Free I Hear...Love (A Different Road #2) by Annalisa Nicole Page A

fill a cup. I pull out the pot and pour it into my mug, then place it back so it can continue to fill. I bring my cup to my lips as someone knocks on the back door.
    I turn my head and see Kate and Sadie standing on the other side of the sliding glass door. The sight of the two of them instantly brings a smile to my face. I walk to the door, unlock it, and open it for them. Sadie walks right by me without even a sniff, then walks to her food dish but finds it empty. She sinks to the floor with a disgruntled moan, then rolls on her back and wiggles around. Kate is dressed for work in a designer business pant suit and has her mask firmly set on her face.
    “It’s nice to see you too, Sadie,” I tell her. “Good morning,” I say to Kate.
    “Good morning,” she says, with her eyes glued to my bare chest. “Thank you for letting Sadie sleep over last night,” she says.
    “You’re welcome, but I don’t think there was any letting involved. Sadie wouldn’t let me sleep. I think she needed you, but that being said, she’s yours anytime she needs you again,” I tell her, knowing full well it’s Kate who needs Sadie. “Help yourself to some coffee, I’m just going to go put a shirt on,” I say, walking down the hall.
    “Do you have any coffee cream?” she asks, opening the refrigerator.
    “No, there’s milk in there, though. Help yourself,” I call from inside my bedroom.
    I come back to the kitchen, buttoning the third to last button on my shirt and find Kate filling Sadie’s bowl with a scoop of her food. She sets it on the floor, then Sadie shoves her face in the bowl and happily chows down. Kate grabs her cup of coffee, then takes a sip.
    “Did you find the milk? I’m pretty sure it’s still good,” I tell her.
    “I did, thank you,” she replies, lifting her cup.
    “I need to hit the grocery store,” I tell her, picking up my empty cup, then refilling it.
    “Are you going to hire Joss and Nina to cook for you?” she asks, leaning against the counter.
    “How’d you know about that?” I ask.
    “Joss told me. They’re both phenomenal chefs, Maddy is too.”
    “Who’s Maddy?” I ask.
    “Their employee, she’s a good friend of mine,” she says with a proud smile.
    “Do you cook?” I ask her.
    I watch as her lips tip up into a smile, then she says, “Uh . . . yeah . . . that’d be a big, fat no. I’m excellent at making smoothies and ordering take out, though. I’ve been taking some cooking lessons from Joss in exchange for teaching her yoga.”
    “You’re very talented at yoga,” I tell her. “I wouldn’t mind taking some lessons from you myself.”
    She instantly blushes, then hides her smile behind her coffee cup.
    “So, are you going to hire them?” she asks again.
    “You know what. I think I will,” I tell her.
    Sadie picks up her food bowl, then heads toward the dishwasher.
    “What’s she doing?” Kate asks, pointing at Sadie.
    “She puts her dish in the dishwasher when she’s done eating,” I tell her.
    “Get out!” she says, as she watches me open the dishwasher.
    I pull out the bottom rack, then Sadie gently sets it in and noses it to make sure it’s in there good.
    “That’s incredible,” she says. “I should probably get going. I’m sure River is looking for me. I just wanted to bring Sadie back and say thank you. And thank you for the coffee,” she says, setting her empty cup in the sink.
    “You’re welcome,” I reply.
    “Bye, Sadie. I’ll see you later,” she says, heading toward the glass door.
    “Will I?” I ask, walking up behind her.
    Kate turns around, then takes a step backward when she realizes how close I am. Her hands reach for the second to last button on my shirt, then she buttons it with a smile.
    “You will,” she says with another smile, then smooths her hand down my chest.
     

 

     
    I expect the king-of-arms-folded-over-his-chest, standing like a statue on the top step to be waiting for me, but to my surprise, he’s not