It was a good question, and the answer was confusing even to myself. "Well, you see…." I blew out a nervous breath. "My family used to own the house, so they wanted someone to help with the historical stuff, I guess."
His expression only darkened. "Who?"
By now, I was seriously rattled. "Sorry, what?"
"Whohired you?"
His hostility was a force to be reckoned with, and yet I tried not to take it personally. This was, after all, Mason Blastoviak, the least likeable of the three brothers.
From watching the show, I already knew that he wasn't a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. In fact, he could be a real bastard sometimes – like now, for example.
But of course, I reminded myself, this might not be so random as it seemed. Although we'd never actually met, he'd surely heard my name years earlier, and not in a good way, after I'd torched Brody's pickup.
Was he putting my face with that name?
But of course he was.Nothing else could explain his overt hostility. I sighed. "Let me guess. You're angry about that thing from high school. I mean, whenIwas in high school. Not you, of course." At the memory, I almost cringed. "You know, that thing with Brody's truck?"
Without bothering to reply, he said it again. "Whohired you?"
I had to give the guy at leastsomecredit. He could definitely focus. "Alright, fine," I said. "It was Landon Tarrington. There. Are you happy?"
His only answer was a low curse.
By now I felt like cursing, too. "Is that a problem?"
"What doyouthink?"
Why lie?"I think you're being awfully rude."
"AndIthink you don't belong here."
"Hey! I belong here you just as much as you do."
He crossed his arms. "Do you?"
Too late, I realized the ridiculousness of my statement. "Okay, maybe I don't belongquiteas much as you do. But Idohave a contract."
"Not anymore, you don't." He flicked his head toward the street. "So pack your stuff and go. You're fired."
My jaw dropped. "You can't fire me."
"Yeah? Why not?"
Just then, I heard another male voice – this one a lot more familiar – say, "Because I say so, that's why."
I turned to look just in time to see Brody stride up from somewhere behind me. He looked to his brother and said, "So drop it, alright?"
Mason's jaw tightened. "You're not serious."
With growing concern, I looked from brother to brother. I felt like I should say something, but I had no idea what.
Brody told Mason, "I'm plenty serious. And you're forgetting something."
Looking anything but forgetful, Mason replied, "And what's that?'
"This ismyjob. Remember?"
"Yeah. Andmycompany."
