Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Before I even had a chance to reset, Pippa and Ryan stopped by with their adorable little baby girl. “Bella York. Honey, how much did you drink from the fountain of youth?”
I laughed, Pippa’s loud words caused people in the other lines to stare. “Pippa and Ryan Gregory, just as it should be.”
“Damn right,” he said and gave me a wink.
“Oh please, our story was twenty years in the making,” she offered with a smirk. “I’ll tell you all about it another time. This is our little girl, Ryanna.” Pippa handed her to me and turned to the box of tomatoes in front of her.
“She’s precious, Pip.”
“Right? Now that she’s finally sleeping through the night, she’s the best baby in the world. Most beautiful too.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Everest was pretty damn cute as a baby. Head full of black hair and big grey eyes that looked like melted nickel.”
“Aunt Bella,” he groaned. “Please.”
Pippa laughed. “Your nephew is a cutie pie.”
Ryanna started to squirm and I handed her back to her mama. “She’s ready for food or something.”
Pippa laughed. “Come here sweet girl.” She snuggled her daughter close while Ryan grabbed the tomatoes and handed Everest the cash.
“Wow, a party and I wasn’t invited.” Carlotta strolled up and planted a kiss on Ryanna’s head, her palm clasped to Chase’s.
“What kind of herbs do you have?” Chase asked Everest. “I’m making risotto.”
Everest made a quick escape to the tent with Chase on his heels, eager to get away from the grown up talk. It was probably as hard for him to see the happy families as it was for me, although for different reasons. He was seeing an alternate history, what his life could have been if not for cancer. For me, it was a reminder that I’d never found that connection with anyone, and likely never would.
“I need two dozen eggs, but you can keep them in your fridge and make us breakfast in the morning.” Roman’s deep voice and teasing tone pulled me from my morose thoughts, and I turned to find him leaning across the table with a flirtatious smile.
I laughed, because what else could I do? He was adorable and funny, and still the same flirt he was as a kid. “Does that line ever work for you?”
“I don’t know, you’re the first farmer girl I’ve tried to hook up with.” He winked and I found myself laughing again.
“Oh I’ll make eggs for you, Roman. Happily.”
“Excellent,” he said and rubbed his hands together greedily.
“In exchange for one hour of work.”
His shoulders fell in much the same way Everest’s did when he didn’t get his way. “One hour! That’s not nearly enough time, honey.”
“You’re absolutely incorrigible Roman, you know that? I’ll bet those women on the road don’t stand a chance when you unleash that charm on them.”
“Putty in my hands,” he agreed. “But seriously, I would like those eggs, damn things are the only thing I cook really well.”
“Scrambled?”
“Of course. Sunny side up. Poached. Omelet. Hard and soft boiled. Even over easy. Tempted?”
“Hungry,” I shot back with another laugh.
“Real smooth,” Everest mumbled loudly.
Roman turned an amused gaze to my nephew. “Hey, you could learn a thing or two from me kid.” He slid a hesitant glance at me and then back to Everest. “When you’re older, of course. To be fair, with that hair, you won’t need much else.”
Everest’s cheeks flamed bright red, forcing another laugh from me and from Roman. “Whatever,” he grumbled and buried his face in his brand new smartphone.
I rang up the eggs and wrapped them in butcher paper that I sealed with a York Farms sticker. “Thanks for shopping York Farms, Roman.”
“My pleasure Bella. Ciao bella,” he said in a horrible Italian accent.
“Wow, so you are terrible at something.” He frowned and I laughed again.
“What’s the joke?” Derek appeared out of nowhere, or maybe it was just my fault for letting my guard down.
I refused to let him ruin my mood. Today was a good day and we’d done good business, so if he wanted to buy something I would treat him like a customer. If he didn’t then there was nothing to say.
“No joke is necessary when you’re naturally charming,” Roman told him with a playful shoulder check.
Ignoring his brother, Derek’s gaze focused on my face. “Hello Bella. Everest.”
“Hey Derek,” Everest shot back with an easygoing smile.
I held my tongue, because while I wouldn’t verbally attack him for no reason, I also refused to pretend we were friends.
He let out a huff of laughter and shoved his both hands deep in his pockets. “Is this how you treat customers?” He asked, showing a quick flare of temper.
My nostrils flared in anger at his attempt to rattle me. “Are you a customer? If so, what can I get for you?”
He looked around, blue eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights, before his gaze narrowed in on the typewritten price list beside Everest and the produce in the tent beyond. “Um, yeah actually. I’ll take three of those,” he said and pointed at the squash.