She headed down the stairs to face him. What other choice did she have?It could be worse,she told herself.He could’ve come home while she was in the shower or wrapped in a towel.At least now she was mostly decent.
Best to explain everything and laugh it off. As she went down the last few steps, she called, “Before you get a look at me, I want to remind you that you told me to make myself at home.”
She rounded the corner to the foyer and stopped short. Because Jaxon hadn’t come inside. Landon had, and he was with Angelina.
Chapter Ten
Kate stoppedin her tracks and stared at them. Angelina. The mean-girl vet was Landon’s date? Well, this just kept getting better.
Landon wore a suit, a tie, and a shocked expression. He grasped his keys like he was about to put them somewhere but had forgotten about them. His gaze went over Kate from head to toe and back again.
Angelina’s eyes narrowed into indignant little slits. “What areyoudoing here?”
Kate wasn’t supposed to tell Landon where Jaxon was. In the press of the moment, she couldn’t remember what she was supposed to say. “I’m a neighbor,” she stalled. Vagueness was all she could muster.
“Yes,” Angelina said coldly. “I know who you are.” She wore a strapless black dress and her hair was pulled into a bun that made her features all the more imperious looking. Imperious and completely disapproving.
Landon’s gaze kept going over Kate. His lips pressed into a hard line. “Where’s Jaxon?”
The tone of voice was identical to the one he’d used when he’d found her and Jaxon together at the cattle drive—a calm that wasn’t really calm. He thought she was here fooling around with his brother.
“He’s not home,” Kate said quickly. “I’m not sure where he is.” She was about to look like the worst babysitter ever.Yeah, he left me in charge of his child, and I never bothered asking where he was going.
Angelina didn’t give her the time to explain. “So, you’re just here late at night, wet, and half-naked while you wait for Landon to return home? How nice.”
Granted, Kate hadn’t said she was babysitting, but how come whenever people found her in a questionable circumstance, they immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was loose? She hadn’t done anything wrong, and yet Angelina was spitting venom at her. Well, Kate didn’t owe her any sort of explanation. Let the woman choke on her own hysteria.
Kate smiled sweetly and shrugged. “You know how we ranch folks stick together.”
“Sticking together?” Angelina turned her daggered look at Landon. “Is that the new euphemism for what you’re doing?”
“What?” Landon’s eyes went wide. “Kitty and I aren’t doing anything euphemistic.”
“Right.” Angelina planted her hands on her hips. Her bright-red polished nails seemed like an impractical choice for a livestock vet. “This is what you wanted to talk to me about, wasn’t it—her?”
Landon raised his hands. “I don’t know why Kitty is here, but I’m sure there’s a legitimate reason.”
“Of course,” Angelina countered. “And I’m sure there’s a perfectly legitimate reason—the one time I insist on coming to your house—she’s here, showered and wearing…” Her eyes fixed on Kate and her breath hitched. “I gave you that shirt last Christmas.”
Kate smoothed out a wrinkle on the front. “I figured someone else must have picked it out. Landon usually wears plaid. You’ve got nice taste.”
Angelina spun on Landon, nostrils flaring. “Are those your boxers too?”
“Uh…” he said, which wasn’t exactly an answer but seemed to confirm that yes, yes they were.
Angelina humphed, told Kate to go to one of the few places hotter than Arizona, and snatched Landon’s keys from his hand. “I’ll drive myself home. You can pick up your truck any time you like. The keys will be in the glove box.” She sent Kate one last slicing glare and marched to the door.
“Angelina,” Landon called, but he didn’t stop her from leaving. “This really isn’t—”
The door slammed shut, drowning out the rest of the sentence.
Landon stared at the door and sighed.
Kate tapped a finger against her lips. “I think Angelina has trust issues. You’re probably better off without her.”
Landon spun back to Kate, frustration in his eyes. “Or, maybe—this could be an equally effective fix—maybe beautiful, scantily-dressed women shouldn’t show up unexpectedly in my house wearing my shirt and boxers.”
He’d called her beautiful. Jaxon wasn’t the only one who knew how to compliment a a woman and reprimand her at the same time.