Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 53516 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53516 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
"Are you going to help or what?"
"I am helping. Someone has to feed and burp Cosette, don't they?"
His nostrils flared, but he turned back to the box in silence while I settled Cosette back in her carrier and put on music.
"Okay. I have the different pieces all organized, so if you tell me what you need, I'll hand it to you and hold things while you tighten them. Unless you want to be the designated holder?"
"No, thanks."
"Didn't think so." Xavier was...exactly as handy as I would expect of a growly mountain man, and we managed to get the crib put together much quicker than anticipated. The changing table and the swing took a few more hours, but we got them put together and settled them in the third and final guest room. "Good job, Xavier. Really good."
He let out a huff of laughter. "Yeah, thanks."
He was mocking me, but I let it slide since he did most of the hard work putting together the baby furniture. "Right. I'm going to see about dinner." Xavier's fridge looked like what you'd expect of a modern bachelor, stocked with the basics like eggs, milk, and bread. The freezer held a lot of meat: steaks, pork chops, and chicken quarters. And potatoes. Lots and lots of potatoes.
Since he seemed like a steak-and-potatoes kind of guy, that's what I went with and got to work peeling and chopping russet potatoes. I set Cosette up on the table and kept up a steady chatter while I cooked.
"You just have to use a little bit of the starchy water to whip the potatoes. It makes 'em creamy without adding too much extra fat." I smiled, and she kicked her feet adorably. "Just you wait until you taste these bad boys; you're gonna squeal with delight, little girl."
"Give it a rest," he growled at me from the kitchen doorway.
"I wasn't talking to you at all, actually." I didn't know what his problem was, but there was no way in hell I was going to let him take out his frustrations on me. "Be mad about the situation, but don't be mad at me, Xavier. I'm just the hired help."
"Yeah, well, remember that." He stormed off again in a swirl of a bad mood and attitude, and the only good part was that he looked damn fine when he walked away.
"Don't ever let anyone tell you that we're the moody sex, Cosette. It's the men. They are about one hundred times worse than us on our worst, most emotional week of the month. Remember that, yeah?"
She made a few gurgling sounds that put a smile back on my face.
"Yeah, you get me, Cosette. You really get me." When dinner was done, I set two plates and piled them with food. I had no clue where Xavier was, so I shouted, "Dinner!" and sat down to eat my steak while it was still warm and juicy.
Xavier could eat or not eat; it wasn't my concern.
Chapter 9
Xavier
A damn annoying, nosy woman with her constant prodding and poking. Who did she think she was to keep pressuring me to do things I didn't want to do? Furthermore, what damn business was it of hers if I opened the damn envelope or not?
None, that's what. It was none of her damn business, and I'd just have to remind her whenever she forgot and stepped over the line. It was my choice if or when to look inside, and I wouldn't be pressured to do it before I was ready. I'd left the corporate world for that very reason, and I wouldn't let some nanny force my hand in my own damn home.
She'd already driven me out of the cabin to chop more wood because I would need more now that the other two rooms were occupied. The cabin was on the grid with running electricity, but nothing beat the fireplace on a cold mountain evening. Chopping wood calmed me. The constant overhead swing was relaxing and helped clear my mind.
And the sound of my phone ringing in my pocket shattered that calm. "What do you want?" I growled into the phone.
"Wow, your mood has gotten significantly worse since we last spoke. Does that mean you spoke to Mom?"
"No," I bit out. "She hasn't called. Thankfully."
"Then what's got your panties in a bunch?" Count on Nate to get straight to the point.
"I don't know since I don't wear panties. Something you need to confess?" I tapped the speaker button and went back to chopping wood. "Did you call for a reason other than to piss me off?"
"Yeah, how's the little bundle of poop and slobber?"
The swing missed the block of wood, and I dropped the axe before I ended up losing a toe, or a whole damn foot. "She's fine. Still pooping and slobbering. Crying a lot less, though."