River returned, and he set two mint-green bone china cups with saucers on the table. “I just love the little golf theme of these cups. And I hate golf.”
“They’re… cute.” I examined the delicate cup.
“I like collecting little pieces of the past.” He studied me. “What about you, Maxwell? Do you like immersing yourself in the past?”
“No.”
His mouth thinned. “No. Of course not.” He cleared his throat. “I hope you like jasmine green tea? Green tea is a little bitter but good for the body.”
“You didn’t have to make me tea.”
“I know. Just being a good host.”
“Uh, thank you.” I lifted the cup, blowing on the steaming beverage.
He sipped his tea, watching me over the edge of the delicate cup. He looked smug. I wasn’t sure why he would be. Maybe it was an act. Just his way of compensating for me rejecting him and his lease.
I tasted the tea, noticing he hadn’t exaggerated how bitter it was. I grimaced slightly but didn’t want to look like a wimp. So I took a few more generous sips and then set the cup down with a clatter.
“Do you like it?” River asked.
Trying to be diplomatic, I said, “I like jasmine tea.”
He snorted. “You should have been a politician.”
I pointed to the contract. “It looks right to me. The terms are what I remember.”
“Excellent.” He picked up a pen next to the document. But instead of signing, he hesitated. “That was nasty business about Janelle and her bestie, wasn’t it?”
I frowned. “Uh… yes… it was quite shocking. I’m surprised you’ve already heard about all of that.”
He smiled. “Oh, you know how this town is. You could drop a cotton ball and it would be all over town by morning.”
“True.”
“Still, it certainly was a sordid little web of lies. I’d be destroyed if Lucas ever turned on me like Polly did Janelle.” He sighed. “Lucas and I, we go way back.”
“That’s… nice.” Why did he think I cared?
Sign the paper. Sign the paper.
He set the pen down, and I gritted my teeth. To distract myself from my annoyance, I drank some more tea. Maybe if my cup was empty, he’d get the hint that I was in a hurry.
“I respect how Sheriff Callum stood up to the Raidens.” He laughed. “My goodness, they were livid at him for simply questioning them like mere mortals.”
“They were out of line.” I felt a little warm, so I loosened my collar slightly. It was probably the warm beverage. “Royce is excellent at his job. He won’t be bullied.”
“No. I like that about him too.”
“Yes.”
“There are so many things to admire about Royce.” River’s eyes flickered. “He’s a real man’s man. It’s sexy.”
“Right.” I didn’t really want to discuss how sexy my boyfriend was with River.
Could we please move this along?
“Rainy Dale is lucky to have Royce,” he added.
