Chapter 8 #2
“That’s a pretty insulting thing to say about your assistant.”
“Oh, don’t even.” Bree made a flicking motion with her hand. “I will make you cry if you turn this into a thing.”
“Ignore her,” Paisley said as she got comfortable. She had interesting tattoos up her arms. “She’s in a crabby-ass mood. She’s been this way since I got to her house this morning. She says she didn’t sleep well, but I think she needs to get laid.”
I had to duck my head at the incredulous look on Bree’s face.
“Do you want to work for him?” Bree demanded of her assistant. “If so, I can fire you right now. Just know he’ll either sexually harass you for the duration or have sex with you and then dump you in the first month.”
Nathan mock clutched at his heart. “You wound me.”
“And I’m not wrong,” Bree said. “Leave my assistant alone.”
“Fine.” Nathan shot Paisley another smile then focused on Bree. “I heard you had a run-in with a creep outside the restaurant last night. Are you okay?”
Even I was impressed with the way he asked the question. This was the Nathan I wanted to be friends with. He was not putting on an act. He genuinely cared, and despite his bravado, he would never do to a woman what had been done to Bree the previous evening.
“I’m fine,” Bree replied evasively, her eyes shifting to the big windows. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
Paisley’s keen gaze landed on her boss. “What happened last night?”
“It was nothing.” Bree waved her off. “I overreacted.”
I started shaking my head before I realized I was going to respond. “It was obvious he made you uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter if that was his intention. You’re allowed to feel what you feel, and you shouldn’t apologize for it.”
Gratitude flashed on Bree’s face. Then she lowered her chin. “Thank you, but I’ve been thinking about it. He technically didn’t do anything. He was just talking to me while I waited for an Uber.”
“He made you uncomfortable,” I argued. “We always tell people to follow their instincts on this stuff. You shouldn’t feel guilty because you did.”
“Yes, well, I appreciate you riding home with me,” she said, and I could tell she meant it. “Even though you hate me.”
I could have lied and said I didn’t hate her, but that would have been an insult to both of us. “Just because I think you’re the devil, that doesn’t mean I would let something bad happen to you.”
She laughed then looked down at the menu, clearly searching for a distraction. “What’s good here?”
Nathan was the one to answer. “I hear the po’boy is divine. Do you know what that is?’
“A po’boy?” Bree made a face. “Yes. I almost moved to New Orleans instead of here.”
“And why didn’t you?” Nathan asked.
“Honestly? Hurricanes. That was the deciding factor. I love New Orleans. The food is amazing. Beignets?” She offered up a chef’s kiss.
“Chicory coffee isn’t a favorite, but the beignets are worth it.
Savannah and New Orleans have a similar vibe, although New Orleans is louder.
The hurricanes were the deciding factor. ”
“Are you liking it here so far?” I asked, annoyed that I actually wanted to hear her answer.
“For the most part. I’m not sure I like all the rules at the Landings, though. Like… did you know you can only have one point of interest in your yard? You can have a birdbath or a feeder but not both. A birdbath or a water feature but not both.”
“Are you one of those people who likes a bunch of junk in your yard? Like … have you never met a lawn gnome you didn’t want to adopt?”
That made her laugh. “I like a good lawn gnome. But it’s not just that. I don’t like ‘structured’ living as much as the other people here apparently do.”
“Then why would you move here?” That was the part I couldn’t wrap my head around. “This whole place is structured.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t look closely enough at the fine print.” She swished her lips. “I still love the house. But I don’t like all the rules. Most of them, I didn’t even want to break until I was told they were rules.”
I chuckled. “What are you going to do?” I didn’t expect her to have an answer but she did.
“I’m working on that.” Her eyes scanned her menu up and down. “Oh, gross,” she said after a beat.
“You just read what was on the po’boy, didn’t you?” I said.
“Yes, and that’s disgusting. A salmon wrap is worse. What is wrong with these people? No garden gnomes but oysters on a po’boy? That is just a crime against humanity.”
On principal, I didn’t want to agree with her, but I couldn’t help it. “The iced tea is good. So is the burger, if that’s your thing.”
“Oh, I’m getting the burger.” She bobbed her head. “I cannot believe there’s even such a thing as a salmon wrap. I feel as if I should go back in time and smack whoever made that decision.”
I didn’t realize I was smiling until she looked up and gave me a quizzical look.
“What is it?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing. I’m just grossed out by salmon in a wrap too.”
“Right? Somebody is clearly deranged.”
It was more than that. I found her funny. I wouldn’t admit it under the threat of death, but she had a charming streak. How had I never noticed that before?