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I watch him carefully and nod. “Okay, then. Let’s go and find out whether or not Dee has a power issue.” Cursing, I add, “I better tell her we’re going out and to stay indoors. Don’t need her wandering around.”
“You also don’t need her around when Madison gets back.”
“I’ll have Dee out of here tomorrow. I’ve already told her that tomorrow she finds another hotel or sleeps in her car.” I grin and Geary laughs.
Shaking his head, Geary asks, “When is Madison coming back?”
“Are you sure you’re asking about Madison and not Olivia?” I tease.
He laughs. “Seriously though, when is Madison due back?”
“She didn’t say, but I’m hoping tomorrow, which is why she is leaving first thing in the morning.”
He shrugs. “Let’s go and check the power so we can get back and check the creek.”
47
Madison
“Are you sure we shouldn’t have stayed overnight in a hotel,” Olivia asks for the fifth time. “I don’t like the look of this weather.”
Chewing on my bottom lip, I have to agree with Olivia, but I’m not about to admit it to her, I’ll never hear the end of it. “We’re not that far from Derek’s house. Maybe fifteen minutes.” I continue driving slowly in the hire car Olivia had insisted on getting so she could get herself around, so she didn’t need to rely on anyone else.
The moment Olivia had agreed to come back with me, I’d packed, and so had Olivia, both of us just making the flight in time. I’d messaged Derek as we’d landed even though I knew he’d be perfectly fine with Olivia coming back with me.
I’d felt awkward and didn’t really know what to say that wasn’t so brief as ‘I’m on my way’. I’d just wanted him to know that I was coming back to him and the shyness had crept in. I’m nervous and annoyed because I’m nervous. It’s Tanner’s fault for wanting us to be apart to see how we managed and whether or not we still had feelings for each other after the separation. I’m not sure what he actually expected because my feelings don’t get turned on and off the way a faucet does. Derek is old enough to know his attraction to me isn’t simply hormonal. I do grin though, because his hormones are certainly potent whenever I’m around.
Olivia sits forward again and while looking intently out of the windshield asks, “Why do you have a silly grin on your face?”
“Derek,” I sigh without hesitation. “I can’t wait to be back home with him.”
Groaning, Olivia narrows her eyes in my direction. I don’t see this, but I feel it. She has a stare that can pierce through anything. “Please tell me that I’m not going to have to listen to you and Derek having hot sex all night?”
“We’ll try and keep it down.” I smirk. “Of course, if you happen to seduce Geary then you wouldn’t be in the house to listen to us.”
“Will you stop going on.” She huffs. “Anyone would think I haven’t had sex in decades.”
Laughing while turning on to the road leading to the ranch house, I tease, “I don’t think Geary has either.”
“How would you know that?”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve never known him to leave the ranch in the evenings, or during the day much either. He keeps to himself. He’s lonely, Olivia. I think you are too,” I admit. “And don’t get annoyed with me for that assumption. Everyone sees the professional you and that’s why you end up with assholes who think you can help them get ahead. I love you like a sister, Olivia, and your happiness and wellbeing are important to me.”
“Oh damn,” Olivia whispers, rapidly wiping at her eyes. “You’ve made me cry.”
“Then maybe you’ll keep your mind open to the possibility of Geary. He’s a man who won’t care what you do for a living or how much you have in the bank or who your family are. He has strong values, just like you do, and as an added bonus, which isn’t that important, he’s drool worthy to look at.”
Coming to a stop, I cut the engine and sag back into the seat. “We’re here.”
Olivia glances over to me. “You were a lot more worried than you let on, huh?”
“Yeah, I was. But we made it.” I frown as I look at the house. “I wouldn’t have thought it was late enough for Derek to be asleep though.”
“It’s nine-thirty.” Olivia glances around. “It’s so dark.”
“There’s usually lights on over by the barn.” Shivering, I grab the door handle. “Let’s just run to the porch. We can grab our stuff later.
“We’re going to get soaked to the bone.” Olivia huffs. “Soaked.” Still mumbling, she opens the door and makes a run for it as I follow.
