Read Online Island Refuge (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 1) by Kimberly Rose Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Kimberly Rose Johnson
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followed on her heels. “The best. What about you?”
“I’m thinking of making a quiche for breakfast. What do you say?”
“Nice deflection.” He’d let her off, though. No sense in dredging up bad memories, and she must have some if her childhood was as bad as she’d hinted. “Sure. If Aiden doesn’t like it, he can have cold cereal.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
He set the platter by the sink. “You rinse, and I’ll stack.”
“Though tempted to argue, I won’t. I appreciate the help. Thanks.”
“That’s what bosses are for.”
“Uh-oh. What did I do?” She paused. “Well, besides, not watching your nephew, and burning the bread?”
“Don’t forget nearly taking out the side of my SUV the day you arrived and burning yourself and—”
“Stop. I know my flaws quite well.”
He scanned her face to make sure he hadn’t offended her and was pleased she looked amused. “I was thinking about what you found today.” He didn’t want to spell it out, since he had no idea whose ears might be listening.
“And?” Zoe turned off the water and faced him with an expectant look in her eye.
He lowered his voice and explained his plan. “I will announce at dinner tomorrow that I will be selling off the antiques. If she is a collector, I’ll rid myself of some old furniture. What do you think?”
“I volunteer the stuff in my room.” She shot a disparaging look toward her room. “I hate Victorian antiques. What style will you be refurnishing with?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I’m mostly interested in her response. This way we’ll have an idea if it’s the furniture she is interested in. Frankly if she wants to buy it, she’s welcome to, but I won’t place an ad for it.”
“Oh. How does that solve the problem of her snooping?”
“Because maybe all she wants is a memento.” Nick dipped his head and placed a cup on the top rack. He’d said too much. No one but him knew Rachel was carrying the grandchild of the previous owners, and he wasn’t going to break her confidence. Even if she was behaving oddly. “What do you say? You in?”
Zoe shrugged. “Why not? You sure you don’t want to sell the bedroom set? Or better yet, confront Rachel about her snooping. Seems to me the direct approach would work best.”
He chuckled. “I’d planned to do that, but let’s try this first. And your furniture isn’t that bad. I think there’s a chest that’s actually quite nice. It’s certainly better than the trash they left in the living quarters downstairs.”
“Yeah, I noticed when I went down to check on Aiden. It’s awful.”
Nick hid his surprise that Zoe had actually checked on his nephew. She’d made such a big deal of not watching him, it seemed odd that she’d even care. Maybe she didn’t hate kids, like he’d assumed. Perhaps it really was that she simply didn’t know what to do with one. Her veiled comments about her past were beginning to eat at his curiosity. He’d never been an overly nosey person, but somehow since he’d been on the island a new side of him was coming out.
Zoe dropped a cup, and it bounced across the tile. “Grr.”
“Relax.” He kept his voice soft as he bent and retrieved the runaway cup. “It’s plastic.” His cook was wound too tight tonight. Maybe he should leave her alone. Some people needed space. He put the cup in the dishwasher. “Looks like that’s the last of the dishes. Have a nice evening, Zoe.”
“I’ll try. You, too.”
He headed for the door leading to his personal space and hesitated before going down the stairs. Should he invite Zoe to join his family? No, she needed time to herself if her flash of frustration was any indication.
****
Z OE SIGHED AFTER Nick left the room. He hadn’t yet said anything about her replacement, so maybe the employment agency hadn’t found the right person. Too bad tonight hadn’t gone more smoothly; she hated adding to his reasons for letting
“I’m thinking of making a quiche for breakfast. What do you say?”
“Nice deflection.” He’d let her off, though. No sense in dredging up bad memories, and she must have some if her childhood was as bad as she’d hinted. “Sure. If Aiden doesn’t like it, he can have cold cereal.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
He set the platter by the sink. “You rinse, and I’ll stack.”
“Though tempted to argue, I won’t. I appreciate the help. Thanks.”
“That’s what bosses are for.”
“Uh-oh. What did I do?” She paused. “Well, besides, not watching your nephew, and burning the bread?”
“Don’t forget nearly taking out the side of my SUV the day you arrived and burning yourself and—”
“Stop. I know my flaws quite well.”
He scanned her face to make sure he hadn’t offended her and was pleased she looked amused. “I was thinking about what you found today.” He didn’t want to spell it out, since he had no idea whose ears might be listening.
“And?” Zoe turned off the water and faced him with an expectant look in her eye.
He lowered his voice and explained his plan. “I will announce at dinner tomorrow that I will be selling off the antiques. If she is a collector, I’ll rid myself of some old furniture. What do you think?”
“I volunteer the stuff in my room.” She shot a disparaging look toward her room. “I hate Victorian antiques. What style will you be refurnishing with?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I’m mostly interested in her response. This way we’ll have an idea if it’s the furniture she is interested in. Frankly if she wants to buy it, she’s welcome to, but I won’t place an ad for it.”
“Oh. How does that solve the problem of her snooping?”
“Because maybe all she wants is a memento.” Nick dipped his head and placed a cup on the top rack. He’d said too much. No one but him knew Rachel was carrying the grandchild of the previous owners, and he wasn’t going to break her confidence. Even if she was behaving oddly. “What do you say? You in?”
Zoe shrugged. “Why not? You sure you don’t want to sell the bedroom set? Or better yet, confront Rachel about her snooping. Seems to me the direct approach would work best.”
He chuckled. “I’d planned to do that, but let’s try this first. And your furniture isn’t that bad. I think there’s a chest that’s actually quite nice. It’s certainly better than the trash they left in the living quarters downstairs.”
“Yeah, I noticed when I went down to check on Aiden. It’s awful.”
Nick hid his surprise that Zoe had actually checked on his nephew. She’d made such a big deal of not watching him, it seemed odd that she’d even care. Maybe she didn’t hate kids, like he’d assumed. Perhaps it really was that she simply didn’t know what to do with one. Her veiled comments about her past were beginning to eat at his curiosity. He’d never been an overly nosey person, but somehow since he’d been on the island a new side of him was coming out.
Zoe dropped a cup, and it bounced across the tile. “Grr.”
“Relax.” He kept his voice soft as he bent and retrieved the runaway cup. “It’s plastic.” His cook was wound too tight tonight. Maybe he should leave her alone. Some people needed space. He put the cup in the dishwasher. “Looks like that’s the last of the dishes. Have a nice evening, Zoe.”
“I’ll try. You, too.”
He headed for the door leading to his personal space and hesitated before going down the stairs. Should he invite Zoe to join his family? No, she needed time to herself if her flash of frustration was any indication.
****
Z OE SIGHED AFTER Nick left the room. He hadn’t yet said anything about her replacement, so maybe the employment agency hadn’t found the right person. Too bad tonight hadn’t gone more smoothly; she hated adding to his reasons for letting
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