“He was holding a pretty redhead. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Holding her how?” Sara asked sharply.
“I’m sure his embrace was completely innocent,” Essie said.
“Of course,” Sara agreed. “You’ll have to ask him.”
“Hey! Is anyone home?” Zander called from the front of the house.
“We’re back here,” Sara answered for her when Essie didn’t respond.
Marmalade stood and sauntered toward the open door. The cat disappeared without a word, a split second before Zander reached the kitchen, leaving Essie holding the door handle.
“It smells amazing in here, Sara. Are you making cookies?” Zander asked. “Essie? Are you leaving?”
“Just letting Marmalade out,” Essie answered breezily and closed the door.
“The cookies over on the rack have cooled if you’d like to help yourself,” Sara said helpfully. “Maybe your guest would like one too.”
“My guest? Oh, you mean Cynthia. My stable workers sent her over when she stopped by my place,” Zander explained.
“That was nice of them.” Essie wasn’t thinking happy thoughts about his staff at the moment, but she wouldn’t admit that. Why had that floozy stopped by his place? Was she an ex? “It’s great to run into old friends, isn’t it?”
“Sure. She’s waiting outside for me to show her the barn. Cynthia’s considering buying a horse and wondered if she could stable one on my land. I’d take her a cookie, but she’ll never eat it.” Zander grabbed one and headed back to the front of the house with a wave.
“Cynthia’s old news, Essie. Zander dated her for a while but dropped her like a hot potato when he found out she was dating two guys at the same time,” Sara told her.
“Oh, of course.” Essie acted as if finding out that Cynthia was an ex hadn’t set off an earthquake under her feet. No wonder they’d seemed so natural together. “I’d better get busy.”
“Want a cookie for brain fuel?” Sara asked.
“Thanks, Sara.” Essie picked up two. She’d eat Cynthia’s as well. Chomping a big bite out of the first one, Essie headed for her office. Those accounts better balance, or she was going back for two more.
“Where are you, Essie?” Zander called from the front foyer.
She didn’t answer. Deliberately.
Essie had escaped from her office after finally reconciling the books. Their suite had seemed eerily quiet, so she’d wandered through the mansion with her e-reader to find a comfortable spot to hide. She’d tried not to notice that Zander had been gone for hours, but she’d reread one chapter repeatedly.
“I’m sure she’s here somewhere.” Sara’s voice drifted to her.
“Thanks, Sara. I’ll search for her.”
Ignoring Zander as he yelled her name, Essie pretended to enjoy her book. She’d chosen a good place to hide. He was having trouble finding her. A floorboard in the hallway creaked close by.Shucks! He’s here.She forced herself not to look up as he walked into the room.
“Hey! Didn’t you hear me calling you, Little girl?”
“I must have missed that. I was reading,” Essie answered, lifting her reader.
“That must be an excellent book,” he commented, walking into the small sitting room that Esther had enjoyed. “Why are you in here?”
“I like this room.”
“Okay.” He studied her intently before asking, “Is something wrong, Essie?”
“What could possibly be wrong?” she asked, shrugging.
“I don’t know. Did you get bad news about an event?”
