“Zander, you aren’t listening to me,” Essie said again.
“Don’t worry about the construction. Are you finally getting that wood rot treated?” he asked.
“You noticed wood rot?” Essie asked.
“Yeah, hard to miss the telltale signs. I’m glad you’re acting quickly. You don’t want to lose your entire roof,” Zander told her. “See you in a couple of hours.” He was gone before she could say anything else. Steamrolled by team Zander and Sara, Essie struggled to figure out how she’d totally lost control of her own mansion.
“I’ll get that room ready,” Sara said.
“Sara! I didn’t want him to stay here.”
“Your aunt would like you to be neighborly. Besides, he could push that he had a verbal contract with Esther. This seemed like a good way to smooth the waters.”
Essie couldn’t argue with that. “Don’t give him the green room. Put him on the third floor—far away from me.”
“I hate to admit those rooms are dusty. Esther had me close off the top floor years ago.”
“Then stick him at the other end of the hall.”
“I’ll check out another space for him,” Sara promised.
“Thank you.” Essie rolled her eyes as she headed to the current library. This had worked as an office for Edmund. She planned to restore the room’s original purpose. This space would be the perfect sunny location for client meetings and a workspace for her.
Chapter Four
She should have guessed something was up when Marmalade appeared in the hallway the next morning. That cat always seemed to be where trouble was brewing. Essie had taken time to brush her hair and change into jeans and a T-shirt before heading down to the kitchen to grab some coffee. She avoided Zander last night by going shopping in the quaint shops downtown. The small-business owners had jumped at the possibility of providing services and goods for her new business venture.
Essie was literally buzzing with energy this morning. She’d just stepped out her door when the one across the hallway opened to reveal Zander with only a bath towel wrapped around his hips.
“Where are you, damn cat?”
Essie swallowed hard at the sight of all that Zander on display. His hair dripped with water. She watched one fat drop land on his firm pec and roll down a chiseled torso to absorb into the thirsty terrycloth. The damp material clung to a thick shaft that seemed way larger than average. Was he porn-star sized?
“Essie, I’m up here.”
Her face heated tremendously as Essie realized she was staring. “Sorry. You’re supposed to be at the end of the hall,” she blurted out.
“This room is green. Isn’t that the one Sara said she would put me in?” he asked.
Essie replayed Sara’s words. Sara had promised to check on other rooms for Zander—not to make arrangements for him elsewhere.Damn it.Sara had probably peeked into another room before plopping Zander in the room she’d originally chosen for him. That was the problem with having a housekeeper who’d worked as part of the staff forever. Sara would always know best.
Quickly, Essie switched to another topic. “Did Marmalade cause a problem?”
“He paraded back and forth across me until I gave up and went to take a shower. Then, I swear, he flushed the toilet, turning the water scalding hot. He had to do that on purpose,” Zander said, glowering at the evildoer in question who hid behind Essie’s legs.
“Yeah.” She nodded to make Zander believe that was even possible. Marmalade couldn’t flush a toilet, right? He was a cat. And what feline brain would grasp that old pipes and filling the tank with cold water would cause the person showering to get blasted with hot spray? “Sorry?”
Zander shook his head in disbelief and stalked back into his room. Before he slammed the door, Essie was able to appreciate that his rounded butt looked very toned.Stop ogling the man. He’s not interested in you!
She turned to continue her path to the kitchen and found herself whistling with merriment as she replayed that conversation with Zander. At least the cat was in her corner and was making Zander pay for invading her house.What a great day!“Come on, Marmalade. I owe you kitty treats.”
With a roar of approval, the miniature orange tiger dashed down the hall in front of her. In the kitchen, she fixed herself a double coffee with an extra shot of espresso. The instant zingof alertness that followed was almost as appealing as Zander in a towel.
“Okay, it’s nowhere close,” she muttered.
“Are you planning a trip?” Sara asked, appearing in the doorway.
“Yikes! Could you make some noise to clue me in that you’re coming?” Essie asked. “By the way, what happened to choosing another room for Zander?”
