Page 23 of Axe-identally Married
“Nice house,” I said as I hauled myself out of my truck.
“I’m renting it from Magnolia. She owns the whole estate.”
“Course she does.” Magnolia Stephens-Thomas was a trust fund baby whose great-grandfather had built a railroad. She lived in New York but had inherited her family’s estate up here. She was another person I’d known for most of my life but shared no commonalities with. She was an event planner for the rich and famous, but she was a good friend to Lila and Willa.
“She offered me the big house, but what do I need a seven-bedroom mansion for?” She giggled. “It has a catering kitchen, for God’s sake.”
The mansion? Apparently, the estate was so large there was a mansion around here I couldn’t see from where we stood.
“She doesn’t use it?”
“Only once in a while. Though she’s been here more lately. It’s been in her family for a long time. You passed the caretaker’s house on the ride here—that’s Mr. and Mrs. Lewis. You’ll see them around. Mr. Lewis has been doing the landscaping here since the ’70s.”
“It’s beautiful,” I said as I opened the back hatch.
“Make sure to tell him that. But speak loudly in his right ear. He’s still fighting me on a hearing aid.”
Grinning, I shook my head. “Noted.”
She came down the stairs and rounded the Tahoe. When she was standing beside me, she put her hands on her hips. “Is this all your stuff?”
I nodded, waiting for her to make a comment.
Instead, she sidled up closer and reached for a bin. The move made her scent swirl around me. Vanilla, maybe? It was nice. Even in the cold November air, her proximity made everything feel warm.
She hefted the tote and headed for the porch. Quickly, I did the same, following her swaying hips up the porch stairs and inside. The door opened into an open-plan living room that was anchored by a large fireplace on one side. It was gorgeous. A sort of upscale rustic.
Without stopping, she made her way to the back of the house and nudged a door off the kitchen open with her hip.
“Here’s your room.”
The bedroom was small, outfitted with a queen-size bed covered with a green quilt and flanked by oak nightstands.
“Perfect.”
“Sorry about the queen.” She grimaced. “It’s all that will fit in here.”
There was no stopping my laugh. “I’ve been sleeping in a twin for more than a year. This is a luxury for me.”
She whipped around, her mouth hanging open. “A twin? You? How does that even work?”
I shrugged. “I’ve learned to make myself fit in a lot of scenarios. This world isn’t really made for people my height.”
“I guess not.” She hummed. “Is that why you’ve got that monster truck out there?”
Setting the tote on the bed, I shook my head and grinned. “It’s hardly a monster truck. It’s a Tahoe.”
“It’s huge.” Her eyes went wide.
“I need a car my size.” I stuffed my hands into my pockets. “I can’t even fit in most sedans, and there’s enough room for my hockey equipment.”
Her nose wrinkled in the most adorable way. “I knew I smelled something gross.”
Chuckling, I rocked back on my heels. “I’ll keep it outside.”
“Thanks.” She spun and headed for the door. “I’ll help you get the rest of your stuff.”
“It’s late.”
