The Bakery Sisters Read Free Page B

“She told me about the surgery. You have to know that much is true, otherwise how would I know? Jesse also told me that Nicole wants me to help out afterward and is happy I’m here. Under the circumstances, I’m more inclined to believe her than you.”
    â€œI can tell you that as of twenty minutes before the surgery, Nicole had no idea you were going to show up. Trust me. She would have mentioned it.”
    Claire frowned slightly. “Nothing about this makes sense. Why would Jesse lie? Why would you?”
    â€œI wouldn’t.”
    She looked genuinely confused and Wyatt almost believed her. This messed-up situation had Jesse written all over it. The question was, why had the kid done it? To make a bad situation worse or did she really want to help Nicole? With Jesse it wasn’t easy to tell.
    â€œI’m staying,” Claire told him. “Just so you’re clear. I’m staying. I’m going to the hospital and—”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œBut I—”
    â€œNo.”
    She looked at him. “You’re very determined.”
    â€œI protect what’s mine.”
    Something flickered in her eyes. Something sad and small that he didn’t want to identify.
    â€œFine. I’ll wait at the house until Nicole is ready to come home,” Claire said at last. “Then she and I can figure out what’s going on.”
    â€œIt would be easier if you just went back to New York.”
    â€œI don’t do easy. Never have. Career hazard, I suppose.”
    He had no idea what she was talking about. Did she think anyone believed that playing the piano for a bunch of rich people in fancy European cities was hard?
    He shrugged. He couldn’t force Nicole’s sister to disappear. As long as she didn’t try to bug Nicole in the hospital, he would stay out of it.
    â€œSo Nicole will come home in a couple of days?” Claire asked.
    â€œSomething like that.”
    She smiled at him. “You’re very determined not to give up any information, Mr. Knight, but as I’m going to be living in the same house it will be difficult to conceal Nicole’s arrival from me.”
    â€œWyatt. I’m not your boss and you’re not my banker.”
    â€œYour employees call you by your last name?”
    â€œNo. I was making a point.”
    â€œMy banker calls me Claire.”
    â€œMy banker doesn’t.”
    Her smile faded. “You don’t like me very much.”
    He didn’t bother to answer that.
    â€œYou don’t even know me,” she continued. “That hardly seems fair.”
    â€œI know enough.”
    She stiffened, as if he’d hit her. Egotistical and sensitive, he thought grimly. Hell of a combination.
    Claire turned and walked out of the bakery. Wyatt followed to make sure she really did get into her car and drive away.
    He glanced around the parking lot, half expecting to see a stretch limo or a Mercedes. But Claire’s rental was a midsize four-door with luggage piled in the backseat.
    â€œHow much crap did you bring?” he asked before he could stop himself. “It wouldn’t even fit in the trunk?”
    She came to a stop and looked at him. “No. That’s all I brought.”
    â€œWhat have you got against the trunk? Afraid you’ll break a nail?”
    â€œI, as you put it so elegantly, play piano. I don’t have long nails.” She straightened again and seemed to brace herself. “As I said before, I live in New York, where I don’t keep a car. I don’t drive much anywhere. I couldn’t figure out how to open the trunk.”
    Now he knew why she’d braced herself. She was waiting for him to rip her a new one. It was a pretty sweet setup and he could think of a hundred cheap shots. Who didn’t know how to open the trunk? His eight-year-old could do it.
    What stopped him from saying that and more was the fact that she was expecting to be trashed