Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 53521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
I scrub a hand at the back of my neck. “You need to promise me one thing first.”
“What’s that?”
“You won’t put the lights next to my window. I can’t sleep at night.”
She takes another sip of the coffee and sets it down. “Ok, deal.”
“So you’re really not gonna ask Bill for his leaf blower?”
“No,” I sip from my mug, “I’m not. It’s almost winter anyway. The snow will come and the leaves will be a good insulator for the grass.”
“The grass is already dead, Shepherd.”
I look around. “Oh well. They’ll crumble and blow away when it gets colder.”
She’s still looking around my lawn. “I could help out too.”
“You?” I’ll admit, the thought of her on my front lawn raking up my leaves in some tight little yoga pants and her bouncy hair in a ponytail kinda gets me going.
“Yeah, I have a rake. I did my own leaves.”
“Did you now?” I continue to sip my coffee.
“I didn’t have anyone else to do it for me after…” She trails off.
There’s a hint of sadness on her face, and I don’t like it. As annoying as she can be, her bubbly personality is like a fixture I’ve come to rely on in the years we’ve been neighbors.
“After what?” I ask her.
“After Karl and I broke up.”
Wait. Stop the presses.
“You broke up?”
She nods. “Yes.” She steps further away from me. “It’s nothing,” she says, waving off her statement. “It’s fine. I’m over it.”
“Are you?”
Her eyes crash into mine. “Yes. I’m over him. And well…I need a favor from you.”
I shift on my feet. “Name it.”
“I need a date.”
“What? And you think I know someone?”
“No, I think you’ll look good in a suit.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m really not.”
I let a moment of silence sink in as I think about this. She tries to pretend she doesn’t hate the coffee as I do. On the one hand, I have to mingle with strangers at an office party. On the other hand, she’s cute and I’ll get some free drinks out of it.
“Come on, Shep, will you do it?”
“This weekend?”
“Yeah, Saturday at seven.”
“What’s in it for me?”
She can’t hear my thoughts, might as well see what else I can get out of this. Free drinks are great and all, but I might need a little more incentive. She reaches the coffee mug toward me, handing it back. I’m surprised to see she’s actually finished half of it.
“I’ll rake the leaves.” She smiles.
“I thought you were gonna do that anyway.”
“Maybe, but now you know I will because I’ll owe you.” She winks.
I take the coffee mug and put it on the table next to mine, then hold out my hand to her. “Deal.”
She places her tiny hand in mine. “Deal. I’ll meet you outside at six-thirty.”
“Fine, but I’m driving.”
“Oh, you do have a suit, right?”
I raise a brow. “Yes, I have a suit.”
Chapter 5
Felicity
I don’t keep it casual when I pick a dress for this party. I have a long chocolate-colored number to match my eyes. It showcases my curves, and legs. I hope to show everyone at the party tonight that I’m back.
That what Karl did to me may have hurt me then, but not now. I’m a new woman. And I’ll have a handsome man on my arm. Even if he isn’t charming. I fluff my hair in the mirror, and check my makeup once more.
Perfect. There’s a knock, and I rush out of my room, down the hall, and swing open the front door.
The sight of Shepherd Atwood takes my breath away.
“Um, wow,” he breathes out. “You’re stunning.”
I smile up at him, and try to play it cool. “You’re not so bad yourself.” But he’s even better than that. He’s dressed to the nines, and his hair is gelled to perfection. I’ve never seen him look so good. He even smells like a million bucks. Such a contrast to the man who drinks his coffee on the front porch and yells at the children riding by on their bikes.
Much different.
His big hand engulfs mine as he takes it and leads me down to his truck. He opens the door for me, and for a second I’m nervous at the thought that this is a real date. It’s not some fake thing I asked him to help me with. I thought for sure I wasn’t ready to date, but now, with the wind in my hair, I’m hopeful.
He starts his engine and pulls away from our houses. It’s go time. Whether I feel ready or not, I’m now officially on a date. The first date since Karl left me. And so far it’s going better than anything Karl and I have ever done. Karl always sat in his car and honked his horn. I know it’s so cliché of what a man shouldn't do, but I always agreed that he didn’t need to get out of his car to come fetch me. However, having Shep come to my door, knocking, the anticipation brimming, it made it so much more.