Page 18 of Wild For You

Chapter Six

Erin

When I returnfrom my walk, there’s still no sign of Cash. No note. Not even the faint scent of his aftershave. It’s like he was never here this morning. I’m about to pour myself another cup of tea when the door swings open.

“Mr. Boyd. I’m glad you’ve decided to—” Frowning, I turn around sharply and stare at the woman. She’s in her sixties with gray, curly hair that keeps falling into her face. She’s cradling two brown bags full of groceries that look too heavy for her small frame.

“I hope I didn’t startle you. You must be Erin?”

“I am.”

“I’m Margaret. I’m helping with the household.”

Of course, the guy has a housekeeper.

An estate as big as this must take a lot of time and work to maintain. And then there’s also the fact that someone must be cooking the stocked-up meals in the refrigerator.

I hurry to take the bags from her and place them on the counter. “Nice to meet you.”

She nods a thank-you. “Trent has told me so much about you. We were all so excited when you agreed to help Cash. How do you like it here?”

“It’s great.” I’m not even lying. I do like Montana, the country life, the house…maybe not so much its owner. “I have yet to get used to how quiet it is compared to Chicago.”

She lets out a laugh, and we proceed to unpack the groceries, and restock the fridge.

“I’ve just made myself a cup of tea. Would you like some?” I offer once we’re done. I refrain from mentioning my special blend.

“Sure.” She takes a seat at the table and folds her hands in her lap. As I pour the lukewarm tea into two mugs, I notice her gaze brushing over me. I’m used to relatives and friends of my patients assessing me. However, Margaret’s gaze is kind. If I didn’t know any better I’d even say it’s bordering on sympathetic.

I place the mug in front of her and sit in a chair opposite her.

“Trent was very taken in with your accomplishments. He said you were one of the best,” Margaret resumes the conversation.

I grimace. “Unfortunately, we’re not making much progress in this particular instance.”

She nods knowingly and takes a sip of her tea. “Cash can be quite stubborn.”

“Trent warned me. I just had no idea. It’s impossible to get through to him.” I hesitate, unsure how much to reveal. Truth be told, I’m so frustrated I feel like pouring a whole bucket of ice cold water over Cash Boyd’s head to give him a wakeup call. I need to tell someone before I lose my self control and make an unprofessional move. “He needs to begin his therapy as soon as possible. We were supposed to start today, but as you can see, Mr. Boyd is not here. I’ve been spending hour after hour waiting for him to turn up. I don’t even know where he is.”

“Oh, dear.” She shakes her head. “Hiding from you sounds like something he might do.”

I cock my head, trying to make sense of her choice of words. “Is he shy?”

“Shy?” She lets out a laugh. “Goodness, no. Shy isn’t a word I would ever use to describe Cash. He has his own mind, that one.”

“Is he introverted?” A recluse, I want to add but abstain from it because the word might just carry a negative connotation for some.

She shakes her head again. “Far from it. Ever since the accident, he’s been trying his best to make everyone’s life harder, including his. I’m surprised you haven’t left yet.”

I frown. “Harder? How so?”

She leans forward and her voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper. “I shouldn’t say this, but…the last therapists didn’t fare too well. The longest they stayed was two days.”

“They probably took his check and left,” I say dryly.

“A check?” Her brows rise.

“He offered me twice what Trent’s paying me to leave.”

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