Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
REECE
I fight off the urge to look back at Andi as I unlock my truck and climb in. She’s going to hate me for deserting her on the dance floor—exactly as I planned. Teo made it very clear he wants me to stay away from his sister. I could have just avoided her, but if we’ll be working together on the remodel, that will be difficult. This way, she thinks I’m a bore, and attraction won’t interfere with our work.
Not that she was making a move on me. Quite the opposite, actually. Sure, there was a flicker of attraction between us in London, but how could there not be? When a guy rescues a girl from a dangerous situation, sparks are going to fly. And the semi-anonymous, one-night-only feeling heightened those emotions. In fact, I’ve thought about her more than once since that night.
Then she showed up in my house.
I should have expected it. Not that she’d show up in my house, but that our lives would intersect again. Even if she is royalty.
Which means Teo is, too. As I drive away, I wonder how many people in Rotheberg know about their royal connection. Based on the interactions I observed tonight, the answer is very few.
But how could they not know? I recognized Andi the moment I saw her. I can pretend it’s because my sister has shown me so many pictures of her—which she has. But I’ve become a little bit of a fan myself and probably spent too much time perusing her social media posts. But still, even someone who’s never come across Andi’s art would know if foreign aristocracy lived in their town, wouldn’t they?
The Feltz family seems to be a fixture here. The idea that no one has connected them with their alter egos blows my mind. Surely that’s not possible—Andi’s following is not small. The chance that no one here has come across her online—I’m not buying it.
So, maybe everyone knows, but they just don’t care. After all, Freiberg is a tiny country. Maybe Rothebergers are so used to having this family here that no one cares who their cousins are.
I head back to the ranch, trying to put Andi Feltz and her weird connections completely out of my mind. There’s nothing between us and never will be. Because tonight her brother reminded me that she’s way out of my league.
Hence the rude dumping on the dance floor.
* * *
I spend the weekend alternately working on the larger ranch irrigation system and tearing out the bubbled linoleum in the bathroom. Both are dirty work but must be done. And as long as the ugly green shower is working, I don’t mind a little mess. In fact, I find the activity therapeutic. I can focus on the work and not think about a certain green-haired woman.
When a tinny, anemic tone rings early Monday morning, it takes me a moment to recognize the doorbell. I give my damp hair another rub, toss the towel over the bar and swing by my bedroom to grab a T-shirt. As I descend the stairs, the shadow of a single person appears through the frosted window in the front door. Kellie said she’d be back today to measure, but I didn’t think she’d be quite this early. I pull the shirt over my head and swing the door wide. “Morning.”
Andi stands on the front porch, her gaze locked on my stomach. Her eyes dilate a little, as if she likes what she sees. I yank the black fabric down to my jeans and resist the urge to say, “My eyes are up here.”
That’s a lie. I totally say it.
She snorts a little laugh but doesn’t blush as she walks past me into the house. Today, she’s wearing jeans and a bright purple T-shirt with a dragon splashed across the front in gold foil. The crown of her head is brown, with her million shades of green woven through her braid. She turns to look at me. Dark bangs curve on either side of her pale gray eyes, framing her face nicely.
I clear my suddenly tight throat. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“After you deserted me on the dance floor?” She raises her brows and purses her lips.
I do blush. Taking a deep breath, I will my cheeks to stop burning. “Sorry. I meant, I thought Kellie would be here. Later.” I shove my hand through my still damp hair.
She tracks the movement, then her gaze flicks away. “Kellie doesn’t want to measure. She has another client to meet with. Although she’ll probably spot-check my work. No one wants to order the wrong amount of carpet or flooring. But she ran me through an extensive—and unpaid—day of test measurements before she hired me, so she knows I’m capable.” Her lips clamp shut, as if she’s said too much. Or maybe she just remembered she planned on giving me the silent treatment.
It’s what my sister would have done.
“Well, have at it.” I resist the urge to offer her coffee—since I’m supposed to be keeping my distance—and wave a hand at the room. “Do whatever you need to do.”
She gives me a long look, then drops her backpack on the worn couch and opens it. I watch her for a second, then head to the kitchen.
When she arrives in that room a few minutes later, she does a double take, as if she didn’t expect to find me washing dishes. I lift a soapy hand in a half-hearted wave, then plunge it back into the sink. What a stupid move. Like I hadn’t just seen her in the living room five minutes ago. I’m a dork, sometimes.
“I can come back to this room later.” She backs toward the door.
