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“Oh good,” she said, and there was no missing the sarcasm when I stepped out of my car. “You made it.”
Was I allowed to slap my clients? Probably not.
“It’s great to see you, as well, Cecily.” Her assistants met me at my car and helped carry in my supplies. “Care to show me to your kitchen?” It wasn’t often that I cooked in a client’s home, but sometimes, for the higher-dollar customers, I made adjustments as they wished. And this, apparently, was her wish.
I followed her through the enormous house, which was far too large for just one woman and looked more like a museum than a home. She had a Monet, the honest to goodness real deal and not a litho. I stared at it as I walked past.
Each room I passed was more luxurious and opulent than the last. Once I got past the thousand-dollar rugs and the priceless artwork and furnishings, I could see how she’d put it all together to create an elegant yet comfortable atmosphere. It was a shame that Cecily lived there. All the beauty was wasted on her, although it spoke to the professionalism and lack of prejudices against bitches her designer had.
The kitchen had smooth, cool marble countertops, and stainless-steel appliances, though I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
As I unloaded the groceries, Cecily hovered over me, practically breathing down my neck. “Are you sure you picked up everything on my list?”
“Of course.” I forced a smile. “Everything is from local vendors; nothing but the best quality.”
I set the tomatoes on the counter and turned to grab the cucumbers, but Cecily had moved right behind me, which resulted in me slamming right into her shoulder when I turned.
“Watch it!” She huffed in irritation. “You’d think the help would have a better sense of direction in the kitchen.”
Oh, so that was her plan. She’d brought me here to humiliate me. I shouldn’t have been surprised. People seldom acted differently than I expected. Should’ve known she intended to treat me as the help. Some things would never change. I just kept reminding myself of what she’d paid. That money would cover a couple car payments.
I could take her comments. After all, I knew plenty of rich, entitled women like Cecily who had no regard for others unless they could help them climb the proverbial social ladder. This wasn’t my first rodeo.
Not letting her get under my skin was the best recourse for such bad behavior, so I chose not to respond.
Instead, I ignored her snide remark. Cecily leaned against the kitchen counter and watched as I assembled her food per her dietary instructions.
Apparently, though, she didn’t like being ignored. She amped up and doubled down on her insults. “You know, you’re the wrong kind of woman to be with the alpha. If you end up being his mate”—which I would—“you’ll make the pack look weak. The entire pack. You don’t have status or upbringing. You’ll disgrace the pack. Aren’t you concerned about that?”
Yeah. I’d known this was about Ty. Again, not surprising. There was a saying about leopards and spots that seemed apt.
I glanced in Cecily’s direction. “No, I don’t think that will be an issue.”
Cecily threw her head back and cackled like an evil witch. “Oh? From where I’m standing, Ty couldn’t have picked a weaker, more pathetic mate if he’d tried. It’s sad, really. You’re wearing polyester, for God’s sake.”
Okay. I’d had enough. I turned and placed all of the remaining food into the fridge, then grabbed my empty canvas bag and slung it over my shoulder. “May I have a piece of paper and a pen?”
Cecily looked at me with an odd expression, finally snapping for one of her assistants. “Get her a pad of paper and something to write with.”
The young assistant jumped at Cecily’s order, and I wrote down the heating instructions for the steaks, bread, and a detailed explanation of making a salad.
“What are you doing?” Cecily stared over my shoulder at the instructions.
“This will be our only business transaction. I’m dropping you as a client.” I capped the pen and tossed it on the counter as Cecily’s jaw dropped. “You’re rude and entitled, and you make my working environment extremely uncomfortable. I have plenty of clients, and I don’t have to work in those types of conditions.”
Cecily took a step back, obviously stunned. “I’ll make sure you never work in this town again, mark my words.”
I shot Cecily a pointed look before responding. “I have a long-standing client list and they are extremely loyal to me and my business. They know me, the quality of my work, and the way I conduct business. So, if any of them want to drop me due to some baseless comments from a snobby little rich girl who didn’t get the man she wanted, then I don’t want to work for them, anyway.”
It was rare for me to let my feisty side loose, but I wouldn’t stand by and be treated like garbage.
I snatched up my purse and keys. “You should see a return in your account for the money left from the estimated budget by tomorrow.”
Without giving her a chance to respond, I turned and walked out of her fucking nightmare of a house, and left Cecily fuming in the middle of the kitchen.
Just as I closed the car door, my phone rang. It was Ty.
“Hello?” I pushed the call to my car’s Bluetooth, then pulled out of Cecily’s long ass driveway.
