Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
He turns and points at his truck. Metal chairs are haphazardly stacked, and I’m uncertain how he made it here without losing some. Wouldn’t be surprised if I found a few on the side of the road.
“Great,” I deadpan. “Lend me a hand, will ya?”
Silas and I take several trips and set them next to the others that need to be put into the storage loft.
“So what’s been going on?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
He gives me a pointed look. “After seeing you at dinner together, I gotta ask. Are you two hooking up?”
“None of your damn business,” I tell him, and he chuckles. “What?”
“It’s obvious you are. I heard Aspen begged you for a second chance and then broke up with her fiancé.”
“News travels fast around here,” I say. Makes me thankful Oakley was here to rescue me from making that mistake twice. Who knows what would’ve happened.
He pats me on the shoulder. “Well, guess I better get going and leave you to it.”
I chuckle. “Ya bored? Want to help me put all this shit up?”
“I’m good. Have fun with that.” Silas laughs as he heads to his truck. He honks twice and then waves as he drives off.
Hours pass, and I’m already sore from the constant lifting. After a quick break, I neatly stack the tables in the loft next to the chairs. They aren’t heavy, but the repetitive motions are exhausting. I push through it because I want to spend all tomorrow with Oakley—something I’ll need to chat with my grandmother about.
Before I go home, I stop at my grandparents’ house. As soon as I walk in, the smell of fresh baked cookies hits me.
“Grandma? Grandpa?” I holler.
“In here, dear!”
When I enter the kitchen, Grandpa’s rinsing dishes in the sink as Grandma reads the Sunday paper at the table. They still refuse to get their news electronically.
I snag a few cookies that are still warm. Making myself at home, I open the fridge and pour a glass of milk, then Grandma invites me to join her at the table.
“So what’s on your mind?” she asks as I sit across from her.
“I’d like to take tomorrow off for Oakley’s painting presentation and spend some time with her before she leaves on Tuesday.”
“Aw.” Grandma beams, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes.
Grandpa looks at me over his shoulder and grins.
“Don’t you start too.”
“I said nothing,” he singsongs.
“Consider it done,” Grandma tells me. “She’s a nice girl. Going to be very sad to see her go.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, not wanting to talk about it.
“Will she come back and visit?” she asks with a twinkle in her eye.
“Yeah, we’ll try the long-distance thing and see how it goes.”
I hate lying, but I have to keep up the act until Oakley’s gone. Although, my grandma is looking at me like she knows something I don’t. Either way, I ignore it.
“That’s nice. I hope it works out. You two seem very happy,” Grandma says, but her eyes don’t leave mine.
“Thanks.”
Before she can continue, I thank them for the cookies and see myself out.
I make it home in record time, and when I enter, Oakley’s sitting on the couch with her phone. She’s wearing nothing but a towel.
I grin and plop down next to her. “Did you finish?”
“Yep. Check it out.” She stands and leads me over to the canvas.
My eyes scan over the town square decorated for the harvest festival, and I’m amazed by how she continually captures all the small and important details.
“Oakley,” I say, pulling her close. “You’re so damn talented.”
“Thank you,” she says. “I’m really happy with it. The colors complement each other so well, but then again, I painted it just as it was. Vermont is beautiful.”
“The townspeople are going to lose their shit over this. Mayor Myers might not let you leave without painting ten more.” I look closer and see the back of a couple holding hands as they stroll down the street. “Is that us?”
“Yes.” She chuckles. “How’d you know?”
“The flannel gave it away,” I admit. “And your hair.”
“It’s our little secret.” Her gaze lingers on my lips.
“I love it,” I say, kissing her. “So I thought we’d do something fun tonight.”
“Oh, I actually love the sound of that now that I don’t have the weight of the project on my shoulders.”
I inhale the sweetness of her body wash and am tempted to lick her from head to toe.
“Are you hungry?”
“Starving, actually.”
“That’s all I needed to hear.” I flash her a wink, then make my way to the kitchen. Digging in the freezer, I grab the homemade lasagna my mom made a few weeks ago and pop it into the oven.
As Oakley gets dressed in a hoodie and leggings, I let her know I’m stepping outside. She follows me as I grab large pieces of wood from the stack on the side of my house, then chop them into smaller pieces.