Page 52 of Dumped for a Christmas Tree Farmer

“We keep things professional for the first year.”

My guts nearly fall out of my ass. Not touch her for a full year? No way. This woman is a halogen bulb, and I’m a goddamn moth. I can’t help but throw myself at her every time I see her.

“A year, Indy? That long?”

“We need to see if we work well together, and how are we going to do that if we’re having sex all the time?”

“Please don’t mention sex if you’re not going to actually let me have it, Indy.” I wipe a hand over my face.

One year.

One year to prove to Indy that I’m the man for her.

“On the condition that your stipulation starts from your first day of work.”

Her mouth quirks up, and her eyes darken. “Deal.”

I stand sharply, the chair tipping back as I drag her to her feet. I’ve got three days to make it the most unfathomable condition she’s ever suggested. Because before the year is up, Indigo Winters will be mine.

Chapter Twenty-Two

December 31

Indy

Mav spent the rest of the afternoon running me through the contracts line by line. I could have sat down and read them myself, but he insisted I knew exactly what it meant to sell the business. Reassuring me that there were no technical loopholes or unexpected surprises coming my way.

It’s crazy to admit, but I trust him. The pure elation in his eyes was all the reassurance I needed when I agreed to all the terms he’d laid out. It’s crazy to me how much my life has changed in a week.

“Cheers!” Mav, Henry, Scott, and I clink our glasses together in a booth at The Bear Den. Celebrating the sale of the B&B. Henry is to my right, Mav directly opposite, and Scott, staring intensely at Henry, is sat next to Mav. In a surprise scheduling change, Henry had arranged for his shift to be covered so we could celebrate the deal and New Year all together.

I curl my foot under Mav’s calf, and he reaches down to stroke the muscle, his thumb kneading into the warm flesh.

“You happy?” Mav murmurs, his gravelly voice raking over my skin.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Well, I’m devastated,” Henry says. “What the hell am I going to do without you?”

I laugh, leaning my head against his shoulder and looping my arm around his. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to be too busy running the B&B to be missing me.”

“Co-running,” he snips, his eyes falling on Scott. “Who am I going to share all my gossip with?”

“I like gossip,” Scott says, taking a pull from his beer bottle.

Mav raises an eyebrow at me, and I hide my smirk behind my glass. Henry shifts. “Well, I hope you’re excited to hear all about the feud between the Vanderbilts and the Buckinghams, especially—”

“Especially now that Lottie Buckingham is literally marrying into a royal family?” Scott interjects as Henry holds a hand against his chest, his mouth gaping.

“I have no idea who the hell these people are,” Mav scoffs.

“That’s because you’re uncultured, no offense, Indy.”

“I don’t like him for his pop culture references,” I say.

“Yeah, I know why you like me, sweetheart.” Mav pulls my foot into his lap, his rough fingertips stroking the bare skin of my ankle. I’d worn heels tonight, given that it’s New Year's Eve. And my God, it was cold walking over here. Well, Mav carried me piggyback style in the super snowy sections, but it was worth it to feel his warm palm wrapped around me now.

The music plays, and conversation resumes, Henry and Scott bickering over God knows what, despite their heated glances when they think the other isn’t watching. Mav doesn’t let go of my ankle the entire time, and a warm Christmas feeling settles in my chest. The New Year is fast approaching, and I’ve asked Mav to keep things professional for a year. I’d be so mad at myself if things didn’t work out because I’d focused on the wrong thing. I’ve spent too much of my time waiting for James to notice me, to consider me, to appreciate me. I’m not going to do the same with Mav. And besides, I didn’t want his staff to think I only got the job because I’m his girlfriend. It’s not right at all.