“Avalon...” he said gently. With just the faintest whiff of exasperated pity. “You’re talking to him.”
Her silence was almost a tribute to his exquisite timing. She was absolutely certain he’d planned this revelation for this very moment.
For the second time that day she was reminded of who his dad was.
And as she stared at Mac, who appeared calm, and nearly bored, waiting out her next move so he could get the process of vanquishing her over with, a suspicion plinked into her mind like a quarter flipped into a plastic cup: maybe, just maybe, her mom was right: she’d been virtuallyinebriatedby fury and shock, and maybe, just maybe, it had resulted in a little madness like any bender. Maybe she was indeed in over her head.
“Well played, Mac. If I hadn’t been banged in the head by a metal gate I would have seen that coming a mile off.”
The corners of his eyes creased ever so slightly in amusement. Those gold flecks seemed to spark as though they were struck from an anvil.
“Would you have?” All soft sympathy and grave, grave doubt.
Bastard.
“Well, then, Mac, let’s discuss the sale of your property. To me. I’ll make you a fair offer.”
“A fair offer, huh? That’s mighty big of you. And you know, I’d be happy to let you use the Devil’s Leap property any time you’d like.”
“You would?” It was easier than she’d thought.
“...As long as you sell the house to me.”
She heaved a sigh. She’d walked right into that, too. Boy, she needed to get a good night’s sleep.
“Mac,” she said with great, great, exaggeratedly tender, entirely feigned patience. “That’s not going to happen. And ironically, you’re kind of trespassing on private property right now. So...”
“About that.” Mac leaned toward her chummily, as if confiding something he’d overheard at the water cooler. “This is funny, Avalon. You’re going to like this.”
Which of course meant she wouldn’t.
“I have a contract that says I’m allowed to be on this property.”
“Why would you have a...”She clued in just before he said it out loud.
“Because I’m the groundskeeper.”