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Her eyes widened. “I can’t ask Jeremy to wash my clothes.”
The back door opened again. Damn, Jeremy was quick. “It’s really no trouble, Miss Frankie,” he informed her. “Truly, I would love to take care of more for you. I have a room ready for you at the house, and I asked Mr. Archie for a list of pet supplies, so if you wanted to come stay, you could bring the cats with you.”
He was setting the table, and I divided my attention between him and Frankie. Wearing a shell-shocked expression, she surprised me when she said, “Jeremy, I think that’s the sweetest offer you’ve ever made me, and I remember the first time you went to the store to get stuff for French toast because I asked.”
The older man smiled. “It was my pleasure, I like cooking for people who enjoy food. In fact, I’ve made the roast and potatoes. I also included a salad and some cheesecake. I know you prefer ice cream, but I thought the cheesecake would make a nice difference. There should be plenty for all the boys as well.”
She blinked really hard and turned, but not before I caught the sight of tears. Oh shit. “Hey,” I said softly, rubbing her biceps before I hugged her gently from behind. “If you want something else, you have to tell him, or he’s going to blow up my phone.”
It was a joke, and she gave a watery laugh that promised she got the humor.
“It’s okay,” I said in a lower voice. “If you don’t want me to send your laundry, I won’t, but he wants to help. We all do.”
And her trying to do laundry with a broken wrist was right at the top of my nope list.
“Course, if you want, I’ll do your laundry. You can even show me how the machines work. It can’t be that hard.”
“There’s no way that could possibly go wrong,” Jeremy decried in his dry tone. “I implore you, Miss Frankie, that if you do teach him how to do his own laundry, you explain it in full, or I’m afraid you’ll find all your colors bleeding into your whites if he doesn’t blow up the washing machines themselves trying toimprovethem.”
“That was once,” I argued, gleefully taking the bone he threw me. “And I was ten. I didn’t know that soap dispenser wouldn’t know to only dispense the correct amount of soap.”
Jeremy gave me a patient look, and a small wink.
Frankie laughed again, the watery sound far more amused this time. “That’s a story I’d like to hear.”
“Well then I shall gladly tell you while I set up your food and Mr. Archie gets the laundry.”
Glancing up at me, then at Jeremy, Frankie pulled off her hat and said. “Okay…do you mind if I send the bed sheets, too?”
“Not at all. In fact, do you mind if I take pictures of Mr. Archie trying to make the bed?”
She giggled. Honest-to-god giggled.
“I don’t know, that might be mean.” Then she glanced at me. “Do youknowhow to make a bed?”
“I know how to wreck one,” I said, keeping my tone dry. “How hard could it be to do it the other way?”
Jeremy’s snort spoke volumes, but it made Frankie laugh again. “Tell you what, I’ll show you how after we eat and I have my shower.”
“Works for me.” I dropped a kiss on her lips, just lightly brushing them. I did not want to upset that cut there. “Go sit and let Jeremy spoil you while I do the grunt work.” Then I whispered next to her ear. “He really needs someone to look after since I’m staying here.”
“Uh huh. Don’t peek at my panties while you’re stacking the clothes.”
“What panties?” I asked as I backed away. “If you don’t have any, you don’t need to wear them…”
“Mr. Archie,” Jeremy’s prim verbal smack stopped me in my tracks. “You will include all of Miss Frankie’s things without comment or teasing. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” I said with a salute, and when Frankie looked away from me laughing, I met Jeremy’s gaze and mouthed ‘thank you.’ He nodded serenely.
“Come along, Miss Frankie. As I recall, you were quite fond of the horseradish with your roast beef, and I brought some just for you.”
“Oh, you really are going to spoil me.”
That was the idea.
In the bedroom, I fired off a text to the guys to let them know she was doing all right. I know I’d want to know, and I better get updates from them when I had to go in.
That done, I whistled as I stripped the bed. See, that wasn’t so hard…
