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It also reminds me why I decided to travel around unattached in the first place, before finding my way here. Guys suck.
I had a really terrible relationship in college, it lasted the entirety of my junior and senior years. By graduation, I was so sick of the guy that I would have laid down on a train track just to get away from him. He wasn’t mean, or cruel, or cheating on me, he was simply a leech. I wanted to be independent, and he was there at every turn, acting as if we were already married and stifling me to the point of not being able to breathe as my own person. When I called it off, he cried, and I haven’t dated since.
Before that, I went through a few jerks and never found anyone that I wanted to be around long-term. Well, short-term too. Being by myself has been great, and I certainly didn’t come to Asheville looking to meet a guy. But even so, I can’t help but notice that this incredibly handsome man, with muscles that pop from his forearms, isn’t wearing a wedding ring.
“Thanks,” he says almost sarcastically as if he is simply trying to appease me so that I will leave. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“If you’d like to come over and help with the renovations at all though, I definitely wouldn’t decline the help!” I try to say that last part with a cheery smile because it’s true. I’m almost out of money and if this guy has any of the tools and expertise that can help me fix the cracks in the floor or the holes in the roof, then I will gladly take him up on it.”
For a moment, he looks to be considering it, but then he shakes his head and walks away again.
“Sorry, but I have a lot on my plate right now,” he says. It almost looks like he feels bad about it. “But if you run into any true emergencies—you know, a snake in the bathtub, a nest of spiders in the attic, a big tree that needs cut down before it falls on your house, then come back and hit me up.”
I frown at his stereotypical, misogynist answer. As if snakes and spiders were the most of my worries. I need to get the patches fixed before it rains. Which, thankfully, it hasn’t done yet.
I leave without saying anything else, turning to head back home. I need to get ready for my first day of work tomorrow and make a good first impression. This new job is going to be the only thing keeping me afloat since I am almost out of my cash reserves.
“It is impressive though,” he calls out.
I stop and turn to look at him and can see that he is almost to the front door of his house.
“What is?”
“Your van,” he says. “I took the liberty of taking a close look at it the other day when you were in the downtown village.”
“You did?”
He nods and for some reason it makes me blush to think that he found my van enticing enough to stop and check out.
“You did a pretty fantastic job converting it from what I could see. You must be pretty handy.”
I smile with satisfaction, give him the same kind of nod that he gave me, and then continue on my way home. With a glass of wine in hand, I set out an outfit for tomorrow, set my alarm, and then crawl into bed.
“I wonder what a billionaire CEO even looks like,” I mutter to myself as my eyes start to feel heavy. I imagine some old, serious-looking guy with a stiff and carefully manicured beard. Someone who lives all the way out here in order to hide their assets while he assumes the life of a regular guy. Or he might be some pompous jerk who thinks he runs this town like a big fish in a small pond. Only a few more hours and then I will find out. Regardless of his aesthetic, I just hope he doesn’t fire me because I need this job.
Selling artwork on the road may have worked while I was living out of my van, but it’s not going to cut it if I want to keep this cottage still standing. I try not to sweat it, but there is one small and entirely insignificant thing plaguing my thoughts as I fall asleep—I never did get my handsome neighbor’s name.
Chapter Two
Chad
Little did I know that my venture out to the shed for firewood would result in finding a beautiful woman standing in front of my house.
Usually, it’s birds or rabbits, sometimes foxes if the season is right. But there are seldom anypeoplenear my property. I like it that way. In fact, I chose this house specifically for that reason, so that I could have peace and quiet andprivacyout here.
But I suppose that if Iwasgoing to have someone standing on my property, there are worse people to have than a beautiful woman—and she wasverybeautiful. She also seemed pretty handy.
I saw her converted van drive into town several days ago. Granted, it’s nothing that I would be caught dead living in, but it was definitely livable, which is an impressive feat for a single woman to accomplish on her own. Still, when she told me about renovating the cottage down at the bottom of the valley, I couldn’t imagine her being able to pull that off alone.
That house has sat foryearsin atrocious shape. I’m surprised that she is even living in it now, to be honest, instead of still living in her van in the driveway.
I feel a little bad that I’d offered to help, and then instantly refused when she called me on it. I guess I hadn’t expected her to actually take me up on my offer, especially so soon. It seemed like the gentlemanly thing to do, to offer to come to the aid of a woman living all alone in the forested valley at the bottom of the mountains. But I wasn’t lying when I told her that I simply have too much on my plate right now.
I’ve had too much on my plate ever since I decided to come here.
“Dad! You missed it!”
I step into the house and head straight upstairs to my daughter’s bedroom, only to find Lilly beaming at me with a mix of pride and frustration.
