A Simple Life Read Online Melanie Moreland

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Tags Authors:
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
<<<<253543444546475565>71
Advertisement


“Can you get me one?” I asked without hesitation. This morning, I had dropped by the Dill to get the keys from Quinn, and she looked exhausted.

“What’s happened?” I asked. “Pumpkin have a bad night?” I knew she was prone to nightmares if upset.

“No. I think the air gave out. It was hot. Too hot to sleep, even with the windows open,” Quinn replied. “We’re both tired today.”

“Why didn’t you call?” I asked.

“No need for three of us to be exhausted. There was nothing you could do at one a.m.”

I crowded her against the counter, my voice low. “I would have come and gotten you. Brought you to the farm where you could sleep comfortably.” I traced the dark circles under her eyes. “I hate the fact that you didn’t call.”

She smiled wanly, and the kitchen door opened. I stepped back, holding out my hand for the keys. “I’ll get it fixed.”

“Thank you.”

Ted shook his head. “Everything is back-ordered, John. I can’t even get you a window unit to cool off a room right now. It’s the same everywhere. This heat is killing everyone.”

He tapped on his phone, flicking at the screen. “Two weeks. Minimum.”

“Order it.”

He nodded. “Will do. It’s supposed to rain by the weekend. Although I’m not sure it will bring us much relief.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Can you check the other units? If they’re going, I want them replaced as well.”

Ted looked pleased. “You take good care of your tenants, John. I know my mom’s is fine. I checked it last week. And we replaced one two years ago, but I’ll make sure it’s operating okay.”

“You didn’t send me a bill for your mom’s place.”

He laughed. “First, it’s my mom. And second, you are always checking on her and doing things for her. The least I can do is check out her air conditioner and furnace. Both are good. But I’ll check the other houses tomorrow. Today is pretty booked.”

I shook his hand, and he left. I went inside, the temperature in the house even worse than outside. I grabbed a glass of water, leaning on the counter and sipping it as I looked around. Quinn had made the place homey. Comfortable. It was obvious she took care of the house well. But I couldn’t let her stay here without air conditioning. The back door opened, and Laura walked in. I frowned. “What are you doing here?”

Laura smiled. “I went to have coffee, and Quinn told me what happened. As manager, I came to see if I could help.”

I huffed out a laugh. “You mean to say you wanted to know what was going on.”

She shrugged. “That too.”

I sighed. “Ted’s ordering a new unit.”

“Oh, great.”

I held up my hand, meeting her eyes. “Not great. Two weeks minimum.”

She grimaced. “Ugh.” She looked around. “I have a couple extra fans. There must be some at the farm too. You only put in air a few years ago there.”

“I can’t let them stay here with no air.”

She crossed her arms. “Two years ago, the Brightons’ unit died. It was three days in the summer without air.”

“It wasn’t this hot.” I sucked in a deep lungful of air. “And it wasn’t Quinn and Pumpkin.”

“So, what are you gonna do? Put them up in a hotel?”

I shook my head. “No. They’re coming to the farm.”

Ignoring her shocked look, I kept talking. “Can you let the tenants know we’re doing an inspection to make sure everything is okay with their units? I want to get ahead of any problems.”

She dug in her bag for her phone and list of tenants. “I know they’ll appreciate it.”

“Ted will let me know if there’s a problem.”

“Let’s hope not. The farmhouse is going to get pretty crowded,” she teased.

“One-time offer,” I replied.

“One-house offer, you mean.”

I smirked. She was right. The offer was always there now for Quinn and Abby. They were the exception.

I had a feeling they might always prove to be the exception.

“No, we’re not,” Quinn argued when I told her what Ted had said and my decision. “We’ll be fine. We’ll use the local pool at night. Borrow the fans from Laura. It’s not like I haven’t been in hot places before.”

“No, you’re packing a bag for each of you and coming to stay with me. It only makes sense.”

Quinn leaned over the table. “John, we’re tenants.”

“You’re more than that, and you know it. I can’t let you and Pumpkin stay in that sweatbox. I swear it was ten degrees hotter inside than out. There isn’t even a breeze. There isn’t going to be. It’s going to be hot and humid for another week at least. I have a big guest room. Pumpkin can swim anytime she wants. You’ll be cool and able to sleep.”

“She has things⁠—”

I cut her off by holding up my hand. “I’ll help you get her to her activities.”


Advertisement

<<<<253543444546475565>71

Advertisement