Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
As I made my way to the kitchen, since Evie hadn’t yet reappeared with a mug for me, I waved at all my first-shift people and got multiple calls of “Hey, Mere” back. It was Merritt, but everyone had been shortening it forever.
Paris Croft, my day manager, saw me and strode across the main area to slip her arm through mine, as was her habit.
“What?” I barked at her. I did it with everyone, so she wasn’t fazed.
“Don’t growl,” she warned me, steering me toward the redbrick courtyard. “Did Evie tell you about the guys waiting for you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why aren’t you speaking to them?”
“No coffee.”
“Yes, I’m aware. And because Evie made it sound like you were needing more than your regular, Lupe is making you that spicy concoction of hers with the chilis because she said your something chakra needs it because it’s out of alignment with Uranus.”
“All of what you just said is wrong,” I assured her.
“Anyway, I’ll bring it to you when she’s done, but you do need to go chat with them. New people bringing new business is good for the town.”
I squinted at her.
“It is. There’s nothing on this road but us for three miles in either direction. And the town needs more than a veterinary clinic, a women’s shelter, a gas station, a pub, and the equipment rental shop.”
“You forgot your own husband’s tour guide business.” I shook my head at her. “That’s terrible.”
She scowled back. “Is it really a business if he carries our daughter on his back everywhere he goes? How serious does the man look feeding her Goldfish crackers?”
I scoffed. “People with kids love him. He showed me his Yelp reviews.”
“Did he? All twelve?”
“You’re being really snide right now and not at all supportive,” I told her. The eye-rolling was just making it worse. “Don’t be mean to him, when he finishes his book on the Early Jurassic period, you’ll be rolling in money.”
“Will I? Rolling?”
“You are crapping all over that man’s dream right now.”
“Oh dear God.” She pointed to where the gentlemen were standing in a group beside a limestone arch. People had to walk under it from the circular drive before you could cross the courtyard and enter the restaurant. “They wanted to speak to you as soon as you came in. I’m sure it’s about some kind of partnership.”
“You’re the manager,” I nearly whined. “Why do they need to speak to me?”
“Because you’re the owner, and the guy standing in the middle—do you see him?”
“I see all three of them.”
“Yes, but do you see that guy’s thick blond hair, the tan, and the shoulders? Did you clock all that?”
I did a slow pan to her.
“What? You don’t see him there with the big blue eyes and those gorgeous cheekbones?”
“May I remind you that I haven’t had coffee yet?”
“Do you know what you need more than coffee?”
“It’s too early for you to be gross,” I warned her.
“Laid.” She enunciated the word clearly for me. “You need to get laid.”
“People look at you and think, total earth mother, not someone with her mind in the gutter.”
“He’s pretty, you’re pretty, I think—”
“Why are you like this? Why can’t you be—”
“I already tested him. I had Sachi walk by the group, and both his friends were drooling,” Paris said. “Then Gaia walked by, with her hips and boobs—”
“You’re so crass.”
“—and the guy with the black hair actually fell off of his chair and spilled Sasha’s homemade lavender honey down the front of his shirt. That’s why his jacket’s zipped up now.”
“Oh, did we get a delivery today? I need to grab one for—”
“You’re not listening to me. The man could not be less interested in the women who work here, but I’ve been watching, and you, my friend, he has not taken his eyes off of.”
Even from where I stood, I heard the man take a breath before a smile curled his beautiful mouth and lit his face when I glanced over. No doubt about it, handsome man. The issue was, that fast, I could tell he wasn’t for me. There needed to be power to draw my interest, a strength that radiated from the inside out. He didn’t possess that. It was the trait that drew me to all people, what everyone who worked for me had going for them. Every single woman there had an inextinguishable torch inside, a tested life force. And while to be my friend, it wasn’t necessary, to work for me or sleep with me, it was vital.
“Oh, see? He’s smiling again. Very interested in you.”
“Because he knows they got fucked in the deal with Bill and they need a piece of my land, and even though it’s early for a Friday morning, Desmond already told them to go to hell.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Bill’s land is locked in; it doesn’t go to the road. You need—”