Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
It didn’t feel like a workspace so much as a shrine—to his pedigree, his family’s money, his own need to prove something. All flash and little actual substance. The only thing that seemed to be about him personally, rather than his fancy family, was the scent of him. It wasn’t the same cologne I’d smelled on him that night in Amsterdam. It was different. More down-to-earth.
Of course the man smelled like trouble—yeast and firewood and something sweet and tart, like he’d pressed merlot-dipped fingertips behind his ears. Alex Marian was sunshine bottled and shaken over smoke. A scent that made me want to lean closer and investigate more, even when I knew better.
I held my breath to keep from huffing it and knocked on the open doorframe. “I emailed you a copy of the report with the information you need to tell your repair person.”
He didn’t look up from his laptop. I could see a Google search for fire suppression system installation and maintenance companies pulled up on the small screen.
“And I, uh, included a list of reputable guys who can hook you up,” I added. “Good luck.”
Before he could say anything, I bolted out of there. Not only did I need to get to my next inspection, but I also needed to get the hell away from Alex Marian before I asked him why he was so tired.
I didn’t need to know. Moreover, making nice with a proven liar was not a great idea.
When I got back behind the wheel of my vehicle to head to a cherry orchard fifteen minutes outside of town, my phone buzzed with a call from my closest friend.
“Max,” I said, accepting the call against my better judgment. I’d learned a long time ago not to ignore Max Franco. The man was relentless and would just keep calling.
“You owe me one,” he said, laughter in his voice. “A big one.”
Just the sound of his easy tone helped ease the tension from my shoulders a little. “Oh yeah? How’s that? Pretty sure I’m still up on the owing scale, jackass.”
“Pfft. How many times you gonna throw that whole ‘saving my ass’ bullshit in my face? Anyway, my friend Kaidee is coming your way. She’s doing a whole summer thing between the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier. She’s a schoolteacher and wants to make the most of her break.”
“Okay? Does she need recommendations for hotels and restaurants or something?”
“No, dude. She needs a place to stay. Someone to show her around. You’ll really like her. And she’s single, so, like, go for it.”
“Go for it? Does she have your permission to hook her up with random guys? Jesus.” I waved to one of our local deputies as I passed some road construction. “I don’t need dating help, Max. And I definitely don’t want to start something with someone who lives in Philly.”
“She lives in Boulder. That’s practically next door to you.”
I huffed out a laugh. “It’s an eight-hour drive.”
“Anyway, you don’t have to marry the woman. Just have a little fun. Take her out, go for a hike together. Maybe take your mind off work a little bit.”
For some reason, the idea of meeting a nice woman didn’t appeal to me these days. It was harder to have a quick, sex-only connection with a woman without risking hurt feelings. With men, I could be more transactional. Make it clearer from the start that all I was interested in was a quick release.
I’d stupidly fallen for a stranger on the internet years ago and fucked it up. And even though we’d never met in person, and I’d never even learned his real name, I still compared my connection with anyone I dated to him.
DrunkenPoet.
I gritted my teeth and forced him out of my head for the millionth time.
“Yeah, okay,” I forced myself to say. “I’ll host your friend, as long as she understands my crazy work schedule. She needs to be willing to be ditched at a moment’s notice.”
“Yeah, yeah, she’s cool. Girl who solo hikes the big peaks isn’t afraid of alone time, you know?”
We exchanged a few more words before I arrived at my next inspection site and had to end the call. He promised to give Kaidee my details so she could get in touch with me directly.
By the time I entered the machine shed at the orchard, I’d forgotten all about it. But that night, when I stepped out of a long, hot shower and moved into the kitchen of the log home I was renting so I could reheat leftovers for dinner, my phone buzzed with a message from Max’s friend.
Kaidee and I texted back and forth about her upcoming visit, and by the time we’d made arrangements for her to stay in my spare room for a couple of weeks, I was feeling optimistic. She seemed friendly, interesting, and chill, as well as completely fine looking after her own entertainment. She said she looked forward to learning more about my job so she could tell her third-grade students all about meeting a real-life firefighter.