Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 109299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
A second later, Josiah calls out, “Sheldon! C’mere kitty, kitty.” Josiah rounds the corner of an aisle, shrugging an apology for…cats. “He’s in a mood today, Ripley. But can I help you with anything?”
He flashes a warm smile at me, then at Banks.
It takes me a second to reorient, and when I do, I just smile and shake my head. “I’m all good.”
We leave the aisle immediately. The last thing I need is the whole town knowing this man can turn me on by talking about cleaning supplies.
Well, I sure like not having to do it myself.
Once we’re back in the truck, Banks’s phone rings. He checks the screen, then answers it. “Banks here.”
There’s a pause, and I can vaguely hear a masculine voice on the other line, then Banks says, “Excellent. Any idea when they want to schedule it for?”
Another pause, then he hums appreciatively. “Damn, that’s soon.”
This call sounds promising, especially when he adds, “Let’s set it up. Nice work.”
Another pause.
“We did it together. Like a team.” A few more seconds. “Excellent. Talk soon.”
When the call ends, I’m raring to ask, “What was that about?” But I swallow the words. That’s a girlfriend question. We’re not there. We’re not headed there.
I fiddle with the seat belt, like that’s what I meant to be doing all along. Banks clears his throat. “That was Dean.”
“Oh?” I try to act nonchalant, though I’m dying to know about the call.
His brown eyes flicker with a familiar emotion—professional excitement. “Tabitha made an intro, and we have a meeting with Webflix.”
“You do?” I ask cautiously. I don’t want to read anything into what this meeting might mean for us. Even though I really do. Webflix is based in San Francisco, but I don’t say that. The prospect is too thrilling to voice.
“They shoot a bunch of their shows in San Francisco. They need cybersecurity and set security,” Banks says evenly.
“That’s fantastic. See? This movie is leading to connections for you too,” I say, trying to focus purely on the professional side of this news. Then, so it’s clear I get where he’s coming from, and I support him, I add, a little jokingly, “I promise I won’t distract you anymore during the shoot.”
But he doesn’t take the bait. He peers out the driver’s side window, then cranes his neck to check the lot behind us. Seeming satisfied, he sets a hand on my thigh. “This might sound crazy, but…”
My heart explodes into a gallop. It’s racing like a horse. “Yes?”
“Well, San Francisco’s pretty close,” he says, and his smile is hopeful.
“It is. You might be working there?”
“Yeah,” he says, squeezing my thigh, his voice pitching up. “What do you think of that, Ripley?”
I think my chest is tingling. I think my cells are dancing. “I think San Francisco has some nice cafés, and restaurants, and nail salons, and yoga places.”
He leans a little closer, almost like he’s going to kiss me. “Someday, I’ll be able to finish that thought in public.”
Maybe someday soon.
36
TOP SECRET
RIPLEY
A few days later, as I’m working on the back deck and reviewing orders from plant shops in the area that carry our flowers, a voice whispers, “Psst.”
It’s Haven, and I set the laptop down and head to the railing. She’s been shooting here all day at the farm, and there’s clearly a break right now. Most of the crew is near the rows of Impress Purple and the white bench at the top of the path. New Chris and Haven have been talking on the bench in an important scene since all Very Important Conversations are had on benches.
“What’s going on?”
She glances around the vast lawn, checking for eavesdroppers before she mutters, “Check your texts.”
This is top-secret level. I spin around and grab my phone from the chair, clicking open her message sent five minutes ago.
Haven: Remember when we played that game with Linc Turner?
With curious eyes, I look up at my troublemaking sister, sensing where she’s going. Her eager smile gives her away. I tap out a fast reply.
Ripley: You mean the one where I broke up with him for you because the asshole was a cheater?
The second her phone pings, she nods excitedly. “Yes.”
I growl. “Who hurt you and where is he?”
Shaking her head, she replies at the speed of light.
Haven: The opposite! Is there any chance you could, you know, leave my hotel in a sort of noticeable way tonight? So any photogs or fans will think I’ve left?
My jaw comes unhinged, and I mouth, “You naughty minx.”
If a shrug could say yes, I am, hers does. Without wasting a second, I write back.
Ripley: Does this mean you want to have a date with William at your hotel or out of your hotel?
Haven: Both, hopefully! We want to go to Duck Falls and do a bookstore blind date—it’s where you go to a bookshop and pick a book you think the other person will like. Then have dinner someplace kind of quiet and out of the way. He sent me flowers this morning to ask me if I wanted to go on a date with him.