Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

Skye

I trail Maddie as she bounds down the winding stairs. When she nears the bottom, she leaps over three steps, flying in the air and landing right in front of a startled Rosita.

"Dios mío, mi amor! You are going to hurt yourself!"

Maddie giggles. My fearless Madeline! "Poo, Rosita! You're such a worry wart!"

"Worry wart?"

Maddie translates into Spanish. There's no exact translation for that expression, but she communicates the meaning well enough. Her accent is perfect.

The housekeeper dramatically throws up her hands. " Aye , chiquita, you will be the death of me."

Maddie laughs again. "Dónde está mi papa?"

"En la sala grande."

Finn's still in the great room. In addition to Spanish, I can fluently speak six other languages I picked up from my world travels with my parents. French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic.

"Mi chiquita, es hora de—"

Time for what? Maddie dashes off before Rosita can finish her sentence. I follow her. Butterflies flit in my stomach at the thought of seeing Finn again.

When we get to the great room, Finn is now seated on one of the sofas. Reading something. A white binder sits on his lap.

Maddie runs up to her father. "Daddy! Guess what!"

At the sound of her voice, he lifts up his head, his gaze meeting her bright eyes. Whatever he was indulging in doesn't matter. He slides the binder onto a cushion, allowing Maddie to climb onto his lap.

"Tell me, my love."

"Scarlet's read all my books! And she loves Madeline!"

He looks up at me. "Really?"

Before I can respond, another voice enters the room.

"Darling." Female. Breathy. Seductive. Maddie's smile fades as I look over my shoulder.

Sauntering toward us is a vaguely familiar statuesque blonde. There's only one word to describe her: Stunning.

Movie star beautiful with a chic platinum bob and a svelte long-limbed figure. Flaunting her subtle curves, she's dressed to the nines in head-to-toe white—tight designer jeans and a cashmere V-neck sweater—and toting a monstrous designer bag that matches her strappy stilettos. She oozes wealth, glamour, and confidence.

"You really must get rid of that cheap drugstore brand hand soap in the guest bathroom. It's so abrasive."

What an opening line. Then . . .

"Phineas, did you review the pricing chart for the paintings?" She shoots Maddie a dirty look. "Or were you too busy with her ?"

Even her haughty voice is vaguely familiar. I turn to look at Maddie. She pokes her tongue out at the insolent blonde. I love my girl!

My eyes return to the woman. Her face turns livid. "The nerve of that child! Phineas, you must really teach her some respect."

Rage surges inside me. Talking about abrasive! The audacity of this pig-headed woman to criticize my sweet little girl. Before Finn responds, I jerk around and blurt out, "She's only five years old." Not even.

Swinging her bag, the woman strides up to the couch and meets me face to face. I don't forget faces. Especially one as striking as hers. I know I've met her before. But where? I search my mind as she glowers at me.

"And who might you be?"

Finn's wife! The mother of his daughter! I bite my tongue before the words fly out like flaming arrows. Finn introduces us.

"Kayla . . . "

The name, too, is vaguely familiar. Where have I heard it before?

"...this is Maddie's new teacher. Scarlet. She'll be living in the guesthouse."

Pursing her lips, the icy blonde gives me the once-over. Her venomous green eyes glint with contempt. "Well, I hope you can teach that child a little respect."

Sparing me from saying something I may regret, Rosita returns and announces lunch.

Finn gives Maddie an affectionate noogie. "Sunshine, why don't you go with Rosita and have something to eat."

Our little girl looks up at him with her big puppy brown eyes. "But, Daddy, aren't you going to have lunch with me?"

"I can't today, baby girl. I need to spend time with Kayla and go over things for my upcoming exhibition."

Frowning, she turns to me. "What about you, Scarlet?"

Inwardly, I sigh. "I'd love to, but I need to talk with your father and then get settled in."

Kayla shoots me another contemptuous look that borders on possessive. It's obvious she doesn't like me. And the feeling is mutual.

Sensing the tension in the air between us, Rosita chimes in. " Ven conmigo, mi amor. Hice tus tacos favoritos. Pescado." She's made Maddie's favorite tacos. Fish.

Sulking, my little girl acquiesces. After giving Finn a hug, she bounces off his lap and follows Rosita out of the room. I'm already missing her as she disappears.

Just the three of us remain—Kayla and I awkwardly still standing next to each other.

She harrumphs. "Excuse me, Sarah—"

"Scarlet," I correct in a curt tone.

"Whatever. Phineas and I have important business to discuss." She pauses. "Privately."

Finn interjects. "Kayla is my manager."

She fires me a fiendish smile. My eyes don't leave her. Suddenly, it comes to me like a hailstorm in summer. I know where I've seen her before.