Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
I’ll never forget the swell of pride when Griffen and his new bride walked into a house transformed. Heartstone wasn’t back to its original condition—we had months of work before we’d get there—but I’d turned it from derelict to inviting in forty-eight hours, proving to everyone that I was more than up for the task of running Heartstone Manor. In the months since, I hadn’t stopped, ruthlessly organizing and improving until I had the house running like a well-oiled machine.
Except for the kitchens.
From the start, Finn had been a burr under my skin. Feeding sixteen people plus staff three times a day took coordination and attention to detail. Two of my best traits, but I am not a cook. I’d managed for the first few days, but the position was a full-time job on its own.
My first cook quit when someone tried to murder Griffen and she’d been caught in the crossfire. Understandable, though unfortunate. I’m not sure how long she would have lasted, even without the attempted murder. Finn had already been haunting the kitchens, complaining about the food and demanding work space.
He’d run off our second cook, Mrs. Haverty, over a hollandaise sauce that was too tart. I still don’t know how their argument had escalated into Mrs. Haverty quitting over a sauce, but Finn had talked smack and the next thing I knew, she was grabbing her purse and telling me to put her check in the mail. Just like Mrs. Bailey.
I was going to kill that son of a bitch. I skidded to a halt in front of Griffen’s office door, taking a second to get myself together. Griffen would be furious. Sucking in a deep breath, I got myself under control and raised my hand to knock on the door.
“Come in,” a deep voice answered. I swung open the door and strode into Griffen’s office, Finn tight on my heels.
Griffen smiled when he saw me, his eyes warming. Beside him, his wife, Hope, gave me a smile of her own. In unison, their gazes moved over my shoulder, Hope’s narrowing in concern, Griffen’s in aggravation.
“What happened?” he demanded, his eyes locked on his younger brother.
Hope let out a sigh. “Mrs. Bailey quit?” At my curt nod, she shook her head. “The spices?”
I nodded again. “And shortening. He threw away her shortening.”
Hope choked on a laugh, her hazel eyes glinting with amusement as they landed on Finn. “I hope it was worth it.”
Standing, she braced her hands on her lower back, the curve of her pregnant belly throwing her off balance. With a shake of her head, she leaned down to press a kiss to Griffen’s cheek.
“I’m going to let you handle this one.” Passing me on her way to the door, she reached out to squeeze my arm. “Come find me when you’re done in here.” I nodded again, my teeth clenched tightly so I wouldn’t scream.
“Griffen,” I started, desperate to stop what I knew was coming. We’d all been here before. Griffen had told Finn what would happen if another cook quit.
Griffen stopped my words with a look. He was the best boss I’d ever had, but he wasn’t a softy. His gaze was granite as it settled on Finn. “I assume you know what this means?”
I glanced at Finn, standing beside me, his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw tight. “You’ve made it clear.”
“I’ll give you the rest of today to get organized,” Griffen said. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll expect you in the kitchens. A full breakfast and dinner every day but Saturday. A light lunch depending on who’s home. You’ll have to work with Savannah on your budget.”
I tried not to let my dismay show. Griffen paid me to keep the house running, and that included feeding the residents of Heartstone Manor. His eyes shifted to me, softening with a hint of remorse. “If you have any trouble with him, let me know.”
Finn let out a low rumble beside me. I resisted the urge to look at him. “I will. It’ll be fine,” I assured Griffen. It was my job to make it fine. Finn Sawyer was not going to get in my way. I wouldn’t let him.
Griffen’s eyes flashed between the two of us. “Finn? Are we clear? Savannah handles the staff.”
“I get it,” Finn ground out. “Savannah is in charge of the staff. If she fires me, you kick me out of the house, and I lose whatever Prentice left me. Do I have that right?”
Griffen’s expression was completely neutral. “You do. Can you handle it? You made it through the army. You should be able to follow the rules well enough to stay on Savannah’s good side.”
Something twisted in Finn’s face at that comment. Why? Was it the mention of the army? Of staying on my good side? I hated that I wanted to know. The easiest way to survive this would be to stay as far from Finn as possible. Difficult, considering I lived behind the kitchens. But I’d manage. I had to.