“A distraction sounds good. I’ll join you guys.”
I loved when opportunity came wrapped in a bow. “Have fun. I think I’ll stay here and explore around the cabin.”
The weather stripping on the bottom of the door made a grating noise across the deck planks as Annie pushed it open. “Ken just told me the good news,” she beamed. “And I’m especially excited you agreed to join us, Ashleigh. Claire’s bragged about your magical green thumb. Maybe you can give me some tips as we peruse the vendors. I’ve heard this specific market has a sizable selection of plants.”
Sure, burst my well-planned bubble in front of my face. I forced a smile. “I’d be happy to, Mrs. Abrams.”
“Oh, call me Annie, dear.” She winked. “After all, we may be family someday soon.”
Landon slid onto the bench seat next to me, and I stood and slid out, grabbing my empty plate and heading inside to deposit it in the dishwasher.
All was not lost. I could still salvage this avoidance objective. I’d just have to make sure the six of us never coupled up. No going off in pairs. Not much I could do about Ken and Annie, but Noah and Claire were a different story. They may not appreciate me butting in the middle, but they owed me. Besides, I’d be doing them a favor, really. Practice for when they had kids.
Or something like that.
Either way, I couldn’t let Landon get too close. If you smell the forest on him, you’ll know to put distance between you. Good point. What else, brain? If you start thinking how cozy Hobbit houses would be while staring into his green eyes, you know you’re too close. Check. No thinking about tight, cuddly spaces. If you feel the mysterious fog of the moors roll in—
I shook my head. Now you’re just being crazy, brain.
Besides, the distance was for his sake, not mine.
“We all ready to go?” Ken stood near the front entrance, keys jangling in his palm.
How long had I been lost in that mental conversation? Too long, if the well-groomed, completely put together line of people filing out the door was any indication. I glanced down, half hoping my fairy godmother had waved her magic wand and turned my sweatpants and University of Washington tee into something other than the same clothes I’d slept in.
What? I didn’t expect a sparkling blue ball gown. I’m just saying that a pair of jeans would have been nice. At the very least a toothbrush and some toothpaste.
“Ashleigh?” Ken nodded his head out the door.
At least I’d slept in my bra. Sorry girls, but with two dudes in the same room, you aren’t being set free any time soon.
I scurried outside, and Ken locked the door behind him. A minivan sat idling in the looped drive, the side door open and waiting. Claire and Noah cuddled in the back, and Landon perched on a captain’s chair in the middle. I restrained myself from blowing out a sigh of relief—that whole business of not having brushed my teeth—and lowered into the other captain’s chair.
I avoided making eye contact with anyone as the van started forward and the sound of tires over crushed gravel filled the space around me. As embarrassment poured into my chest with uncomfortable warmth, I tried to reason with myself.
This is good. My wrinkled clothes. My unbrushed hair thrown up in a top knot. My stinky morning breath. I wanted to avoid Landon, didn’t I? Well, now I didn’t have to. He’d avoid me. Mostly because I repelled him and was an offense to all his senses, but the results would still be the same. This is good. Only problem was, I still didn’t believe it. Because sitting there, mouth hot and teeth coated in a yucky film, wisps of hair floating down and falling into my eyes, I didn’t feel good. In fact, I felt kind of miserable.
I glanced at Landon out of the corner of my eye. So clean and neat. So…handsome. Crazy that Ken and Annie believed we were married. Put the two of us side-by-side and no one would think we were a couple. He was way out of my league. As unlikely as Mr. Knightly and Miss Bates living together in holy matrimony with a happily-ever-after. It just wasn’t plausible.
A hand tapped my shoulder, and I turned to look through the space between my seat and the door. Claire held out a stick of gum and a brush that flipped and folded into a compact size to fit in a lady’s purse.
“Thank you,” I mouthed. Unwrapping the gum, I slid it past my lips and relished the cool mint that spread across my tongue. I undid the messy bun and ran the brush through my hair, quickly flipping the strands through a holder at the back of my head for a low ponytail.
The van pulled into a parking space, and we all jumped out. As I arched my back in a stretch and looked around, my gaze snagged on a man near the entrance, holding a cardboard sign. My heart tugged toward him. If only I hadn’t been so lost in my own thoughts back at the cabin, I might have remembered to grab my purse. With so many vendors at the farmer’s market, I could have treated him to a nice breakfast.
Look at what your selfishness cost, Ashleigh. I could only hope someone else would be generous and help him out.
Movement out of the corner of my eye redirected my focus. My breath caught. Landon walked forward and stopped in front of the grimy man, hand held out to shake. Landon clapped him on the shoulder.
What is he saying? But I was too far away, and there was too much noise to make any words out.
Landon fished in his back pocket and retrieved his wallet. He pulled out a few bills and placed them in the man’s hand. Both men bowed their heads, and Landon raised a hand toward the sky.
Moisture sprang to my eyes. Great. Now my objective was threefold.
Continue to make the Abrams believe Landon and I are married so Noah can receive their blessing to propose.
Avoid Landon Novak so I can’t render him sick, poor, and possibly dead.
Continually remind my fluttering heart to knock it off. It has no business swooning over a good-looking, single man who does good deeds. It doesn’t matter if said man is currently my (air quotes) husband.
Landon finished his prayer, and the other man lowered his sign, his face wreathed in a smile.
My heart flipped.
I said stop it!
