Vic Valentine didn’t know whether to be amused or annoyed at the angry young woman standing outside of his door. He guessed from the key in her hand that she was Aimee’s prodigal niece, finally come to claim her inheritance. He also guessed from the look of shock and confusion on her face that she hadn’t been paying much attention at the will reading, nor during the two years since. Although Vic had spent much of the past two years building up an intense dislike of the woman, whom he had never met, he had to admit that even in her current state, she had an attractiveness that made his natural male instinct rebel against that inclination. Still, her aunt had adored her, and she had refused to visit, even refused to visit the home her aunt had left for her. Vic had had a deep admiration and respect for Aimee Blanchard and he wasn’t going to let her negligent niece off the hook easily. His initial instinct to dislike her won out.
The roguishly hansom blond reached a hand out to her. “Welcome to my home, would you like to come in?”
The brunette seemed confused. She checked the address on the door, and then the one in her hand. Finding that they matched, she resumed being irritated rather than confused. “Whatever is going on here, I do not find it amusing!” she snapped. “This is my late Aunt’s house, and the property of me. Just what are you doing here.”
“You must be Katherine then,” he said easily, his hand still outstretched. “I’m Vic, Vic Valentine. I was a friend of your aunts, and I have been the caretaker since her death. It was all spelled out in the will, but I’ll explain it to you again if you’d like to come inside and calm down some.”
The suggestion to calm down didn’t seem to set well with the woman on the doorstep, but she entered the house grudgingly. “You can hardly blame me for being upset. I expected an empty house.”
Vic could feel his jaw tightening. “I can blame you. “How long has it been since the house became yours? You could have at least taken the time to find out what was becoming of the place.”
“Look, I don’t know you and I don’t need a lecture, either. The fact is, the house belongs to me, I’m here now and your services will no longer be needed.”
Wow, Vic thought, this woman is a piece of work. He had no idea why she needed to be so rude. Her aunt had been such a delightful woman, obviously Katherine was nothing like her. “So your staying then?” he said in a cold flat voice.
“Not that it’s any of your concern, but I will be staying here until I take care of some business, and then I will be selling the house.”
“What! Selling it, you can’t-”
“I assure you I can, Mr. Valentine. I have no use for a house in California. My home is in Michigan and I will be staying there, where people are sensible and civilized.”
Vic didn’t know whether to be offended or to laugh. Sensing that the latter would irritate his new guest more, he chuckled in an admittedly patronizing way.
“I fail to see the humor.”
“The humor, Miss Banks, is that you make too many assumptions. I am not going anywhere. Your aunt appointed me as a live in caretaker and this is my home.”
“Well sir, I’m sorry to hear that. Because I am here now, it belongs to me and I planned to stay here while I’m in town. Clearly we can not both stay here, so I am afraid you will have to go.”
Vic looked her square in the eye and said, quite simply, “No.”
Her color was rising now, “No?”
