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Shane let out a dry laugh. “What exactly do you think I’m up to? Dianna and Grace work for me.”
“And they’re not here. You know that becauseyou’vescheduled them.”
She made a good point, but this was still regarding business, not pleasure. “I’m actually here to see Eloise.”
Brielle tossed back her head and let out a derisive laugh. “Isn’t that something. I was going to talk to you about that. When were you going to tell me you lied about having family?”
His brows creased, then immediately they shot upward. Of course Brielle would hear about this. Both Faye and Eloise had seen his interaction with Marc and Madeline.
“See? I knew it! You lied about your family.”
“It’s not what you think, Brielle. Just… can I speak with Eloise? She helped me out at the restaurant on opening night and the chef is adamant we still need her help.”
She let out a groan. “You have got to be kidding me. What iswithyou? Can’t find anyone to work for you that isn’t a Callahan? You have to keep pulling from my family?”
Shane pinched the bridge of his nose. So much for ending things amicably.Shewas the one who broke up with him. What did she have to be so upset about? “Look, I’m not offering her a permanent position. I’m asking for a favor. That’s all. She’s the one who asked if she could continue working with me.” When he glanced back in Brielle’s direction, she was glowering at him.
“You refused her help?”
He muttered a curse under his breath. “For heaven’s sake, Brielle. You can be mad at me for hiring her or you can be mad at me for not hiring her. It can’t be both.”
She snapped her mouth shut and her face flushed with color.
“Will you please go get her for me? I just need to see if she can help out this evening and then I will get out of your hair.”
Brielle crossed her arms, then shook her head.
“Why not?” he demanded in exasperation. “I’d call her phone but—”
“Yourcousinhas it.”
His jaw tightened. She was upset about what she perceived to be a lie. Technically hedidhave family, but none he had wanted to tell her about. Every family had that one member who was considered the black sheep. Well, in a herd of black sheep, Shane was the one that didn’t belong. His family were all undeserving criminals that only ever wanted to take from his grandfather. “Yeah. My cousin has it,” he muttered bitterly.
“Not anymore. Though I don’t know if Eloise would answer a call from you at this point. She didn’t seem all that happy this morning when we were talking. I had a feeling something was up, but I never dreamed it was becauseyoudid something.”
His heart stuttered. “What do you mean, not anymore?”
“I can’t believe you thought it was okay to use her like that. You should know better.”
“Brielle!”
She jumped. “What?”
“Whereisshe?”
“Eloise is on a date. Why?”
It took everything in his power to keep his voice level. This couldn’t be happening. He prayed Marc wasn’t doing what Shane knew deep down he was capable of. “Please tell me she’s with some cowboy from town.”
Brielle’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“It’s every bit my business if I—” He snapped his mouth shut. Who was he kidding? He knew better than to assume Marc wasn’t involved. Eloise had her phone, and she was now on a date. It all added up, and there was no denying any of it. “I’m only going to ask you this once. Where did they go?”
“Honestly, Shane. You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, and you aren’t even dating my sister.”
He was just about to throw his hands in the air and go hunting for the two of them when he heard the sound of a vehicle coming along the drive leading to the property. Shane turned toward the noise.
“Looks like you’re not going to have to worry about tracking her down. She’s back.” Brielle set her steely gaze on him and let out a big sigh. “Just don’t do anything stupid.” She flipped her hair and headed inside, shutting the door behind her.
