Page 46 of Bargain With the Boss

I laughed and leaned into her. “I do. It’s one of my favorites. Just don’t tell my mother. She thinks it’s overly romantic and silly.”

“That’s the whole point. And the hope.”

“You guys good to walk alone?”

Claire elbowed her brother. “We’re not that drunk.”

“Sure you’re not.” His voice was indulgent. “I’ll clean up. You guys go on.”

Claire threw her arms around her brother. “Thanks.You’re the best. I didn’t like Daria anyway.”

“Go on, get.”

Claire and I trundled off following the path toward the pool that went with the pool house.

“I wish I was a little more sober. I’d jump in that pool.”

She giggled. “Me too, but we better sit somewhere we can sleep just in case. A morning swim sounds nice though.”

I nodded. “Sure does.”

The pool house was very cottage-like with warm lights around it and more flowers that made my heart happy. This would be exactly the kind of place I’d live if I could. Not the condo that I’d bought because it was a good investment.

We laughed as we bumped against each other up the two steps to her door. It had a stained glass cutout with dragonflies in each corner and moonflowers in full bloom. Inside her living room was cozy with a massive television and game console.

“Next time we play Mario Kart.”

I laughed. “I’ve never played a video game.”

“Oh, girl.” She shook her head and pushed me onto a couch then went to the small kitchen. “We will fix that soon.” She banged around and came back into the living room with two bottles of water and pulled two blankets out of a basket at the end of the sectional couch. “But first, Westley.”

“Westley,” I said with a sigh.

I didn’t make it through the scene where Buttercup called him Farm Boy.

And when I fell into sleep, I realized that Xavier’s eyes were much like Westley’s.

How about that?

Chapter 12

Xavier

Sleep had been elusive for the last few nights and no amount of coffee was going to make me fit for the office. Sydney had been staying with Claire and working remotely.

She still kicked ass even while pissed at me.

Luckily Devon knew my schedule needed to be light a few times a week. Instead of putting on a suit, I went with my demo-wear and met Gavin at the worksite.

He was already there with a sledgehammer. We were going to knock down a few walls and build out the corner property. There was far too much water damage from the winters it sat waiting for fucking permits.

We didn’t even speak for the first hour. Both of us bashed in the waterlogged drywall and rotted frames under it. When the workmen had come on for their shift we had made our way into the next building. The heat of the day was already bleeding into the building and sweat slicked my skin.

Gavin nodded to me to go outside. I followed him and accepted the bottle of water from the cooler in the back of his truck. “Care to tell me what your demon is this morning?”

I sighed. “Do I have to?”

He chuckled. “No, but maybe you’ll prevent a migraine.”