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arguing. Jade was trying to act all cute and charming, but I didn’t buy any of it.”
    â€œJade? Charming?” Garnet slapped her leg with amusement. “Oh,sonny. That’s a good one. Jade is as cute as a bug in a rug, but she’s so shy she failed charm school twice, didn’t you, sweetie?”
    â€œGG!”
    â€œYou failed twice? Now that I’d believe,” Tobin drawled.
    Miz G poked his arm. “Your charm doesn’t work as well as you think, or else you’d already have hooked yourself a girlfriend or a wife, wouldn’t you?”
    Jesus.
    He’d forgotten about Garnet’s equal-opportunity blunt streak.
    â€œThat’s probably because he argues about everything,” Jade said.
    â€œThe hell I do. I argue when it’s warranted.”
    â€œI don’t like arguing in any way, shape or form,” Garnet said.
    â€œThen we’ll stop,” Tobin said. “It’ll be easier for some of us than others.”
    â€œYes, it’ll be very easy for
him
to stop,” Jade said sweetly, “since he wasn’t winning anyway.”
    â€œHard to get my point across when I’m bein’ accused of everything from freeloading, to having undue influence, to expecting payment for my services.”
    â€œI never said any of that,” she said hotly.
    â€œBut you sure were thinking it, weren’t you, darlin’?”
    â€œOh, so you’re a mind reader now too?” Jade leaned forward. “Tell me what I’m thinking right now.”
    Tobin clucked his tongue. “Miz G doesn’t like to hear that kind of foul language, Jade. As her
only
granddaughter, you should already know that.”
    â€œOmigod. You are the most infuriating man I’ve ever met.”
    â€œAnd I’m considered a nice guy around these parts.”
    â€œNot exactly a badge of honor when the population around these parts is like . . . ten,” she retorted, “and half of them are animals.”
    â€œIf there aren’t enough people around to suit your needs, why don’t you trot your little self on home to New York City?”
    â€œBecause I like it here. Present company excluded. So suck it up, cowboy. I’m not going anywhere.”
    â€œRight.” He smirked. “Bet you don’t last half a day,
cupcake
, when I tell you the nearest Starbucks is in Laramie . . . eighty miles away.”
    â€œEnough!”
    They looked at Garnet and then each other. How had they forgotten she was here?
    Garnet said. “Zip it, both of you, and listen up. I’d hoped I was wrong but I can see that it’s worse than I imagined.” She pointed at Jade. “I don’t care what you said to Tobin in the kitchen earlier that had him scurrying off, but it was more than just a little tiff to get that man to forgo lunch.” She focused on Tobin. “And I’ve no doubt you were equally at fault by goading her into it.”
    â€œMe?” Tobin said innocently.
    Jade whispered, “Why don’t you just
nut up
and admit it?”
    Miz G said nothing to
her
about her snarky comment. How was that fair?
    Jesus. How old are you? Nine?
    â€œI won’t listen to this kind of grade-school bickering. I’m too damn old. I’ll state the obvious. You two are oil and water. You have nothing in common. You’ll be at each other’s throats at every opportunity, so I simply won’t allow them kind of opportunities.” She paused, her steely-eyed stare moving back and forth between them. “Do you understand what I’m saying? You two will steer clear of each other at all times for the duration of your stay with me—however long that’ll be.”
    â€œHow are we supposed to ‘steer clear’ of each other, GG?” Jade demanded.
    â€œYeah. We’re sharing a house, a bathroom and . . . time with you, Miz G.”
    Jade muttered,