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“Look,” I start, softening my voice as I step closer to her, “Holden isn’t the type to get up and cook you breakfast. I get that he’s”—I struggle to find the right words—“enticing, and I’m sure last night was one for the books. I would strongly encourage you to leave before he gets back. You should log this away as a fun experience. He doesn’t really date. I’ve known him my whole life, and he’s never even had a girlfriend. I don’t mean to scare you, but he was released from prison like, barely over a month ago.”
She shakes her head. “I know exactly who he is. We had a connection last night. He didn’t even try to sleep with me. He told me he’s not looking for a hookup. He just wanted me to sleep next to him.” Her eyes grow distant. “Isn’t that … romantic?”
My lungs decompress slowly as I process her confession.
Holden didn’t fuck her?
I know it couldn’t be because he wasn’t attracted to her. She’s literally flawless, Playboy Bunny perfect.
“Oh, well … that’s something.” I shrug, the casual gesture betraying the relief flooding my system like oxygen. “I don’t really know him that well.” I hesitate, pursing my lips before finally deciding to spit out my next words. “Do you want some coffee?”
As a politician’s wife, my mother took pride in raising me to be an immaculate hostess. I’m not the woman of this house, but as the housekeeper, I tend to take on the role of serving guests. Dolly prefers it that way, it seems.
I lead the girl down the hallway after giving her time to dress in her clothes from the night before. From the looks of the skimpy outfit, she’s a bartender.
“I don’t think I caught your name?” I turn to say to her as we enter the kitchen. It’s eleven in the morning, so I was about to start cooking lunch.
“Savannah. And yours was Rosie, right?” she says.
You can be nice to her. You can. You will.
“Right. Dolly should be around here somewhere.”
I’m hoping she is, so I can get to work and stop having to make small talk with Holden’s latest conquest. The fact that they didn’t sleep together makes it a little easier for me to breathe, but I’m still too busy to be entertaining her.
Unless she lied about it …
“Do you know where Holden is?” she asks.
I shake my head, moving toward the pot of cold coffee that has a little left in it. I pour it into a mug and pop it into the microwave. After it heats, I remove it and set it on the island with the bottle of creamer. She grabs the cup without a thank-you.
I move over to the farmhouse sink, where the beef is thawing out. I planned to make steak sliders with green beans for lunch, and the meat needs tenderizing.
I disinfect the butcher block countertop and lay it out. The metal mallet for tenderizing weighs in my hand as I get ready to begin.
“What’s for lunch, sweet cheeks?” a male voice speaks from behind me.
I spin around with the mallet still in my hand.
“Whoa, what’s got that frown line in your forehead so deep?” Duke approaches me, raising a hand to lower the tool.
My eyes flick over to Savannah briefly before returning to his. He tilts his head to the side, peering at me curiously.
“Huh?”
I raise the mallet again, turning back to the meat. “I’m making steak sandwiches. It’ll be ready in forty-five.”
Duke turns around to face the stranger sitting at the island. “Have we met? You look strangely familiar. Ah! Don’t tell me—you’re the babe from my dream last night.”
She giggles. “I’m Savannah. I didn’t see you at Old Harry’s last night.”
I bring the mallet down with a whack. They continue talking, but I block it out and focus on the task. The bright red meat is from a Redford Ranch cow, rich and thick. It’ll taste like heaven once I’m done seasoning it and searing it in the cast-iron skillet.
The mallet comes down again and again, helping to release a bit of tension from my shoulders with each thud.
“Rosie.” A soft voice from beside me breaks through my focus. I pause, turning to face a wide-eyed Dolly.
“Are you good?” she asks, eyeing the mutilated meat on the counter.
