Landry screamed as he fumbled with the shutoff valve got the spray of water back to a trickle, then nothing. He wiped his face and slid out from under the cabinet.
“You did that on purpose.” She sat in a tight ball with her back to him. In a puddle, hands covering her head, drenched from head to toe.
“I didn’t.” But he could barely keep the laughter at bay. “We got to talking and I forgot to turn the valve off. Here. Let me help you.” On his knees, he offered his hand.
Her head popped up, drenched tendrils framed her dripping face. She gave him a steely glare, ignoring his offer. But when she tried to get her feet under her, she slid in the puddle.
“Let me help you.”
Another glare, but she clutched his hand. She slipped again, tugging him off balance. They both ended up in the puddle side by side, on their backs and soaking wet. He couldn’t keep from laughing any longer.
“I know you did that on purpose.” She clambered to her knees. “You want to get rid of me. To get me out of your way.”
Uh-oh. She was on to him. “I honestly didn’t mean to spray you with water. But you’re right, I can’t say that I really want you around and I don’t understand why Eden left you half of my legacy.”
She propped her hands on her hips. “I’m not going anywhere. For whatever reason, Eden wanted me here.”
Had that really been his sister’s wish? Or had Landry scammed her into thinking she did? He rolled over, managed to stand.
“I didn’t do it on purpose. I promise.” But maybe he should have. If he made her miserable enough, maybe she’d leave. If she left, surely he and his parents could manage to buy her out.
“Let me help you up.” He offered his hand.
Her gaze bored into his. But with little choice, she laid her hand in his.
Just outside the puddle, he braced his feet and helped her up.
Her feet slid, but he steadied her with his hands on her waist.
Standing in the middle of the puddle, eyes intense, she pressed her face close to his. “I. Loved. Her. Too.” Her words came through clenched teeth, as a tear slid down her cheek.
His gut turned over. If she was an actress, she was a good one. Good enough to take Hollywood by storm. Could she be for real?
There was a knock on the door, and it quickly swung open as Becca stepped in and spied them in the bathroom. “Oh. I’m on cleaning rounds.”
“We had a little mishap.” His arms dropped to his sides, then clasped Landry’s fingers in his. “Careful. Don’t slip, now.”
She tiptoed out of the puddle, then jerked her hand out of his grasp.
Becca’s wide eyes took in all of it, pinging from one to the other.
“Don’t worry about this mess. I’ll handle it.” He stepped around the pooling water, grabbed a towel and then mopped up the worst of it.
“Yes, sir.” Becca exited.
Landry shivered, then hugged herself. “Thanks to you, I must look like a drowned rat.” She spun on her heel and stalked out of the room.
A pretty drowned rat. A dangerous one.
Yet her intensity when she’d claimed to love Eden, too, tugged at him. But he couldn’t just blindly trust a stranger with half of his inheritance at stake.
As soon as he got a minute, he’d Google her. He should have done it when William first told him about her being in Eden’s will. But he’d been too busy keeping the dude ranch running.
It was time to check this woman out. If Landry Malone had skeletons in her closet, he’d find them.
Copyright © 2017 by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
ISBN-13: 9781488018275
Easter in Dry Creek
Copyright © 2017 by Janet Tronstad
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