“If you’re looking at repairs that would cost a thousand bucks, just run it past me first, okay?” I tap my foot impatiently, waiting.
He stares at me for a long second.
“Okay. Assuming you’re done throwing hissy fits over the basics.”
Dick.
I hate the term ‘hissy fit.’
Like I’m some hysterical creature who can’t check her inner bitch before it eats someone’s face.
If only I could melt him through the floor with a glare.
“Yeah, fine. I’m going to trust you to live up to your name and respect my property, Saint.”
“Fair enough,” he says unexpectedly, wiping down the table.
I stare at the bulging basket of blueberries, wondering what the hell I’m going to do with them.
Make twenty blueberry pies?
It’s not a terrible idea.
I love baking and it’s the only thing in the kitchen I’m any good at, so this would be a great excuse to sharpen my skills.
Kane catches my eye again as he works around me silently.
I chew my lip, doing my best not to watch him too long.
I’ll admit, if you look past the good looks and rancid attitude, there might be a semi-decent human underneath.
My mind drift’s back to PopPop’s letter and whatever he hid in this house. Only, now it feels like I have more than family secrets to find.
What’s Kane Saint hiding?
Why does he need to occupy every waking second so badly?
What kind of demons is he trying to tame?
4
HOME SWEET HELL (KANE)
Too much goddamned bacon.
I’ve got the meat sweats in spades, but that’s not the only reason I’m burning up on a crisp autumn morning like this.
Only our first morning here, and while the kids are inside doing their homework, I’m out here scrubbing the hell out of this dock, erasing years of grime and mildew. I want to see how the boards look underneath.
It’s a pleasant autumn morning, the sun still as warm as a summer’s kiss but the air cool. The leaves are unholy, tinged with every shade of red, and the reflections on the water make me feel like I’ve stepped into a watercolor painting.
Maine is fucking incredible at its peak.
For a second, I stop working the brush, tilting my face up to the sun. I breathe out half my soul, feeling the stress melting away.
That’s rare as hell, especially considering the situation.
This morning at breakfast, I should’ve known nothing would come easy with this strange woman around.
