safe.” Or he got the homeowner’s association to put a wrought iron fence around it. He’d have to send them another email.
They got to the front door, and he rang the bell.
“This is nice. Is it your home?”
“No sweetheart, it’s your home. Yours and Durante’s.”
When her caregiver looked through the side panel window, her eyes widened and she whipped open the door. “Betty. Didn’t I tell you to stay in the family room while I was on the phone? I’m sorry, Mr. Taylor, I don’t know how—”
“You see, Betty,” he said as he pointed to the cat basking in the sunlight that streamed in through the living room window. “There’s your fat cat posing for you.”
He waited for the older woman to let go of his arm. After she picked up the cat and walked off, he gave her caregiver his undivided attention. “I don’t want this to sound like I’m accusing you.” But he was now that he knew she was on the phone. She was always on the damn thing. Even when she took Betty out for a walk, she was texting or talking. Whether she was with a dementia patient or not, the fact was, it was disrespectful and in this case dangerous. “I just want you to be aware that I’m going to have to tell Mel and Angela this time. Did you make Ms. Hannover tuna fish for lunch?”
“Y-yes.”
“I wouldn’t do that again if I were you. Betty doesn’t like it. That’s why she sneaks out. Who knows why these things get triggered this way. They just do.”
“I don’t think it was the sandwich. She’s not having a good day today. She’s been very stubborn. Not doing the things I wanted her to do. Including eating lunch.”
“Candy moments. Remember that.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“When my dad was going through a rough patch, I’d ask him if he wanted some chocolate. He never said no to that, and once I had him saying yes, his whole day got better. And so did mine.”
“I’ll, ah, give that a try next time. Thanks.”
By the time Ramsey got through his own door, shot off an email to the association, marinated his steak for dinner and got on his workout clothes, he was calmer. And after dealing with Ms. Hanover’s attempted escape, he was more convinced than ever that his future plans were valid, but to accomplish them he’d need to focus. And that meant free of all distractions. Especially the female kind. If he hoped to get Gabe’s support, he needed to make this court shit disappear as quickly as possible and find a way to convince his brother about said plans when he got the chance.
He thought he was well on his way to making all this happen until he went to call his attorney. That’s when he realized he’d forgotten the trunk. And inside it? Was his get-the-court-off-his-back paperwork. Damn. Now he’d have to do the one thing neither of them wanted. He’d have to complicate things and see Jaxx again.
Chapter Seven
Aries figured the minute he sat his ass down in the ladder-backed chair in their front entranceway, he’d lose his edge with Doctor Carmichael. Screw the dragon analogy, the woman was a cerebral shark who hunted using any means necessary to gain the advantage. And right now the only advantage he’d had over her, his intimidating height, was diminished when she’d ordered him to sit. Fuck.
“I think you knew exactly what you were doing, Mr. Taylor.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” He didn’t mean it, and they both knew it.
“I’m not. I’m relieved by the discovery.” She rested her arm on the top of the trunk she refused to give back until they “spoke” and added, “To hear Jaxx talk about you, you’re the perfect mix of brain meets brawn with a side order of sensual. We know that can’t be true. Man wasn’t created that way. If he were, I’d be out of a job because everyone would be happy.”
“I said I’d hear you out, but if you’re going to sling bitter insults aimed at my half of the population, I think I’ll pass.”
The older woman’s eyes
They got to the front door, and he rang the bell.
“This is nice. Is it your home?”
“No sweetheart, it’s your home. Yours and Durante’s.”
When her caregiver looked through the side panel window, her eyes widened and she whipped open the door. “Betty. Didn’t I tell you to stay in the family room while I was on the phone? I’m sorry, Mr. Taylor, I don’t know how—”
“You see, Betty,” he said as he pointed to the cat basking in the sunlight that streamed in through the living room window. “There’s your fat cat posing for you.”
He waited for the older woman to let go of his arm. After she picked up the cat and walked off, he gave her caregiver his undivided attention. “I don’t want this to sound like I’m accusing you.” But he was now that he knew she was on the phone. She was always on the damn thing. Even when she took Betty out for a walk, she was texting or talking. Whether she was with a dementia patient or not, the fact was, it was disrespectful and in this case dangerous. “I just want you to be aware that I’m going to have to tell Mel and Angela this time. Did you make Ms. Hannover tuna fish for lunch?”
“Y-yes.”
“I wouldn’t do that again if I were you. Betty doesn’t like it. That’s why she sneaks out. Who knows why these things get triggered this way. They just do.”
“I don’t think it was the sandwich. She’s not having a good day today. She’s been very stubborn. Not doing the things I wanted her to do. Including eating lunch.”
“Candy moments. Remember that.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“When my dad was going through a rough patch, I’d ask him if he wanted some chocolate. He never said no to that, and once I had him saying yes, his whole day got better. And so did mine.”
“I’ll, ah, give that a try next time. Thanks.”
By the time Ramsey got through his own door, shot off an email to the association, marinated his steak for dinner and got on his workout clothes, he was calmer. And after dealing with Ms. Hanover’s attempted escape, he was more convinced than ever that his future plans were valid, but to accomplish them he’d need to focus. And that meant free of all distractions. Especially the female kind. If he hoped to get Gabe’s support, he needed to make this court shit disappear as quickly as possible and find a way to convince his brother about said plans when he got the chance.
He thought he was well on his way to making all this happen until he went to call his attorney. That’s when he realized he’d forgotten the trunk. And inside it? Was his get-the-court-off-his-back paperwork. Damn. Now he’d have to do the one thing neither of them wanted. He’d have to complicate things and see Jaxx again.
Chapter Seven
Aries figured the minute he sat his ass down in the ladder-backed chair in their front entranceway, he’d lose his edge with Doctor Carmichael. Screw the dragon analogy, the woman was a cerebral shark who hunted using any means necessary to gain the advantage. And right now the only advantage he’d had over her, his intimidating height, was diminished when she’d ordered him to sit. Fuck.
“I think you knew exactly what you were doing, Mr. Taylor.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” He didn’t mean it, and they both knew it.
“I’m not. I’m relieved by the discovery.” She rested her arm on the top of the trunk she refused to give back until they “spoke” and added, “To hear Jaxx talk about you, you’re the perfect mix of brain meets brawn with a side order of sensual. We know that can’t be true. Man wasn’t created that way. If he were, I’d be out of a job because everyone would be happy.”
“I said I’d hear you out, but if you’re going to sling bitter insults aimed at my half of the population, I think I’ll pass.”
The older woman’s eyes
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