After freeing her hair from the ponytail, Bailey went to the dresser to get her pajamas, checking her phone again, hoping to find a text from Rafe. She frowned at the screen when she saw there wasn’t one. With a huff, she set it on the dresser.
“What are you doin’?”
Bailey shrieked, spinning around to find Seth standing in the bedroom doorway, his face contorted with what looked eerily like excitement. Like he’d caught her doing something she shouldn’t, and he now had the upper hand.
Or maybe that was her guilt creating an illusion.
“Getting ready for bed. Why?”
Seth placed a hand on the doorjamb to keep himself upright, his chin jerking in the direction of her phone. “What’s that?”
He’d been drinking. She knew because his face was blotchy, his eyes glassy. Those were both signs he’d overindulged, which was usually when she saw this side of him.
“My phone.”Duh.
“Who’re you calling?”
“No one.” It was the truth. Technically, she hadn’t been calling anyone.
Seth moved toward her, and Bailey picked up her phone, clutching it tightly and hiding it behind her back. The move made her look guilty, she knew, but she honestly didn’t care.
“What’s goin’ on, Bailey? Who’re you on the phone with in the middle of the damn night?”
Figuring Seth wouldn’t be happy unless she told him, she opted for the truth. “I texted Rafe. Wanted to make sure he got home all right.”
“Got home?” He glared at her. “From where?”
“He drove me home from my job interview,” she said, unable to come up with a better answer. She didn’t knowwhatshe’d say if Seth remembered that it was earlier in the day.
“Interview? Did you get fired?”
Well, at least she didn’t have to worry about coming up with another lie. He didn’t remember. He never did.
“No, I didn’t get fired.” Did the maneverlisten to her? “I applied for a job at the B and B.”
He rolled his eyes. “Tired of bussing tables? Thought you’d clean rooms instead. Jesus, Bailey. Can’t you stick to one job?”
She’d only had one job for the past three years, but she didn’t remind him of that. There were times Bailey wondered if the guy knew anything about her at all.
“Wait.” Seth’s forehead scrunched, and his head turned so he could regard her with a sideways glare. “The B and B? With Rafe’sbrother?”
“Yes.”
“Is this you tryin’ to get closer to Rafe fucking Sharpe?” His words were drawled slowly, and she wondered if he was having difficulty keeping up with the conversation.
“I work with himnow, Seth. I’m not sure I could get much closer.”
“I knew it! I knew you were tryin’ to hook up with that bastard.”
Oh, geez.
“I am not.”
“Then why’re we talkin’ about him?”
“You’re the one who brought him up!” Bailey snapped.
“Rafe fucking Sharpe,” Seth said as though he was trying to wash the taste out of his mouth.
