Page 29 of The Other Side

I reach for the bottle in her hand. “If I had to choose, I’d say the tomato and pesto one is a winner.”

The pads of my fingers brush her princess-cut diamond. It’s accidental, but she immediately pulls away to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Yeah?”

I nod, gulping the remnants as I lift my water. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” I watch as she pokes her head around, a wariness consuming her state of mind. “Okay, I’ve rambled way too long.” She sighs, strolling away to make her exit. “Just let me know if I can get you anything else, okay?”

Her gaze briefly meets mine, and all I offer is a curt nod.

Then she disappears from the kitchen.

Chapter 10

Brant

Thirty minutes pass by when I’m finished measuring the first floor. I leave the office with Jesse, having saved that space for last, and we greet the stairwell in the grand foyer.

Fortunately, he seemed submerged in work. My conversational skills didn’t need to be exercised too much. He did toss an interrogational question here and there, but that’s expected.

“Oh, Callie!” Jesse calls.

Callie’s nestling a full hamper of clothes at her side when she enters our path. Jesse walks up to her, and my boots decelerate along the tile.

“I have an important meeting soon, so make sure to steam my gray button down.”

Callie flicks her eyes to me over Jesse’s shoulder. Her stare locks on mine for a quick beat, and then she nods in compliance. “Yeah. Of course.”

I turn my head to the stairwell, acting unknowing.

Jesse plants a kiss at the top of her head before he’s pivoting to me. “I gotta say, you do work fast.”

His patronizing voice whips my attention to him, and I prop one boot on the base of the stairs. “I’m glad you think so,” I say, pointing to the catwalk above. “May I?”

“The faster the better,” he answers.

When Jesse disappears into the living room, my eyes jump back to Callie’s. She inches closer, her legs waddling from the weight of the pile of garments. They’re practically pooling out the rim of the weaved plastic, and I reach a hand out.

My eyes glue to hers as I curl my palm around the handle of the hamper. I place my binder and measurer on top of the clothes, and there’s a stiffness in my jaw that I have no intention of hiding.

Especially not from her.

Callie’s gaze lowers to the way my mouth dips at the corners.

Unamused.

Merciless.

She’s embarrassed. I know it. I just don’t care enough to grant her the pity she needs to justify his shitty behavior.

More than that, she’s really starting to piss me off.

After everything she was forced to live through. After all the heinous shit I’ve seen her father put her through, this is how she’s overcome it all?

This?

I release her of the laundry weight anyway. Her brows furrow when she cautiously glances over her shoulder, but I don’t allow myself to react.

Instead, I’m marching up the polished wood of the steps. “Where to?” I ask nonchalantly.