Page 63 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

His heart sank when she said, “Mind if I ask you something?I’m probably being nosey, but I’m curious.”

“Go ahead.”

“Does she just buy what she wants and then you repay her?”

He frowned.Katrina had given him a hard time about the arrangement he had with Maisie—maybe Shelley would feel the same way.

She gave him a rueful smile.“Iambeing too nosey, aren’t I?I’m sorry.I only asked because I’d like to pay her back.I feel awful that she’s cooked everything I’ve eaten for the last week or so, and…”

Trip reached out and curled his arm around her waist.“It’s fine—you don’t need to worry about it.”

He loved that she frowned and said, “Sorry, but Idoworry—I don’t want to take advantage of her.Or of you.”

He kissed her forehead.“It’s all okay.She doesn’t pay for any of it.She has a card that she uses—an account, actually—Anita uses it, too.It’s the way my dad set things up.”

“Oh!That’s cool, I didn’t think of that.”She smiled.“Where does she live?”

“Right here on the ranch.”

She surprised him when she laughed.“I had a feeling you were going to say that.”

“Why?”

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips.“Because I once knew a man who treated his housekeeper as well as you treat Maisie.He was a very wealthy man, and his housekeeper had worked for his family for over thirty years.They had the same arrangement.She lived in a cottage that he provided on his estate, and she had her own account and cards so that she could buy whatever she needed, whenever she needed.Like you, Franklin Moss was a wonderful man—he was kind, considerate, and generous with people who deserved it.”

Trip kissed her back.“I think this is a story that I’d like to hear.I take it he died?”

Shelley laughed.“He did.I worked with him during the last few months of his life, helping him put everything in order the wayhewanted.His family and second wife were too busy fighting each other to pay attention—they had no idea what he was up to.They were shocked when the will was read, and the housekeeper ended up with more than all of them combined.But honestly?She was the only one who’d truly been there for him… “What?”

She gave him a puzzled smile.“Why are you smiling at me like that?”

He kissed her again.“Because I love the way you see things.”

“Don’t you think anyone would love that story?”

He made a face, deciding it was time to share a little about Katrina.“There was a time when I would have answered that question withof course.But…”

She shook her head.“Your ex did a real number on you, didn’t she?”

He nodded slowly.“She did.She gave me so much shit about Maisie having her own account and cards.Even more over the fact that I refused to give her oversight.She told me on more than one occasion that I cared more about the staff than I did about her.”

Shelley looked so sad as she reached out to run her hand down his arm.“I’m sorry.”

He gave her a rueful smile.“Don’t feel too badly for me—I think she might have been right.Apparently, I was a really shitty husband, and Katrina had every reason to believe that I should allow her to run things around here.”

“No way!”

He shrugged.“She was probably right about that, too—the shitty husband part, at least.But I should be the one apologizing toyou.I was kind of waiting to see if you might feel the same way as she did about Maisie.And if I’m honest, it isn’t the first time.”

She gave him a puzzled look, and he’d started now, so he might as well go on.

“There’ve been a few different things that have come up, and I’ve held my breath—waiting to see if you were going to react the same way she did and make me feel like I’m an asshole.I’m not saying that youwouldintentionally make me feel that way, it’s just…”

She reached up and cupped her hands around the sides of his neck, sending that now-familiar prickly sensation racing down his spine.

“You don’t need to apologize for feeling a little wary after a bad experience.”

“I do—I shouldn’t judge you because of what she did.”