Page 62 of Ordered Home for the Holidays
Chapter Eight
Deirdre
Deirdre wasn’t surprised when her new boarder was late for breakfast. Despite his reassurance last night it was clear that old habits weren’t easily broken.
She was stacking the dirty plates on the sideboard when someone cleared their throat behind her. Her nape prickled and she knew without turning around that he’d finally decided to grace the world with his presence.
She resolved to be polite but distant because last night he’d tried to blur the battle lines she’d drawn. “Good morning, Mr. Trenton. I slid a copy of the house rules under your door earlier.”
Cass pulled back a chair and folded into it. “I know the first rule was about breakfast, but I was hoping you’d show me a little mercy. I’m only fifteen minutes late.”
She pulled the basket of toast out of his reach. When he stretched toward the jar of preserves, she pulled it away too. “If you want breakfast, you’ll have to find it elsewhere.”
It might be petty, but she was sticking to her rules.
“If you’ve brewed coffee, I’ll take some. That’s my usual morning fare.”
Deirdre noticed he was exceptionally clean shaven, all hint of his beard removed. When she poured coffee into the tin mug he held out, she caught the whiff of his cedar aftershave. “You’ve shaved your beard. What’s the occasion?”
His grin was wry. “My father has asked me to attend the bank’s shareholder meeting this afternoon.”
“And they don’t approve of beards?”
“I didn’t want to give them any more cause than they already have to disregard what I say in the meeting.”
“They all have beards and seem quite officiously proud of them. You should have done more research before you undertook such a transformation.”
“So the change doesn’t get your stamp of approval.”
Heat climbed Deirdre’s throat and flooded her cheeks. “I didn’t say that. I’m merely saying that the beard suits you.”
When he smirked, she wanted to kick herself for giving him ammunition for more inappropriate teasing. “Don’t assume my reaction has to do with any attraction on my part. The beard just makes you look more distinguished - which you’ll need to convince your board you’re capable of stepping into your father’s shoes. Remember this whole town knows what a rogue you were once upon a time and you need them to take you seriously.”
He drained the coffee and slipped it into the sudsy water, his forearm brushing against her elbow.
That fleeting graze sent shivers down her spine and made her wonder what he looked like beneath the cotton sleeves. If his forearms had those intriguing ropy veins. If he’d inked something there - if remembrances of her and what they’d once been to each other marked his body.
Deirdre shook her head to clear away the daydreams. “The tavern beside the courthouse serves breakfast.”
“I had a meal there earlier this week - before I spoke to Liam.”
She lifted the stack of plates in her arms and gave him a sharp nod. “Then you’ll need no direction from me.”
“You’re the most obstinate woman I’ve ever met,” he admonished as he lifted half of the stack from her arms.
“You’ll get food on your shirt and I’m used to doing whatever needs to be done.”
“A little bacon grease or a spot of jam never hurt anyone - and I can easily change my shirt. As well-ordered as you are, I’m sure you have an iron I can warm on the stove if I need to.”
The extra weight he’d absorbed meant her arms wouldn’t be too tired to scrub the floors later, so it would be silly of Deirdre to keep arguing. She shrugged. “You can set them in the water for me after you scrape the leftovers into the bucket.”
“What do you do with them?”
“Not that you should concern yourself with the maintenance of my household, but I have James take them over to Farmer Smith every few days. His hogs get extra food and we get a discount on our bacon and sausage.”
“Well I’m grateful for your bountiful larder and will do my utmost to take full advantage of it this evening and at breakfast tomorrow morning.”
He tipped his hat in her direction and spun on his heel. Deirdre watched him stride down the street, his coat open as he whistled a jaunty tune. There was a bite in the air this morning, and there’d been a thin layer of ice on the lip of the milk pail this morning when she’d retrieved it from the stoop. He needed to button his coat.
