Page 25

Story: As It Was

“You have a fragile ego, got it.” This fucking woman. She didn’t stop. “And for the record, I’m not usually this much of a nuisance, but ... I don’t know. Being out of the city makes me feel more like myself.”
“So, youarea nuisance. Underneath all of that.” I gestured to her clothes.
“That? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“I can tell exactly who you are by looking at you.”
“What, that I’m a city girl?”
“Yep.”
“I’m not. Not entirely, at least. You’ll have to explain how to look the part.”
“There aren’t enough words in the English language.”
She rolled her eyes. “You could start with a few of them.”
“I don’t plan on talking to you, princess. So, no. I won’t.”
“Rude.”
“I’ll talk to you!” Eric said.
“Thank you.” Her lips pulled into a grin. “At least someone’s polite. It sucks you ended up with him.”
“Turn the kid against me and you won’t even get hay.”
“What could be worse than hay?”
“Cow patties.”
“Ew!” Eric said.
“Do you usually tell your boss to sleep in shi—” Her eyes moved to Eric. “Poop?”
“Do you usually show up to meet an employee and tell them everything they’re doing wrong?”
“Fair,” she said. “Which room is mine?”
My fists tightened. I didn’t want to show heranyroom, but I couldn’t kick her out of the damn place she owned.
“Bennie’s. I’ll show you.”
“I know the way,” she said before disappearing up the stairs.
I groaned the second she was gone.
“You have really bad manners,” Eric said.
“What can you expect? I was basically raised in a barn.”
“So was I, but I still know how to be nice.”
I scrubbed my hand over my face. On a good day, Eric tested my limits like no one else.
But now, I had two people in this house to drive me up a wall, and I didn’t know if I would survive.
5

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