Read Maid for Love (A Romantic Comedy) for Free Online

bright it hurt her eyes, which would explain her budding headache. She motioned for Kendra to follow her. “I wanted to get your opinion on something in the kitchen.”
    They stopped first to check in on the kids. Satisfied all was well there, Zoe led her guest to the kitchen.
    Once there, Kendra looked around. “Wow, this is quite a set-up. Michael’s got a great eye for space. Did you help him design the house?”
    Zoe shook her head.
    “Oh, right, you two probably weren’t together back then. How long have you been seeing each other?”
    “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Zoe sat and motioned for Kendra to sit across from her. She focused her eyes in on Kendra’s and lowered her voice to the pitch that worked best when she needed to alter memories. “Michael and I aren’t together.”
    “What do you mean you aren’t-” Kendra began but Zoe cut her off.
    “Michael and I aren’t a couple. We are not dating.” Now came the worst part, telling a bald-faced lie. “We never were together. We never were in love.”
    Kendra’s eyes widened slightly, which Zoe took to be a good sign. This meant her subject was entering a suggestive state. Zoe pressed on before Kendra had a chance to say anything more. “You need to accept what I’m saying, Kendra. Whatever memories you have of Michael and I together are not accurate. They’re a product of distorted perception, nothing more.”
    “Distorted perception?” Kendra asked, her voice softer than it usually was. “You and Michael were never together?”
    Zoe nodded. “That’s exactly right. You’ve got it. You understand the truth now.” She stopped speaking and watched the other woman. Kendra’s gaze wandered around the kitchen as if she were re-orienting herself, which was normal. This had all been far easier than she’d imagined. Perhaps it was because she and Michael hadn’t been close friends with Kendra and Tony. Whatever the reason, she felt relieved at Kendra’s response. Not happy, but definitely relieved.
    “So tell me what you understand, Kendra. It’s important that you and I understand the same thing.”
    Kendra sat back in her chair and folded her hands in lap. “You and Michael aren’t a couple. You’re not dating now. You’ve never dated. Everything that I thought I remembered, I don’t any longer remember.”
    Zoe nodded, although she couldn’t bring herself to smile. “So there’s no point in discussing this further tonight, is there? Not upstairs, and not in front of Michael, isn’t that right?”
    Kendra nodded. “Right. There’s no point. I understand.”
    Feeling a number of conflicting emotions, none of them very positive, Zoe stood. She made sure that her voice was back to normal when she spoke. “Will you help me carry dinner in?”
    Kendra stood and pushed in her chair. “Okay.”
    Zoe handed her a pair of pot holders and the salad bowl. “If you don’t mind taking this in, I’d appreciate it.” She desperately needed a moment alone. “Can you tell the guys I’ll be right in with the roast beef?”
    Kendra nodded. “Right, Zoe, whatever you say.” She took the salad and hurried from the room.
    Zoe stood at the sink and stared out into the dark night. She’d just stooped to an all-time low. She’d always used her gift for good, to help ease sadness or lessen a burden. She’d certainly never before used it for anything other than a noble purpose. Well, except for the time she’d used it to convince Michael that he needed to forget her, but she’d only done that to protect her heart from being broken. Before Michael she’d never dated anyone who had even remotely interested her enough that she’d worried about that possibility. But she should have known at first glance that he was different. That would have been the time to stay clear of him. But no, like a moth to the flame, she'd been unable to stay away. Until he’d mentioned marriage and she’d come completely undone.
    Enough, she chided