Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
She just smiles and opens the driver's side door of my car, holding it for me. "I don't know. Did I tell you that Fletch and Asher are brothers?"
"Asher Wild, my boss?"
She nods. "Yep, that's the one. And talking about Asher, I feel like I need to warn you a little bit."
I slam the trunk of my car and come around to meet her. "Warn me. Warn me about what?" I ask. "I thought he was on board with this. He does know I'm coming today, right?"
Delilah nods her head. "Yes, of course he knows you're coming. Chill out. I wouldn't set you up like that. I'm just saying Asher's a little bit older and grumpy and set in his ways. That's all."
"You know I can handle grumpy old men. Have you met my dad?"
She laughs out loud at that. "You're right. You're right."
I hug her neck and thank her again. “Please tell your dad thank you again. I really appreciate him helping me with this job.”
She lifts her shoulders. “You know he’d do anything for you.”
I laugh at that because we both know the truth. “Come on, we know why he did it. He’d do anything for his little princess,” I tease her.
I sit down into my car and look up at her. "So we'll talk soon?"
She nods and then points down the street. "It's that way. At the big intersection, turn right. You’re going to be driving for awhile but there's no way you're going to miss the Wild Peach. It's sort of a landmark here."
"Got it. I've already put it in my map app."
After telling Delilah bye and thanking her again for letting me stay, I pull out of the parking lot of her apartment building and drive toward the peach farm.
The whole way there, I give myself a little bit of a pep talk. There's no doubt that I can do this job. I know I can, but I can't believe that I'm this nervous. As I get to the edge of town, I follow the directions as my phone calls out turns through the speakers in my car. I don't need them to tell me that I'm arriving soon because I start to drive right by the peach farm, rows and rows of big, beautiful trees. I start to imagine what they'll look like when they are fully ripe. The closer I get to The Wild Peach, the calmer I start to feel and the more at peace I am with my decision.
I pull down the long gravel driveway and park in front of the big white two-story house. After taking a deep breath and letting it out, I climb out of my car and walk up the path to the house. I knock on the front door and then take two steps back to put some distance between myself and the door.
I can hear footsteps on the other side, and in anticipation, I hold my hands together in front of me, but I was not prepared for what I was about to see. As the door swings open, I gasp and feel heat rush to my face. Honestly, that’s probably not the best reaction to have, but there’s no holding it back. He's tall with wide shoulders, a broad chest, and deep brown eyes. His hair is a little shaggy and hangs across one arched brow. He gazes at me and looks up and down my body before settling on my face once again. I feel that gaze from the tips of my red hair down to the toes in my boots. His voice is gruff, and I swear my body vibrates as he starts to talk. "Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying."
He slams the door, and all I can do is jump in surprise. Did he really just say that?
CHAPTER 2
ASHER
I shut the door and lean against it, letting my forehead rest on the cool hard wood. I fucked up. I should have asked more questions when Chief Taylor asked me to give Madelyn Weston a job. I didn’t think of it because I was so surprised that the chief was asking for a favor. He had to know that I wouldn’t tell him no. He was a good friend to my parents, and after their death, he made sure to keep an eye out for all us boys.
There’s another knock on the door, and I curse under my breath. “Fuck.”
I clench my eyes shut and shake my head. I have to do this. I told Chief Taylor I would. I rip the door open harder than I should. “Yeah?”
I train my eyes on her face and not let it scan it down her body like I did before. I think that’s what got me off track, but the longer I stare into her angry blue eyes, I realize that they are enough to get me off kilter, and my scowl deepens.