstools. “Do you really want to know? Or are you going to jump down my throat again?”
“I won’t say a word until you’re done.”
She hesitated as though she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to him. “Beth stopped by the shop. I was surprised to see her, but she said she didn’t have classes and wanted to see you take part in the Bake-Off competition.”
“Skip to the part about selling the house.”
Jillian glowered at him. “I didn’t tell her to do that. I mentioned something about her being happy about you attempting to purchase the ranch and she agreed.”
“I never mentioned the will to her.”
Jillian got a puzzled look on her face. “I’m sorry if I let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. But I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“So now my sister feels guilty or something and is willing to sacrifice her home to make me happy.”
