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Isaac had been busy while I was on my run. He’d made coffee and left me a plate of French toast and scrambled eggs warming in the oven. He’d even cleaned up after himself. With the thought that everything would be so much easier if he were my mate, I sent him a quick thank you text and dove into the meal. I wasn’t the biggest fan of French toast, but nothing could be bad with enough cinnamon and maple syrup.
After washing my dishes, drying them, and putting them away I decided it was time to head out. I’d be early, but I couldn’t think of anything else to do to kill some time. The gate to Liam’s driveway was open when I arrived so I pulled right into the same garage. Philip greeted me at the door and escorted me to the back lanai.
Someone, presumably Philip, had set up a table with coffee, tea, finger sandwiches, fruits, and little pastries.
“Please help yourself. Mr. Fraser will join you shortly.”
“Thank you, Philip.” I was still full of French toast, so I opted for a cup of coffee.
The backyard was unreal, and I couldn’t just look at it, I had to experience it. So, I took my coffee on a little stroll through the grounds. An enormous pool with a waterfall sat in the center, surrounded by lush, green grass that made me want to slip off my shoes to feel it, but I resisted.
I meandered through half a dozen oak trees draped with Spanish moss to a garden full of fragrant rose bushes. In the center of the garden stood a gazebo decorated with fairy lights that must look magical when lit up at night.
“Enjoying yourself, Red?”
Startled, I spun around, sloshing coffee all over myself. “Dammit! Did you have to sneak up on me?” I’d been so deep in thought I hadn’t been paying attention to the energy around me.
“Oh, did I startle you while you are on my property?”
“Bite me.” He slowly looked me up and down, his eyes lingering over the stain on my shirt. Heat pooled between my legs making me angrier because I did not want to find him attractive. “My eyes are up here, asshole.”
“You suggested I bite you. I was merely thinking it over.”
I clenched my jaw and my thighs. “Stop thinking and get me a jacket or something to cover this stain.”
“I’m doing you a favor. You’d think you’d be a little less prickly.” He shrugged. “Follow me.”
He led me inside and up the stairs to a ridiculously lavish bedroom. “Are these the originals?” I asked, pointing to the paintings.
“Yes.”
As with the manuscript, I was sure the originals of these paintings were supposed to be in museums. Picasso, Van Gogh, and some others I had no clue about all in gorgeous frames, hung on the walls.
“I assume I’m to keep these to myself as well?” I asked, trying not to show how awed I was.
“I’d appreciate that, yes.” He opened a set of doors to reveal a fully stocked closet. “Help yourself to whatever fits. Leave your shirt on the bed. Philip will take care of it.”
I stared at the door after he left. Who the hell was this guy? Snapping myself out of my stunned state, I entered the closet. If you could call it that. It was more like an apartment, complete with two chairs and a coffee table.
The clothes were too small for me, but I found a wrap top I could make fit—sort of. I tied the straps around my waist the best I could then took a moment to appreciate the shoes. Shelves and shelves full of the most gorgeous shoes I’d ever seen. They were all in my size, and I was mighty tempted to try some on.
“Who the hell is this guy?” I muttered aloud this time as I moved to the full-length mirror. The top was tight, but it covered me up… mostly. I adjusted my breasts in my bra to minimize the cleavage.
“Welp, Liam thought he got an eye full while I was in my t-shirt, wait till he gets a load of these puppies now.”
I slowly made my way back to the lanai, taking in as much of the house as I could. There was way more to Liam Fraser than met the eye. The writer in me wanted to peel back all his layers, but a louder, and hopefully smarter part of me, left well enough alone. I was here for a purpose, and that’s what I would focus on.
The two women were sitting at the table when I returned. Liam moved to greet me, his eyebrows shooting up when he focused on my top. I took his offered hand and tried not to stiffen when he leaned in to whisper, “This is what you settled on?”
“Everything else was too small. Who’d you stock up for? Tinkerbell?” A small yelp escaped me, and I jerked my hand out of his. “Seriously, why does that keep happening?”
He ignored me and turned back to the women. “Jocelyn Hamilton, Pamela Campbell, this is Ember Steele.”
They smiled to be polite, but I recognized the look in their eyes. It’s the same look I’ve gotten my entire life. They knew who I was, and they were wondering if my curse would spread to them. Not necessarily that I would pass it on to them, but that I’m bad luck to be around. Like walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror. Make friends with the red skunk and have seven years bad luck!
I smiled warmly but inside I was rolling my eyes. Hard. We may have smart phones and fancy electric cars, but no amount of advancement seems to make superstitious ignorance disappear.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” I said, holding out my hand to see if they’d dare to touch me.
