Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“I had a gut feeling time mattered.”
“It does.” Amka flipped through the documents, hope finally zipping through her. She signed the prenuptial agreement as well as the LLC and operating agreement before reaching for the will.
Daisy raised a hand. “Hold up. I need witnesses. Nixi?” she called.
Nixi hustled their way and plunked her tray down at the bar. “You have more information on the dead body?”
“Nope. Nothing.” Daisy shook her head. “Will you witness Amka signing her will?”
Nixi pulled a pen from behind her ear. “Sure.”
Daisy glanced toward the end of the bar. “Amka, I don’t want to use Ace since you’re going into business with him. Just to keep things clean.”
Ace, black coffee in hand, kept scrolling through his phone. He hadn’t asked for a drink all morning, except for more coffee.
Daisy turned toward the fireplace. “Hey, blond dude. You by the fireplace.”
Steve looked up from filming himself talking about fishing lures. He broke off and wandered over, his gaze alert.
“You’re a witness now,” Daisy said. She looked at Amka. “Okay, sign.”
Amka did so and then watched as Nixi signed as a witness before tucking her purple pen on her ear beneath her purple hair.
Steve signed with a flourish and then looked over at Nixi. “Nice footage yesterday of that secret fishing hole with the hidden walk toward those waterfalls.”
“Thanks.” Nixi rocked on her heels, stretching her calves. “The locals are really helpful around here.”
Steve snorted. “Sure, when you look like you do. I haven’t had much luck with the old guys showing me hidden gems.”
Amka tucked the papers back into the pink folder, pleased to almost have her affairs in order. Just in case.
Steve nudged Nixi’s elbow as she hopped on one heel, a swirl of apron brushing her thigh. “Hey, what about us collaborating? I’ve got a dozen ideas.”
Nixi spun her tray, smirking. “How many followers do you have?”
“Almost two hundred thousand,” he offered with a cocked eyebrow.
“Not bad,” she replied, leaning in toward him. The woman could seriously flirt. Amka should take lessons from her. “I’ve doubled that.”
He grinned, the bar lights flickering off his pale roots. “We’d own the feed together.”
She laughed, a warm sound that echoed between them.
Daisy stepped in front of the bar. “You two can collaborate later. Right now, I need pictures of your driver’s licenses.” She tugged her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.
The two dug out their IDs, and Daisy snapped photos. “Thanks.”
Steve leaned close enough Amka smelled his woodsy cologne. “Doesn’t a will need notarizing?”
“Not in Alaska. It’d help, but we don’t have a notary. I’ll probably become one when I get the chance.” Daisy handed back the IDs. Steve tucked his into a back pocket, and Nixi brushed his arm as she grabbed her tray.
Amka motioned to Ace. He slid off his stool. Bruises and stitches lined his jaw, but his eyes caught hers. He didn’t move except to reach for the pen. “Ready to sign the incorporation documents?” she asked.
“Yep.” He signed and gently placed the papers on the bar. “Looks like we’re in business.”
Amka slowly relaxed. She hadn’t been entirely sure he’d stick to the plan. Especially after he and Christian had come to blows the previous night. “Are you ready for this?”
Ace met her eyes without hesitation. “I’m in.”
She let out a slow breath and turned to Daisy. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll get you copies, but you know that Jarod has to sign the prenup as well, right?”
“Yeah.” Amka didn’t care. After she met with the bank, she wouldn’t be financially worth much. For now, anyway. Real hope stirred in her chest about her new venture. Maybe Christian had knocked some sense into Ace the night before. She glanced at the stitches above his eye, the bruising along his jaw. “Sorry about that,” she murmured.
Daisy snorted. “No doubt he deserved it.” She tucked the file folders beneath the bar and moved to collect dirty dishes from over by the dart boards.
“I did deserve it,” Ace said easily. “Was my brother bruised at all?”
“Yeah. His knuckles looked bruised, and I think he’s due for a solid shiner. But I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” It had surprised her when Brock had picked her up from Christian’s cabin that morning. And Brock had seemed genuinely surprised to discover that his brother had built a cabin.
He’d stood for a long moment, looking up at it like he was calculating sniper angles. “Perfect defensive positioning,” he’d muttered.
She hadn’t thought of that. Apparently defensive positions mattered to Christian. She focused back on Ace. “If you can financially meet me halfway, our new building could have a third story we could use as rental. The tourists need more places to stay.”
Ace scrubbed both hands down his face, jaw tight. “I can meet you halfway financially.”
“You can?” she asked, not quite hiding the surprise.