Total pages in book: 172
Estimated words: 157460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 630(@250wpm)___ 525(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 630(@250wpm)___ 525(@300wpm)
“Yes.” Player was pleased but not surprised that Hannah would be able to pick her out among all the women. “And this is Anat Gamal, her grandmother. This is Hannah Drake Harrington. She owns the shop.”
“You made the lotion and cream Player brought home,” Zyah said. “I swear it was heaven after a long day on my feet. Thank you.”
“He was the one who thought of it,” Hannah said. “I was just happy to help. I hope you don’t mind if I borrow him for a few minutes. I have something else to show him while you ladies visit. The peach scones turned out particularly excellent.”
Zyah looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. In spite of the sadness she had to be feeling over the revelations about her grandfather, Hannah’s shop was a good place to learn the truth. There was magic there, a feeling of well-being. Combined with the company of the women extending their friendship to her and Anat, it seemed impossible to feel anything but good.
“Thanks for the rescue,” Player whispered as they made their way to the table in the corner on the other side of the room.
Hannah gave him her genuine smile. He knew the difference now. “You looked like you were having an excellent time, but you didn’t feel that way. Although you seem genuinely happy for Zyah.”
“She’s new here and doesn’t know too many people. Anat was robbed and beaten very severely. At the time, Zyah was in Europe, working there. She gave up her job and came home right away to stay with her grandmother and make her home permanently here. I want her to make friends. She’s managing the store in Caspar and wants to take a second job at Crow 287.”
“Alena’s restaurant. I hear the food is amazing. Jonas has been promising to take me there, forever. I’m going to have to twist his arm. Joley and Ilya are back, and she’ll go with me if Jonas persists in being a stick-in-the-mud. He loves to stay home at night. He says after working all day he just likes to put his feet up. Make that he doesn’t want me to go out because I might do something rash.”
Player tried not to laugh. “Do you do rash things?”
“Joley does rash things. Elle does them. I, however, do not.” She handed him the bottle of lotion she’d brought out from the back room and waved her hand at the little teapot sitting on the table. At once it began to sing.
Player tried not to notice when the teapot floated in the air and poured tea into her cup. A spoon whirled madly, stirring in honey. “You’re not just a little annoyed with him right now, are you?” He wasn’t mentioning anything at all to do with the tea.
“Now that you mention it, I might be.” Her hair flew in every direction, blond spiral curls springing around her face.
She waved her hand toward something behind him. Player took a whiff of the lotion to keep from turning in his chair. Had he mentioned that Zyah had such a special fragrance? Could Hannah have even managed to get that hint of cassis-raspberry facet? The blend of green floral mimosa. He was distracted until a plate of cookies floated to the table and landed beside her teacup. His coffee mug followed it.
“Why is it that men want their own way in all things?” she asked, her tone exquisitely mild, but her blue eyes turbulently stormy.
Player hoped this was one of those moments when a woman didn’t really want an answer. She wanted someone to listen. He did his best to look very interested in all she had to say. Any woman who floated teapots in the air commanded his respect. Jonas Harrington, whether he carried a gun or not, was crazy to annoy this woman on any level.
The silence stretched between them until Player realized it was very possible Hannah required an answer. He cleared his throat. “You do realize I came to you because I totally fucked up my relationship with my woman, right? I don’t have a clue why men do half the bullshit things we do, Hannah. I came here to learn from you, not to advise you. I’m trying to get the brothers to ask a few questions so they don’t ruin what they have.”
“You so deserve a cookie. They’re really good too. Take two.” Hannah beamed at him.
“You can’t really turn Jonas into a toad, can you? I think Sabelia threatened Preacher with turning him into one the other day.”
Hannah inspected her fingernails. “I have considered it. It would certainly serve him right. He doesn’t like toads, especially in his house or around his precious cars. He might just be having a bad day.”
Player couldn’t help grinning. “You really are a badass, aren’t you?”