Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
I smiled and looked down at my dirty clothes and patted my windblown hair. “I don’t feel it, but thank you Carlotta. I’ll be in touch.”
“Great! I’ll let Valona know this space is available to rent. And welcome back to Carson Creek!”
I waved until her giant pearly Escalade had turned out of the farm’s driveway, smiling until my jaws ached. Carlotta was as bubbly and beautiful as I remember, possibly nicer too.
“She’s a lot, but she seems nice.” Everest’s words startled me, and gave him a playful shove. “Ow.”
“She was always nice.” Even to me.
“Looks like you’ll be making some new friends too,” he snickered and draped an arm around my shoulders.
“Smart ass,” I grumbled.
“Wonder where I got that from,” he shot back and rushed out of butt smacking distance.
“I remember something about sandwiches,” I called out to him.
“Deconstructed sandwich is in the fridge,” he said and jumped off the back porch steps with a laugh that I hadn’t heard nearly enough of in the past few months.
“Deconstructed sandwich,” I grumbled and pulled out the lunch meat, bread, cheese and mustard. “What a smart ass,” I said with a smile and slapped together a quick meal before heading outside for afternoon chores.
Chapter 4
Derek
“This damn thing,” I growled as I tried for the third or fourth time to get the stupid weed whacker to start. It was the easiest piece of landscaping equipment to learn, at least according to old Mr. Whitman down at the hardware store.
“Easier than using your good looks to reel in a few ladies,” he’d said, but the old man was a damned liar.
“Maybe I ought to go out and find a few ladies just to make sure,” I grumbled to myself and tried again. Still nothing. “Shit.” All I wanted was to do something on the property, something useful that would change the place up a little bit. Something that wouldn’t serve as a reminder that if not for one stupid mistake, I wouldn’t be here. I wanted this place to look good, and I wanted a hand in it, but the universe was conspiring against me.
“Hey, you need some help over there?”
My shoulders sank in defeat and I looked up in the direction of the voice. It was Bella’s charge, Everest. “Do I look like I need some help?”
The kid shrugged. “Kinda, yeah.” He laughed and raked a hand through his hair before jumping the fence that separated our properties. “So?”
I nodded reluctantly and waved him over. “I guess I’m man enough to accept help from a kid.”
Everest held a hand out to me, and I reluctantly gave up the weed whacker. “Dude, this thing is older than you. No offense,” he laughed and flipped the piece of equipment upside down, his face just inches from the blades.
“Careful, kid!” I stood and snatched it from his hands. “Your aunt will string me up by my balls if I maim your face with my weed whacker.”
Everest snickered. “If you say it like that she might get the cops involved.”
“Funny.” I glared at the smart ass kid and rolled my eyes.
“I try.” He snatched the weed whacker back and went right back to what he was doing before. “Why didn’t you just get a new one that starts with a button? Are you one of those cheap rich dudes who likes to get everything for free or what?”
I frowned. “What are you talking about? Mr. Whitman said this is the best weed whacker on the market.”
“Yeah, on the market in the nineties,” he mumbled to himself. “Dude, this thing is ancient. It works, but you gotta yank this screen with the strength of like five guys, and no offense, you don’t seem to have that much strength.” And then because the universe was out to get me, to bruise my ego and make me feel like a total ass, Everest gave the cord a quick yank and the damn thing started right up.
I folded my arms and glared at the side of his head, but the kid was completely unaware, he’d already started the swaying back and forth motion that trimmed the overgrowth in front of him. I stared up at the sky as my body shook with disbelief. This could not be my life right now, it just could not be.
Finally Everest looked up and smiled. “It’s not that hard, but you don’t want to ruin your guitar fingers do ya?”
I didn’t. “Yeah, thanks.” I reached for the weed whacker and he handed it over and gave me instructions.
“Just use your hips, kind of like when you’re performing for the ladies on stage.” He moved his hips in what was more like an Elvis Presley move than a Derek Gregory move. “See?”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “What in the hell is that?”
He looked up with a half-smirk and half-frown. “That’s what you look like on stage.” He did it again, this time with even more hips and more energy.