Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
“Okay, I’m going to go to the bar before I do something really fun but ill-advised.”
I smiled. “Color me intrigued.”
“Later. More if you save me a sandwich.” She sauntered across the kitchen, putting on a show just for me. Thankfully, my prep cook hadn’t arrived yet.
Rob was on my mind throughout the shift. She was beautiful, sure, and even sexy as hell, but that wasn’t the full scope of her appeal. Rob was made of the stuff of fantasies, but she was so much more. Smart and funny, witty and kind. She bull-dozed me into cooking again, which I should have hated, but I loved being in the kitchen, and so far, it was a success.
The best part was that she did all of this without asking for anything in return. She wanted to spend time with me, to learn about me in addition to wanting my body. She was fucking perfect.
Which was terrifying as hell.
9 ROB
Getting up early to meet the girls for Monday brunch was a hassle, not because I didn’t want to go but because the long nights of the past few weeks were catching up to me. I couldn’t stop yawning as I made the short walk to Nix’s bakery. I stepped inside and the scent of coffee hit me. At first it was a welcome aroma but quickly my stomach decided that it wasn’t.
“Rob!” Nix’s smile spread wide. “Coffee?”
I shook my head. “How about some ginger tea? I think my body is rebelling from enjoying a normal diet after all these years.” I hoped that was it and not something more serious.
Nix flashed a sympathetic smile and nodded. “Ginger tea coming up. How about a pastry?”
“Croissants?”
She laughed. “Take a seat and I’ll bring it out.”
I dropped down at a table big enough to fit the five of us and rested my head in my hands. I was exhausted and counting down until I could go back home and nap until the Easter egg hunt kicked off Easter Fest.
“Here you go.” Nix set the tea in front of me, another in front of her and three coffees just as Kayla, Torey and Hailey arrived. “Right on time.”
“Why are we meeting here?” Hailey asked the obvious question.
“Because the bakery is closed today but I still have orders to fulfill and later I’ll be asleep.”
“Makes sense,” she smiled and looked around the table. “So, what’s up with everyone?”
Torey grinned and pointed at Nix. “She’s engaged to the billionaire who’s building the retreat on the edge of town.”
Hailey’s eyes widened. “I have an interview there as a yoga instructor next week.”
“I’ll put in a good word for you,” Nix offered with a grin even though Hailey hadn’t been part of our crew growing up. She was friends with Ryan, which put her a step higher than us mere mortals. “And Torey is almost engaged to my brother.”
“No way!” Hailey’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I guess you never got over that crush.”
“Guess not,” she mumbled and then pointed at Kayla. “Dating a rock star. You might have heard of Lancaster,” she grinned. “Who is also Lee’s kid brother.”
“Well damn,” Hailey laughed and sipped her coffee. “And what about you, Robin? Is it an underwear model or ambassador?”
“Oh no, she’s dating the sexy lumberjack bartender Levi.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not sure I’d call it dating.” Technically we’d gone on exactly one date.
“Oh come on Rob,” Nix insisted. “You’ve been spending a lot of time together.”
I opened my mouth to deny it but both Kayla and Torey were there with photographic evidence. The Holiday Grove Facebook page had several photos of us. “He’s hot and he’s funny. I like him.”
Kayla finished off her coffee and stood to refill her cup. “Oh no, Rob. We deserve more than that.”
Nix and Torey both nodded while Hailey looked on fascinated.
“Fine, I like him a lot. He’s an excellent cook and when he looks at me, it’s like a woman and not some pinup fantasy. The past few weeks have been amazing.”
“Sounds like a but is coming,” Hailey pointed out.
“It feels too soon to like him the way I do. I know men and I know how quickly they change once they get you.”
“That much is true,” Hailey agreed rather ominously. There was definitely a story there. “Any red flags so far? Is he on the run? On probation?”
I laughed. “No. He’s here because he’s Marcus’ nephew and he inherited the bar.”
“Oh no, Marcus is gone?” She smiled wistfully. “He always told me why my fake I.D.’s were no good.”
“So no red flags,” Nix returned us to the topic at hand. “Lee and I fell for each other during a snowstorm. It was just two days.”
Kayla nodded. “It happens at its own pace. When you know, you know.” Her full lips curled into a grin that said she was thinking about her gorgeous rock star.