Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
I recall last night and the way the people in town reacted to Asher being on a date. I saw the looks some of the women gave him. “Yeah, well, yeah, we’re dating.”
“How? How did this happen?”
Oh God. I’m going to tell her the truth, but she’s not going to believe me because even I know it’s truly out of character for me. “Well, I pretty much threw myself at him.”
“Madelyn Weston… I didn’t know you had it in you.”
I nod my head in agreement. “Trust me, I know. But have you seen him? I mean, the question is how could I not?”
She laughs at that. “I can’t believe you’ve been here less than a week and you are dating Asher Wild.”
Shoot, I didn’t even think, but maybe Asher doesn’t want people to know we’re dating. And just as quickly as that thought comes out, I argue with myself. He did take me out on a date last night, which I’m sure half the town knows about by now. But still. I don’t want Delilah to get the wrong idea. “We’re dating. We’re having fun and getting to know each other.” I quickly change the subject. “What about you? Have you talked to your policeman yet? Or at least told him how you feel?”
“No. I’m working on it.”
“Delilah! What’s the holdup? You’re beautiful, smart, kind. He’d be a fool—”
She cuts me off. “Forget it. I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. We’re talking about you right now. So what’s the plan? And don’t tell me you don’t have one. You always have a plan.”
She’s right. I do always have a plan, but right now, I can honestly say I don’t. “No. I don’t have a plan. He told me about Janet—”
She gasps. “He told you about his ex-wife?”
“Yes, and honestly I don’t think he’s completely over her. It’s obvious he was hurt by her, and he thinks that he and I are very different. I’m not sure if he sees this playing out long-term.”
“Uh, you’re not that different,” she mumbles.
“What do you mean?” I ask her.
“Well, I mean you both like to play in the dirt.”
I laugh out loud. “We grow peach trees. It’s a little more than playing in the dirt.”
“Whatever. The point is you two are actually a lot alike.”
I bring my knees up to my chest. “Yeah, my mom and dad loved him.”
She squeaks into the phone. “Hold up. Your mom and dad met him? They’re here?”
I sort of can’t believe it myself. “Yeah, they showed up one afternoon and were gone by the next morning. It was a whole thing really. They wanted me to come home and they had someone else they were fixing me up with and Asher sort of told them that we were dating.”
She interrupts me. “First of all, are they still doing that? They’re still fixing you up? And second of all, Asher told them you guys were dating?”
I roll my eyes. “Are you kidding me? They are not going to give up the idea of fixing me up until I’m either married or pregnant—one or the other—and I don’t think they care which really. My mom has the grandbaby bug bad. And yes, Asher told them we were dating.”
Delilah laughs into the phone. “This just keeps getting better and better. Well, I mean, you might as well forget it. If Momma and Poppa Weston have given you their blessing, it’s a done deal. She’s already planned the wedding… All you have to do is show up.”
“Ugh!’ I cry into the phone. “Trust me, I know. I tried to warn Asher, but he didn’t seem to think it was a big deal.”
“Hmmmm, interesting.”
“No! Don’t do that. I don’t need to hear it from you too. You need to be my voice of reason. Tell me I’m moving too fast. Tell me that he’s probably going to break my heart. Tell me… something.”
“Madelyn.”
The way she says my name tells me that she’s going to say something I don’t want to hear. “Look, don’t do this.”
I try not to be defensive. “Do what?”
“Find something wrong with him or look for reasons to end it. You always do this, and you shouldn’t.”
“No, it’s not like that, not this time. I don’t want to end it, not at all.”
“You don’t?” she asks incredulously.
I shake my head even though she can’t see it. “No, I don’t. I’m not trying to find anything wrong with him, and I don’t want to end it.”
She pauses and then says, “I don’t understand. What’s the problem then?”
I groan because I’ve never really been in this position before. “I think he’s going to end it.”
She’s quiet this time a little too long, and I start to panic. “Oh God, I’m not crazy. He is going to end it.”