Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 93400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
I laughed. “I need to give Candace a call and check in with her before I show Hudson where the grocery store is.”
“Do you need me to take over as tour guide?”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “Nice try, but I saw him first.”
She laughed. “Not really. I bumped into him first.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “You have a point. I call dibs.”
Brighton’s mouth dropped open before she fell into a fit of laughter. I did everything I could not to laugh, but I quickly lost the battle.
Wiping tears from her cheeks, Brighton sighed. “Oh man, I must have needed that laugh. Fine. You win.”
“Thank you, I’ll gladly take the honors.”
She waggled her brows. “I’ll bet you will.”
“In all seriousness, though, I want to make sure there is enough food at the cabin for Hudson.”
A slow, devil-may-care smile spread over her face. “So you’re going back out there to the cabin with him this evening, huh?”
“It’s not what you think, Brighton.”
She leaned in closer to me and whispered, “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Uh-huh. Girl, if I’d thought of calling dibs, I would have done it first. Have you seen the body on that man?”
I glanced toward the stairs and nearly sighed. Finally, I cleared my throat. “I need to call Candace and let her know I’m taking the rest of the day off.”
Brighton started to head down the steps of the front porch before she called back over her shoulder, “Be sure to practice safe sex!”
At that exact moment, Candace answered her phone.
“Oh my God, you’re having sex? Why is Brighton there? Are you having a threesome without me?”
I rolled my eyes and groaned. “I’m at the Willow Tree waiting for Hudson to pack up his things. He’s decided to stay out at the cabin. I’m not coming back to the bookstore today, if that’s okay.”
“Let me guess, you decided to get crazy, and you’re staying at the cabin tonight with Mr. Hotty Pants and finally having sex. Is that why Brighton told you to practice safe sex? And how in the hell did she find out that you’re having sex before I did? I’m your best friend, or have you forgotten?”
An image of Hudson naked flashed through my mind and I quickly shook it away. “No, I am not staying there tonight, nor will I be having”—I glanced around and lowered my voice—“sex tonight. I’m simply helping him run a few errands and then getting him settled in at the cabin. You don’t mind closing up tonight, do you?”
She chuckled. “Sure, I’ll close up. Do I need to open tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Are you sure, Greer? I mean, he looks like the type of man who could fuck for hours.”
I sucked in a breath so fast I fell into a coughing fit.
“Jesus…tap…dancing…Christ!” I managed to get out between coughs. “Did you really just say that? What if someone in the bookstore hears you?”
“First, I’m in your office. Second, you know it’s true, Greer. I bet he’s hung like a––”
“Ooookay. I’m hanging up now.”
Before my best friend could utter another word, I hit End and slipped my phone into my back pocket. I felt it vibrate, but decided not to look at what she had texted. It would most likely be the end of what she was about to say—and probably in the form of a GIF.
As I started to head into the kitchen to catch up with Joanne, Hudson came down the steps. He was still carrying his laptop bag, but now he also had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
“That’s all you have?” I asked.
“Told you it was a last-minute decision to come here.”
Had he told me that? I couldn’t remember. Truth be told, when the man looked at me and smiled, it felt like fifty percent of what he said went in one ear and out the other. He had a way of making me forget to even breathe.
“Right,” I said softly as I followed him over to the front desk area. As if silently summoned, Joanne appeared.
“I’ve got your credit card on file,” she said, “so I’ll just close it out with last night’s charge.”
“I don’t mind paying for the entire time I said I would be here. Or for tonight, since I’m checking out so late.”
Joanne waved her hand to dismiss Hudson’s comment. “Oh goodness, no! Don’t you even worry about that.”
She typed on the keyboard and printed out a piece of paper. “Now, you just sign this and you’re all set.”
Hudson smiled. “Thank you so much, Joanne. You and Ron have been the perfect hosts, and the Willow Tree is amazing. I’ll miss seeing your bright smile every morning.”
A blush moved over Joanne’s face as Brighton returned with a small bouquet of flowers she must have picked from the garden. “Be careful there, Hudson, my father might think you’re trying to steal his wife from him,” she said.