Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
“Where will you go? You said it yourself, Bar Harbor’s booked like crazy this time of year.”
“There’s always somewhere. It’s not your problem.” I shrug.
“But… do you even live in Maine?”
“New York, Scarsdale. Long drive back, but I’m sure we can crash somewhere.”
Her face drops.
“Sounds pretty rough with kids.” Her tone isn’t unsympathetic.
The empathy catches me off guard.
Do we really have a chance?
I fully expected the ice princess treatment until the second we rolled down the driveway, and probably a parting ‘fuck you’ for treading on her little kingdom.
“We’ll manage,” I say gruffly.
Her frown deepens. “There’s nowhere else… You said it yourself. How long did it take you to get here?”
“Eight or nine hours with a couple stops. Got a real early start.”
“Oh, crap.” She sucks her bottom lip.
Like I need a reminder.
“What else do you suggest, lady? I’m offering to get out of your hair.” I’m losing my patience.
“Dad, can we stay?” Dan calls impatiently from the other room.
I look back just as I hear Sophie smack him.
Margot leans against the wall, her arms folded, her face lost in contemplation.
“Why not,” she says with a sigh. “I know how hard it can be to find rentals in these parts, especially in the fall. This place is massive anyway. I won’t use all four bedrooms.”
“So we can stay?” Dan whoops from the great room.
“Weren’t you listening? We can stay!” This time, it’s Sophie.
She claps her hand over her mouth like she’s shocked at the sound of her own voice.
I am, too.
It’s not often she gets this worked up, especially in front of a stranger.
That tells me this place means more to her than I realized, and it slams my heart like a brick.
“You can stay,” Margot confirms. “As long as you don’t mind sharing a room and the kitchen.”
“That’s very generous—” I start, but the kids leap up from where they’re sitting on the stairs and sprint for the back door.
Dan flings it open until it bangs against the doorstopper.
He holds it open for Sophie, and they’re already gone before I can tell them to slow down and be careful.
Lovely.
“That won’t happen again,” I promise quickly. “If I can, I’ll patch up a few things around here.”
“No, don’t put yourself out. They’re nice kids,” she says, watching them as they go bounding across the lawn to the lake. “Sophie and…?”
“Daniel. Dan for short.”
“They look like twins!”
“They are.”
She shrugs and pushes off from the wall.
“Well, feel free to settle in and unpack. I don’t need more than a room, really.”
“Thank you,” I say cautiously.
This is fucking new.
Sharing our vacation rental with a strange woman who owns the place wasn’t the plan, but it’s sure as hell better than being turned out with nowhere to go at the last minute. The place is huge, and as long as it’s safer than that staircase, we can handle a little extra company.
“You’re sure about this, Miss Blackthorn?”
“Totally.” Margot waves a hand. “How could I disappoint them? I remember how excited I’d get when I was that age. Anyway, I’m just here for work and to check in on the property. I’ll do a full walk-through to make sure there are no other hazards lurking around.”
Fine.
Time to make the best of this crisis-averted situation. I stick out my hand.
“Thank you. I mean that sincerely. I’m Kane Saint.”
“Saint?” She snorts with amusement. “I like Dadzilla better.”
My brows pull down.
That makes one of us.
After a second’s hesitation, she slips her fingers into mine.
Slim, smooth hands, slightly cool to the touch.
My blood sparks at her touch. I drop her hand like she’s four hundred degrees.
“That’s my name. Even if I’m more of a sinner at heart,” I say flatly.
She laughs again, blushing.
I wish I were joking.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. But your name sounds familiar.”
“I get that a lot.” I look away, hoping she doesn’t connect my name to my career. Hell, any of them.
She cocks her head slightly, staring more intently than before.
“I dunno. I feel like I know you from somewhere. It’ll come to me, though.”
I hope it doesn’t.
If I have my way, she’ll never figure it out.
I came here to keep a low profile.
I’ve had enough fame and bullshit pity I don’t deserve for one lifetime.
“Do you have a favorite room? We’ll give you top choice, of course,” I say.
The kids have already picked theirs, but they can move if we need to reshuffle.
“Nah.” She picks up one of her suitcases with a small groan.
“Let me.” But the second I move forward to help, she pierces me with a protective glare.
“I’ve got it. You’re a paying guest, not a bellhop.”
“Yeah.” I back up a step.
Okay. So this woman wants little to do with us besides sleeping under one roof.
Fine, that’s her right.
No skin off my nose.
Though it might make sharing this house awkward. On the other hand, awkward can be managed if we’re just sleeping here and having a few meals.