Page 38 of Fall in Kentbury

“Why would I do that?” I sneer. “It’ll ruin the bed.”

“Wouldn’t you like to see Bishop cry like a little girl?” He pokes the guy with the wrench.

“Wake up, Harris.” Lance’s rough voice booms around the room. “Why are you here?”

“Ew, Hops?” I turn around, disgusted by the sight of my brother’s naked body.

Perfect, just great. I just saw my brother’s bare ass and if this is any indication, he must’ve been kicked out of his place.

“Five more minutes, babe,” Bishop grumbles.

“Handle your friend,” I say to Lance as I walk away. “I need this room,now. We have paying guests arriving soon.”

“You owe me, Lee,” Lance calls after me.

“I don’t owe youshit,” I mumble but I’m sure he doesn’t hear me since I’m almost at the bottom of the stairs.

“You said a bad word,” Cassie, who sits on the foyer couch, chides me.

“Clean those ears,” I say playfully. “Your hearing is faulty.”

“Ha, I heard you all right. You saidshit,” she repeats, giving me a mischievous smile so much like her father’s.

“What have we told you? That’s not a ladylike word, Cassandra,” Lance reprimands his daughter.

“I just repeated what Lee said, Daddy,” Cassie tattletales on me.

“I didn’t know you brought her along.”Or I would have watched my fucking language.

“It’s Saturday and I can’t stay at homealone.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m not old enough. He’s going to have me do homework in his office while he works on a car.”

“You can always hang out with me,” I suggest.

“You’re such a bad influence, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Lance jokes.

“She doesn’t say shit much, only mouthsfucka lot,” Cassie says.

I glare at her. “I thought we were friends.”

“He says bad words too. You should make him put a hundred dollars in the swear jar every week,” she accuses her dad, and I’m pretty sure she’s having a blast with us.

“We need to talk.” Lance’s voice is a little more stern than usual.

I can’t help but laugh when I realize he’s biting back a smirk.

“Oh my,” I say, clutching my necklace. “You’re breaking up with me? I thought we had a good thing going between us. Was it my scones? I thought you loved maple scones.”

“Do you have any?” He gives me a boyish smile.

“Nope, today we have cranberry scones. I can make you some coffee and you can tell dear Knightly what’s bothering you.”

“Can I have pancakes for breakfast, please?” Cassie requests.

“You haven’t had breakfast?” I frown.

“It’s barely eight o’clock, and you called with anemergency. Of course, she hasn’t had breakfast yet.”

Cassie points at her dad. “He promised you’d make pancakes for us.”