Page 78

She still looked like a towering goddess model-being, even dressed like a

regular person.

“Oh. That’s— uh, that’s Christina.”

Chloe looked at Taylor in surprise. Taylor normally did the Miss so and

so, and the Mrs. this and that.

She didn’t let her daughter call people by

their first names, but as usual, her urge to be prickly where Christina was

concerned kicked into overdrive.

Christina turned at the sound of her name. She noticed them, her eyes

lighting over Taylor and landing on Chloe. Taylor could swear that

Christina winced before she glued on a smile. Okay, so she obviously

doesn’t like kids. Especially not ones infected with chicken pox. Or maybe

just all kids. Good to know. It was just another reason for Taylor to dislike

her unwanted business partner of sorts. Not that she needed more reasons.

She had plenty already.

Christina sauntered over, her syrupy smile still in place. She spoke at an

insane volume, as if she thought chicken pox infected the hearing. “Hi! You

must be…”

“Chloe,” Chloe said shyly. She looked at Christina in awe. “You’re

really pretty.”

Christina flushed. She laughed, and it was surprised and pretty

sounding. “Thank you. You are too. You’re here with your mom to see what

she does for work?”

“I’m here because I’m sick and can’t go to school.”

“Oh, well, that’s a good reason too.”

Taylor held up the laptop. “I brought this, ready with movies. She’s

going to the back room. I’m going to go outside and work on fencing.”

“You mean you’re not watching her?” Christina gasped. She knew

Taylor was coming in, since she’d fired off a quick email before leaving the

house. Why would she be there if it wasn’t to work?