Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“I can see that,” Starling says diplomatically. “But Christian and I aren’t dating.” She beams a smile my way. “I’m his boss. At least for a little longer. He’s taking a job in Minneapolis.”
“Oh, wow,” Carolina says, shifting her focus my way. “That’s amazing! I adore Minneapolis. I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could afford it. But teaching yoga doesn’t pay enough for city living. Still, I love what I do. What’s better than helping people breathe, be in the moment, and feel good in their bodies?”
“I love your classes,” Nora says. “I’ve been meaning to get back into a regular practice, but I always find an excuse to work instead. One of the hazards of working from home, I guess. And Gram gets anxious if I’m gone when she wakes up in the morning.”
“That’s okay,” Carolina says. “There are lots of things you can do at home, and I have some free mini classes on YouTube. You want the link to my channel?”
“Christian, could I talk to you for a second?” Starling nods toward the booth next to Carolina’s, where a woman is making pottery with a foot-pumped wheel under a brightly colored tent.
“Sure,” I say, my mouth finally deciding to work again. Saying goodbye to Carolina, I leave her chatting with Nora about yoga and step behind the pottery tent with Starling. “What’s up?” I ask, willing myself not to let my eyes drift below her stubborn little chin.
I will not look at her cleavage.
Or at least I won’t let her catch me looking at her cleavage…
Fuck, I knew I should have stayed home today. But Matty wanted me to film his jousting match so he can work on his form and Melissa is down a server at the banquet tonight and needs me to bartend. I figured I might as well come early and wander around the fair. I was hoping it would keep my mind off Starling and my as-yet-undiscovered-skunk-crime, but clearly luck is not on my side.
“How’s Bella settling in?” Starling asks, flinching when I shush her. “What?” She glances over her shoulder, then back at me. “There’s no one around.”
“It’s best to be careful,” I whisper, glancing over my shoulder, too, just to be safe. “I don’t need a run-in with the law right before I start my new job. I’m sure Katia wouldn’t want a felon working at a shelter for vulnerable women.”
Starling gives a little roll of her eyes. “Oh, come on. I told you last night. You aren’t going to be a felon. Even if you got caught, illegal possession of a skunk is a misdemeanor, not a felony. And so far, no one has even noticed that Bella’s gone. They probably won’t until Sheila gets back on Monday. And thanks to the camera outage, Bella’s disappearance is a mystery that will likely never be solved.”
“Says the woman who isn’t harboring a fugitive,” I mutter.
“Well, not currently,” she counters, “but I’ve been in your shoes. When I first brought Kyle to my dorm, I had to sneak him up to the roof two or three times a day so he could play and use the bathroom. And he was big and loud and not sure if he trusted humans. Don’t even get me started on the challenges of coaxing a wild turkey into an elevator.”
“And you got caught,” I remind her. “And kicked out of the dorm.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Semantics, caused by tattletales, and irrelevant to your situation. You won’t get caught. Bella is already domesticated, she adores you, and a skunk doesn’t need nearly as much room to roam and flap as a fully-grown male turkey. You’re both going to be fine and live happily ever after.”
“Assuming I can find a house with a fenced-in yard in Minneapolis.”
“You’ll find one,” Starling says. “As long as you don’t mind a little commute to Warm Hearts, there are several options actually. I started looking at rentals this morning while Nora was doing my hair and found the cutest little house in the arts district. It’s a bungalow with a great yard and a workshop out back in case you wanted to fix bikes in your spare time.”
My brows lift. “You looked for rentals. For me?”
“Of course,” she says, looking flustered. “I mean, I’m at least partially responsible for your skunk daddy status. I figured the least I could do was help you find a new place to live.”
“That’s…nice. Thanks,” I say, the urge to let my gaze wander to the twin swells above her neckline stronger than ever, proving it’s vital I end this chat—ASAP.
This is how it is with Starling. Warm feelings and attraction are all tangled up together. I more than want her. I want to be with her, do nice things for her, show her how much I appreciate the nice things she does for me…