Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Until she was over Hunter, she refused to get another man involved.
“Do you mind?” Harlow asked.
“No, I don’t mind at all.” Andrew placed his hands at the base of their backs. “I get the company of two beautiful women. There’s nothing not to like about this.”
Harlow smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
The strawberry-picking farm was not far from town. The farmer liked to do this every summer. Harlow didn’t always go strawberry picking, as for the past couple of years, she’d been busy at the bakery.
They all arrived at the strawberry farm, and the rules were you could pick your own strawberries, and then they were weighed, the price calculated, and you paid for them.
Harlow was hoping to make some lovely strawberry jam for her and Hailey. The shop-bought stuff was nice, but she had gotten used to homemade. Working with Ava, there was always homemade strawberry jam in the desserts. There was no room for compromise, and Harlow wasn’t about to start now. It would be her treat to Hailey.
She had also started to teach Hailey how to cook. It hadn’t taken long to realize that her friend was the freezer-to-oven kind of cook. Harlow believed everyone should have the ability to cook and fend for themselves. She loved to cook. It helped to soothe her soul, especially now.
Harlow held her little basket and bent down, taking the plump fruits. She was also thinking of making some ice cream, using vegan alternatives.
Larissa was asking Andrew a bunch of questions, as was Andrew to Larissa. The two of them were hitting it off, and Harlow felt a warmth from seeing the couple. Several times, she was sure they had forgotten that she had come along for the ride, not that she minded. Seeing the two of them together, talking and getting along felt right.
By the end of the day, they all had plenty of strawberries as they made their way out of the farm and headed back to town. Their first stop was Larissa, who lived with her dad.
“Thank you so much for today. I loved every second of it. It was amazing.” She hugged her, and then Andrew.
“I’ll see you later,” Harlow said.
“Yes, and don’t be a stranger.”
Larissa walked into the house and Harlow turned toward Andrew.
“She’s a lovely woman,” Andrew said.
“Sweet and kind. She is a breath of fresh air.”
Andrew laughed. “Don’t think for a second that I don’t see what you’re doing.”
Harlow looked at him, eyes wide. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’re trying to set me up with someone else.”
“No, I am not.” It was hard for her to lie. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, mister.” She had no idea why words were failing her. She didn’t know what to say or do, or even how to react. She tried to laugh and pretend she knew what she was talking about, but it was all lies.
“Harlow, do you not think I see it? I get it. You and I are only going to be friends, and I accept that, but please don’t try and set me up with a woman to make up for it. Larissa is nice, but maybe I’m not looking for nice.” He took a step toward her, and Harlow tensed up.
“Andrew, I only want to be friends. There’s nothing else, and I don’t want you to think there could be anything more than what we are.” She didn’t want to string him along. She wasn’t that kind of person.
“But, there is a chance, right? There’s a chance that you’ll stop loving him, and maybe, just maybe, when you’re done loving him, you’ll see me.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I can’t let you do that, Andrew. He was a part of me.” She pressed a hand to her chest.
“And that doesn’t mean he gets to stay there forever. He broke your heart, Harlow. It’s time for you to move on.”
Harlow tried not push him away, but all he did was press a kiss to her cheek. The perfect gentleman.
“Think about it. I am better than him.”
Andrew had walked her home and now he gave her a wink, turned on his heel, and walked away.
****
In the shadows, Hunter clenched his hands into fists.
Strawberry fucking picking. Seriously. That’s what she enjoyed doing. He watched as Harlow made her way inside the house she now shared with her boss.
As for Hailey Valentine, he couldn’t find anything on her. He still didn’t trust her, which is why whenever he could, he took the opportunity to watch and wait.
Harlow deserved better, he knew that.
Men like Andrew were fucking rare, and he also knew the prick was a nice guy as well. Why did he have to be a nice guy? Why couldn’t he have a shady past, or something that would piss him off, or anything that meant he had a decent enough fight to convince him to back off?