Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
For the past two weeks I’d eaten nearly every meal at the York Farm, helping out and eating with Bella and Everest. We were like a family. A real family who joked about cold mashed potatoes, teased the kid about girls, and even snuck in a few kisses between turning steaks and stirring gravy. It was a lot like life before our mom died and our dad had became a grumpy SOB, only with more profanity.
Bella. She was exactly what I’d known she be back in high school, which of course, only made me want to kick my own ass even more for treating her the way I did. She hadn’t deserved it back then, not at all, but my fears were now realized. If I’d gotten to know her as a girl I might have changed up my whole damn life just to be with her, and where would I be now? Not a world famous rock star, not well-off. I’d be a farmer’s husband, maybe a newspaper reporter like my dad.
I wasn’t sure if in hindsight that was a trade I could make, but I knew without a doubt that Bella was what I wanted now, and for the future.
I smiled to myself thinking how telling her that particular fact would send her running for the hills. Not that I believed she didn’t feel the exact same way, but I knew she was still wary of me, and I couldn’t blame her. Despite the kissing and getting naked in private, nothing had technically changed with our arrangement. It was still technically a fake relationship, but my feelings for Bella were real.
Very fucking real.
I shut the fridge and typed up a short shopping list for my trip into town, which was less than a ten minute drive, but out here with land stretching out as far as the eye could see, it felt a lot further. Like I was in my own little bubble. I would pick up a few staples, and maybe also get a few things for Bella and Everest, but what?
That question was the perfect excuse to drop by York Farm to see what, if anything, they might need. Not that I needed an excuse, she was my girlfriend after all, but after two straight weeks of nonstop sex, Bella said she needed time on the farm and to let her body recover.
From me.
“I don’t even want to know what that creepy smile is about.” Everest’s voice came from right beside me, just outside my truck.
“Then you probably shouldn’t ask what I was thinking about.”
The kid took a step back with his hands raised in defeat. “Consider the question not asked. Aunt Bella is busy.”
I frowned at his tone. “I thought we were cool?”
“We are,” he shrugged. “But she’s out checking on the apples, and then gathering eggs for the day. Said she wouldn’t be back to the house until supper.”
Shit. “Too bad. I need to head to the store and I stopped by to see if you guys needed anything.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “I’ve eaten here more than at home, and my fridge is totally bare.”
Everest smirked. “Aunt Bella keeps a list on the fridge. I’ll go grab it.” He took off up the stairs, his long legs took them two at a time before he barreled inside the house, giving me a greater appreciation for my mom’s constant shouts for us to stop slamming her door. He rushed out with a ball of canvas in his hand and fell into the passenger seat as if he was being chased.
“What’s the rush?”
“No rush, just didn’t want to keep you waiting just in case you started having dirty thoughts again.” Everest rolled his eyes and tugged on his seatbelt.
“Hey, a man is entitled to his thoughts. What are the bags for?”
“Shopping. Aunt Bella uses these because they’re better than plastic ones, and since you’re doing our shopping I figured you’d want to use them too.” He shrugged and dropped the bags between his legs. “Oh, and I need to stop at the print shop to get more York Farm bags for the weekend market.”
“We can do that.” It would take another task off Bella’s list, which hopefully would free her up to spend time with me. I found a parking spot right in front of the print shop, which was only a block from the grocery store. “You want to put in the print order first, and then we can pick it up by the time we’re done getting groceries?”
Everest jumped from the truck and nodded over the top. “Yeah. I can put the order in now and meet you at the store?”
I froze as if this was some sort of test. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”
He sighed. “I already messaged Aunt Bella and told her I was coming with you, and I think I’m old enough to make it one block on my own.”