Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
We open this weekend and I’m already a nervous wreck.
Magnolia Ridge is a dream come true, and I’m already excited about the local community. Everyone we’ve met so far has been super nice. It helps that Paxton Atwood and his brothers are local, which we’re thinking about offering beer later down the road at night when the local bands play.
It’ll really be something.
“It is perfect, right?” Harrison asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
There’s a knock on the glass and Harrison smiles wide when he spots Paxton and his brother Shepherd at the door.
Together, we walk over and let them inside.
“Place looks great,” Shepherd says, running a hand over his beard. He’s tall with dark brown eyes that appear like they can read your mind when they stare at you for too long. He’s really good-looking, obviously not as hot as Harrison, but all the Atwood brothers are nice to look at. “Atta Boy Brewery will love to have our beer here,” he says.
“Yeah for sure, and once it’s up and running, it’ll really be a great hang out spot,” Harrison says with a huge sense of pride.
I feel the same pride swimming through my veins.
“I think Hartford’s going to love it here,” Paxton says. “She’s got a real love for coffee.”
I smile. “She sounds perfect to me. I’m sure we’ll be the best of friends. You sure talk about her a lot, are you sure she’s not your girlfriend?”
Paxton’s cheeks turn bright red. “No. No. Just friends.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” I really can’t. Now that Lennon lives in the next town over, I’ll need to make some new friends here as well. However, I don’t think anyone will ever replace my love for Lennon. I still plan on speaking with her daily. As well as January.
“If he were smart, he’d ask her out,” Harrison adds. He knocks into Paxton, making Paxton wobble on his feet.
“No, it’s really not like that at all.”
“Yeah, she’s way too good for Paxton here,” Shepherd says, just like an older brother would. I can tell the two of them are very close because, for the next few minutes, they crack jokes and poke fun at one another.
“What about you and that girl you took to that Christmas party? When do you plan on making that a thing?” Paxton asks his brother. “She was obviously way too good for you.”
Shepherd shakes his head. “Yeah, I haven’t spoken to Felicity since I’ve been back in town. I don’t know.”
“Ooh, what happened?” I ask him, wanting to know more of this story.
Shepherd draws in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Not much to tell. She asked me to go to a Christmas party with her. It was some work thing, and then afterward I had to leave town to help Ellis and Urban.” I raise a brow, and he says, “They’re our cousins, and own a brewery down in Florida. Anyway, when I came back to Magnolia Ridge, I see she’s back with her ex-fiancé.”
“Ouch, I’m sorry.”
Shepherd shrugs. “No big deal,” he says, but I can tell it is a big deal for him, even if he’s not willing to admit it out loud.
“Have you spoken to her?” Harrison asks.
Shepherd shakes his head. “No, I haven’t. I’m sure it’s better this way.”
Paxton laughs. “Yeah, she’s pregnant.”
“Oh my god,” I blurt out. “Is it yours?” I don’t know what happened at this Christmas party, but I have to ask.
Shepherd looks appalled at the idea. “No, it’s not mine. We only slept together the one time.”
“So you did sleep with her.” Paxton’s smile is wide. “Thank you, February. We’ve been trying to get him to admit that since Christmas.”
“Well, yeah.” I can tell Shepherd is uncomfortable with this conversation by the way he shifts his weight on his feet from side to side.
“It’s fine. I’m sure it’ll all work out,” I tell Shepherd, squeezing his arm and giving him a reassuring smile.
“So, coffee,” Harrison says, getting all of our attention back on the topic at hand. “You guys coming for the grand opening this weekend?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, buddy.” Paxton shakes Harrison’s hand with a smile. “Hartford and I will be here. Along with my brothers, and my little sister just got back into town too.”
“Another friend for me?” I ask.