AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is that owned by Tanner Whiteman as well?” I know the answer is yes before she even responds. My grumpy older neighbor seems to be everywhere.
“Most of the town is,” she admits, and while I don’t really want to support the man who wants my land, I do need to make new friends. I find myself nodding.
“Thank you. I would like that. I can be there around seven,” I tell her, trying to mentally calculate the work I need to do this afternoon and how long it will take me.
“Perfect. Oh, and here’s my number. I am sure it is pretty quiet out at the house, so if you need anything, just call.”
I take her card. It is a beautiful soft pink embossed business card. So cute and feminine and very much my style.
“Thank you. And thanks for the flowers. See you tonight!”
I feel lighter and happier than I have in weeks as I walk toward my truck. But the smile quickly fades as I spot a shiny black truck, with the now familiar gold logo on the doors, drive up the street and park right next to mine.
With flowers still in hand, I take a breath and getready for another onslaught as the man himself steps out. His thick thighs and strong body glide out onto the street, his forearms showing with his sleeves rolled up, eyes sparkling as he looks at me. Gripping my flowers tighter, I take a moment to drink him in. He can’t be real. This is exactly how imaginary boyfriends look. Tall, dark, brooding, handsome. He looks how he did in my dream last night.
The one that made me come twice.
9
TANNER
Idrive past my new neighbor’s place and force my eyes to stay on the road ahead of me and not look in as I make my way into town.
“Dad, are you listening?” Connor asks from the speakerphone.
“Listening just fine. We are signing on for the new hotel in Tennessee with Van Cleef,” I repeat to him. I listen to everything he says.
“It’s a solid investment. The Rothschilds are in on it. You know Harrison, all about domestic growth now,” he quips about his best friend since college who is now president, and I nod even though he can’t see me.
“I need you to look into someone for me,” I tell him as I hit the open road.
“Sawyer mentioned something about our new neighbor. A woman?”
“Victoria McArthur. She is from the city. Thought you could dig into her financial situation.” I’m eager to get some history on this woman that I could use against her.
“Sawyer said she was nice. Why do you want to know so bad? Can we just offer her above market rate and grab the property?” Connor makes perfect sense.
“I did. She didn’t take it. I don’t think she is the kind of woman who is interested in that much money,” I murmur as I think about my sexy blond neighbor and how her eyes were absent of dollar signs when I landed on her doorstep a few days ago. Most women I meet seem to hook on to the fact that I’m wealthy, and I can spot them from a mile away. I don’t look like a typical billionaire, rarely in a suit, prefer to live in Whispers, but my new neighbor doesn’t appear to know that much about me and also doesn’t seem to care. It is refreshing and sexy as hell.
“Sawyer mentioned she was beautiful too.” Connor is fishing for information, and my hand tightens on the steering wheel.
“Sawyer needs to mind his business,” I grumble.
“So you do like her!” Connor says jubilantly, and I can tell he has a smart-ass smile on his face. The same one that I get from time to time.
“She is probably closer to your age.” The thought of it makes me feel older than I am.
“So?” His comeback is quick.
“So, I’m probably old enough to be her father,” I reiterate. “Besides, she will be gone by the end of the week. She won’t last.” They never do. Just like his mom, no women tend to stick around Whispers for long.
“Well, age shouldn’t really come into it, Dad. Some of the women you meet in the city are young, and what difference does that make to you?” he challenges, and mynostrils flare as I pull in air. It’s true, the women I meet when in the city tend to be younger. But that is a one-night thing. I have only met Victoria once, but that was enough to know she most certainly wouldn’t be a one-night thing for me.
“Just see what you can find out about her. Sawyer will help,” I tell him, getting this conversation back on track. As I drive down the main street, I spot Marie’s truck outside Flourish. Good to see Victoria getting out and about, and at least she got the rust bucket started. The truck is road worthy, having organized the servicing on it myself, but it still looks like an accident waiting to happen. That fact doesn’t sit well with me.
“I have to go. Call you later.” I end the call quickly as I pull up next to her and see her stepping out from Jasmine’s shop, a large bouquet of red roses in hand, completely contrasting the bright-pink scarf she has draped around her neck. Coupled with her long blond hair that flows in waves down her back, she is picture-perfect. Her pretty smile falls immediately as she spots me pulling in beside her, and a red blush comes to her cheeks. Most likely in anger as she isn’t pleased to see me, that is for sure.
“You probably shouldn’t be driving that,” I tell her as soon as I step out of the truck and pace toward her on the sidewalk. Shit, I sound like a dick. Her eyebrows shoot up and her lips press together.
