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Ella makes a soft sound of disgust and shakes her head. “I don’t want to talk about it. Actually, if it’s okay with you, I might go back to bed for a little while. Or at least take a shower.”
“I thought we were all going to eat breakfast together.”
Ella glances up at me, her expression unreadable. “What do you want from me? Do you want an actual nanny? Do you want me to be trapped here while you investigate the journalist? Or do you want a breakfast companion? Because I sure as hell cannot be all the things you want.”
Folding my arms across my chest, I half out a laugh. “Fine. I just thought that you might be hungry too. Forgive me for thinking that you have needs.”
“Look. I feel for you. I realize that you and Isla are in a tough situation, sort of. But this bullshit you’re spewing about my needs? I don’t buy it.”
I roll my eyes but she stomps her foot and makes an angry sound.
“Do you know what your problem is? You’re dismissive of things you don’t understand. How can you solve anyone’s problems if you can’t even comprehend them?”
“I think my employees think I am an excellent problem solver,” I snap.
“Yeah, the ones that make it past the three month mark, sure. See, that’s why I could never even pretend that you and I could be a thing. Because I grew up with a father that was not stable. He had money for most of my childhood, but he also had a lot of rage and a lot of needs. I am not interested in dating anybody that is like my father.”
I throw my hands in the air, my temper getting the better of me. “We’re not dating!”
“And there’s a reason for that!” She says, throwing a final piece of chalk in the chalk bucket. She gives herself a shake and tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Do you know what? I don’t need this. I’m going upstairs to my room. And I’ll be back down when I feel like it.”
She turns and stalks away, her hips moving in a sultry sway as she goes. And I stare after her, trying to figure out why I’m so very attracted to her.
CHAPTERELEVEN
I come bounding down the many castle stairs, my stomach giving a loud grumble. Last night we had leftovers for dinner and none of the leftovers were particularly appealing to me. So I am extra hungry this morning, even knowing that I will probably have to fend for myself because Mrs. Wolf is spending the weekend with her family.
Specifically, I have bacon and eggs on my mind. Ever since I got here, it’s been granola or muesli for breakfast. But I asked Mrs. Wolf very nicely to get these items for me and they should be in the refrigerator somewhere.
My heart races as I work my way through the darkened rooms. It’s still early, about four thirty in the morning, and no one else is up. Which is fine by me because I don’t exactly want to let Keir see me stuffing my face with fatty bacon and high calorie eggs. I can admit to myself that he probably doesn’t care at all, but I care. I’ll be damned if I let him see me making bad choices for my healing body.
I practically break the kitchen door down when I bust through it. To my surprise, the light is on and there is a slim brunette figure sticking her head in the fridge. At the sound of my entrance, she looks up at me with a grin.
“Saffron!” I exclaim. “I didn’t even know you were here! When did you get in?”
She closes the refrigerator doors and pulls a face. “A few hours ago. My schedule is all screwed up from finals week right now. So I woke up at the crack of two AM and drove out here.”
“Oh. Gotcha. Well, I’m glad to see you even though it’s maybe the literal middle of the night.”
She squints at me. “Yeah, it is very early. What are you doing up?”
I wrinkle my nose. “I’ve been dreaming about eating eggs and bacon for days now. Mrs. Wolf promised me that she would get me some bacon so… I guess I am up early to indulge myself in a big high calorie breakfast.”
I’m not sure how Saffron will respond to it, but she immediately lights up like I’ve just told her really great news.
“That’s amazing! You should definitely be treating yourself. Do you mind if I join you?”
I feel myself blush but I just nod my head. “Sure. The more the merrier, I guess.”
Heading over to the fridge, I pull out the ingredients that I will need: eggs, milk, cheese, bacon, and a little butter. Saffron makes herself useful by putting a heavy cast-iron skillet on the stove and turning on one of the burners. I hunt around in the pantry for a mixing bowl and salt and pepper, then crack a few eggs into the bowl and mix it all up with a fork.
Saffron lays strips of bacon out in the frying pan and then sets out another smaller sauce pan for the eggs. She lights the burner and then adds a little butter to the pan. As the bacon heats up, the sense of it frying begins to fill the air.
“So. How has your first few weeks been here at the castle?” Saffron asks, giving me a considering luck.
I put down the fork and make a face, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s been up and down. Mostly down, I guess.”
She nods. “I can see how that could be. My brother can be quite beastly. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that though.”
