“No, I thought the place was fully furnished. It’s weird. It’s like half the stuff is just gone. There’s no dining table, no bedroom furniture, and a tiny fridge. I don’t really understand.”
“I know who would know,” he said grimly. “Did you call the agent?”
Arabella grimaced. “I left a message. I haven’t heard back from her. I’d rather not talk to her if possible. At least she dropped the keys off to Jake.”
Eli helped her position the heating pad on her back.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome. Are you all right? I mean, other than your sore back?”
“Uh, yeah. Just a bit unsure about why you’re here and helping me and calling me baby.”
“Don’t worry about that right now. Just relax.” There was a knock on the door that made her jump and Horse started to growl.
She was very jumpy. Was it the storm? Or was there something else going on?
“It’s all right. It’s just Kellan.” He’d gotten here quickly, Eli wondered if he had gotten the tools.
Walking to her door, he peered out the side window just to make sure it was Kellan before he opened it.
Kellan glared at him as he opened the door. “Got them for you.” He held out a tool box.
“Thanks.”
Kellan stepped inside and took off his jacket, hanging it on a hook by the door. “If there’s no furniture, then where has she been sleeping?”
“She’s been sleeping on a mattress on the floor,” Arabella said as she moved over to them. “But that’sherbusiness and not any of yours.” She glared at them both.
“I think you’re forgetting where you now live, baby,” Eli said cheerfully. “It’s most certainly our business if you’re in trouble.”
“I’m not in trouble.”
“Or in pain,” Eli added with a pointed look at her.
“In pain?” Kellan ran his gaze over her. “What’s wrong? What hurts?”
“I’m fine. I just strained my back. It will be all good by tomorrow morning.”
Kellan’s gaze narrowed. “Have you taken some muscle relaxers?”
“Yes.”
“Put heat on it?” Kellan asked.
“I just got her heating pad for her and plugged it in,” Eli said as he glanced through the toolbox.
He just needed some things to put the bracket on the wall. Most of the furniture should go together with an Allen wrench.
“Then why aren’t you sitting down with the heating pad on it?” Kellan drawled.
“Because I got up to see why you would rush through a storm to come here.”
“He wanted a toolbox.” Kellan pointed at Eli. “So I brought it for him. He likes to play Mr. Fix-It. By the way, those aren’t Duncan’s. I got them from the front desk.”
“Got it,” Eli said as he got to work, unpackaging the bracket for the TV.
Kellan walked into the living room and stared around. “Why is there only one piece of furniture in here? And why have youhad to sleep on a mattress on the floor? Why was there no furniture?”