“No, it’s fine. I can move.” I unplug the sink and shake the suds from my hands. “I was done anyway.”
Her gaze darts around the room, then she nods and pulls out her phone. “Thanks.”
While she uses an app on her phone to measure walls, counters, and windows, I pour another cup of tea and grab a printout of my spreadsheet. I briefly consider leaving, but I’m not going to disrupt my morning routine for the hired help. At least that’s what I tell myself as I settle in at the tiny table. It’s not because I enjoy watching her work.
She hums softly as she takes measurements, notes them on her tablet, then double-checks them with an old-school tape measure. The happy little tune distracts me from the dismal numbers on my budget page.
I need to get this place flipped as quickly and cheaply as possible. My parents backed me with some of Grandad’s money, but only because I convinced them it was a good investment. I thought my fancy business degree and my Texas know-how could combine to create an easy return. Slap on some paint, upgrade the appliances, and done. Then I discovered all of the local landscapers were booked for months. And that a new well needed to be drilled. And I realized the big money wanted good land with a glitzy house. I might be able to sell the property to a builder—if they can get the zoning changed. But I fell hard for this little house when I saw it, and I hate to think of someone tearing it down to build a hundred matchy-matchy three-bedroom homes. So, I’m going to do it right, as my mum recommended.
“Ouch.” Andi’s soft exclamation pulls my gaze back to her. She’s leaning on the counter with a finger in her mouth. When she notices my regard, she pulls her hand away. “Tape measure snapped me.”
I get up. “Why bother with the phone if you’re going to use the tape?” I reach over and pull the little tab from the big reel and drag it to the far end of the counter. “Here?”
She swings her index finger to the left, and I move slowly that way until she gives me a thumbs-up and bright smile. “You’ve heard of ‘measure twice, cut once’? This is my way of double-checking my work. I don’t want to give Kellie any reasons to fire me.” She lets go of the tool to make a note on her tablet.
I catch the aluminum housing as it skids down the counter, reeling in the tape. “Is she looking for reasons?”
She looks up in surprise. “I don’t think so. But I need this job.” A shadow crosses her face. “Rent isn’t cheap here.”
“I thought you were living with your brother.” Holding the little tab, I extend the tape about a foot and hand the reel back to her. “Where next?”
She snorts out a laugh as she points to another corner of the room. “Live with Teo? Not unless I absolutely must.” She drops to her knees and sticks the tape measure against the wall. “I love my brother, but…”
I drop to a crouch with my end of the tape. “I hear you.” My sister would drive me insane within a week.
She makes a note in her tablet, then moves closer, the measure retracting slowly between us. “Thanks for the help, but you don’t need to do this. I’m used to managing on my own.”
“Really? You’ve been working for Kellie for what? Four weeks?” I release the tab, and it smacks into the case with a snap. Her perfume wraps around me in a welcoming cloud of orange, coffee, and a little pinch of pepper. I take a slow, deep breath.
“Five.” She lifts her chin. “Well, four and a half. But I’ve measured three houses by myself.”
“But you don’t have to do it alone this time.” I pivot on my heel toward the laundry room. “Next.”
She follows me to the little space. “Thanks.”
For a while, our conversation centers on the work. Which walls, windows, or cupboards to measure. Which fixtures will be replaced, and which will remain. Andi makes notes as we go, and I carry the big tape measure, as if it’s too heavy for her delicate royal hands.
When we reach the master bedroom, she stops in the doorway, her back to me. “I can do this one by myself.”
I crowd closer, pushing her through the door. Her body is warm against mine until she moves away, leaving me cold. “Why? Do you want to snoop through my drawers? There isn’t much here.”
Her chin goes up again. I’m beginning to recognize that movement—a slight but regal lift that elongates her slender neck and lets her braid fall down her long, straight back. “I don’t snoop.” Her lips twitch as she peers over her shoulder at me. “Besides, I already had a chance to do that last week. Not that I did!” She lifts both hands to ward off that comment.
I stalk closer. “Really? You didn’t peek in my nightstand?” We both look at the little drawer-free table beside my bed. “Or sniff my cologne? Or paw through my boxers?”
This time her cheeks go red as the chin goes even higher. “I don’t ‘paw through’ anything. And no, I didn’t touch your boxers.”
“I notice you said nothing about the cologne.”
A laugh bursts out of her. “You’re a funny man.” She pats my arm and takes the measuring tape. “Let’s finish this.”