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“I’m aware of the obvious,” Bo bit out.
The hostility between the two men—which had so far remained under the surface—was starting to ooze through the cracks. Actually, Bastian hadn’t changed. It was Bo. He had to be tired of taking Bastian’s shit because he wasn’t allowing Bastian to push him any further.
Ismay couldn’t help being concerned for him. Bo wasn’t in as strong of a position as the spoiled son of the rich family who employed him. She desperately hoped Bastian wouldn’t become aware of the fact that she’d spent much of the day with Bo and even cooked him dinner. That wouldn’t help matters.
“Great. Give her a call. When it’s convenient for you, of course,” Bastian added, as if Bo had been needlessly testy.
Bo said nothing. He just shut the door. Then he walked to the sink where he stopped and stared out, presumably watching Bastian leave.
“Do you think he knows I’m here?” Ismay asked, keeping her voice down.
“No way. That would’ve gone much worse if he did, especially because you were here the last time he came over.”
“I don’t think it went very well as it was,” she said.
He shrugged. “He likes to push my buttons.”
“He likes to push everyone’s buttons.”
“Especially if he feels he can get away with it,” Bo pointed out. “I’ve met guys like him before...”
“Where you grew up?” she asked.
“No, not there,” he replied. “But plenty of other places.”
Otherplaces. He never got specific, didn’t like to talk about his past, but given the violence that’d claimed his mother’s life, she supposed she could understand.
Once she felt safe Bastian wouldn’t be able to see her, she got up and peered through the window, too, just in time to see Remy’s brother disappear behind the hedge between this property and Windsor Cottage. “It was nice of you to offer to let Jack stay here. But now I know we can’t take you up on the offer.”
His eyes focused on her. “You’re not saying that because of Bastian...”
“Iamsaying it because of Bastian. You don’t need another source of friction between you and your employer’s sons.”
“I can’t help it if Remy and Bastian have been overly indulged and turned out to be arrogant assholes. I’m sorry if that offends you, but I’m not going to let either one of them dictate what I do—beyond what I’m getting paid to do, of course.”
She shoved her hands in the pockets of her faded jeans. “The Windsors own this house. What if they say you can’t charge rent for a roommate?”
“I wasn’t going to charge Jack.”
“There’s no way he’d stay for free, Bo. He wouldn’t be comfortable if he wasn’t compensating you in some way.”
“Then we’ll work out a trade—the room in exchange for cooking or something.”
That sounded fair. As far as the Windsors knew, he’d be a guest, and she couldn’t see how they could object to Bo having a temporary guest—even if it was her brother. And with Jack staying in the bungalow, she’d have some time to make other arrangements, even if Honey decided not to go visit her family. “I have no doubt he’d help with whatever you need. He’s a handy guy to have around. He could even chop down the tree that fell in the garden and repair the fence.”
“We’ll get along fine. Sounds like you’d better cancel his stay at Hotel Mariners, if you can.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re okay with him comingtonight?”
“As long ashe’sokay with the fact that this place isn’t in the best shape at the moment...”
“He won’t care about that. As I said, he’d be happy to help you get it pulled back together.”
“Fine. I’m looking forward to meeting him. There’s no need to make him pay for a hotel.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness or put you in a bad situation. You barely know me—and you don’t know Jack at all.”
A mock scowl creased his face. “What do you mean? We’ve spent two nights together.”
