AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Five
Mercy
Aloud thumping shakes me from my fitful rest. I think I managed a couple of hours, but even that seems generous.
I push myself up in bed, the covers piling around my waist. No sense in denying or wishing last night away. If wishes really worked I’d be living a whole other life.
It’s barely daybreak and the birds are out in full swing chirping like the world is a beautiful place. Even the sun is making its appearance over the mountain peaks outside my window. But the pink and purple hues washed over the sky don’t make me smile the way they used to.
Thump.
I toss the covers to the side and cross to the lake-facing window. Two stories below I find a brown-haired lumberjack of a man splitting wood in my front yard without a shirt.
Bulging biceps and a back so ripped I can see the muscles bunch and flex with each movement.
Grant Cross.
I don’t know how but the man had to sense my eyes on him. He turns, flashing me a grin before turning back to chopping wood. He must have been at it for a while with the stack piling up beside him.
I roll my eyes. That man. He pushes all the right—and wrong—buttons.
Cain joins Grant saying something that has them both turning to look up to my window. He pushes buttons too, but a different set. Ones that have me wondering about things I shouldn’t like little green-eyed black-haired babies.
I stand there shocked for a moment and try to stay pissed, but it’s hard when they grin like that at me. Like their hearts are on their damn sleeves.
I smile back despite the warring feelings inside me. And that was part of the problem. Each of them knew my one weakness. Them.
I step back from the window and head for the shower, giving my closed laptop a long side-eye. Maybe tomorrow...
Frustration fuels a fast wash and rise. When I’m done I slip on a skirt and white tank, wondering if it will draw their attention. Hell, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it when they eyed my breasts last night.
Before leaving the bedroom I take a moment to twist my hair into a braid, and that’s when I see I’m wearing damn near the same outfit from the last time we were all here; I yank off the skirt and toss it aside for a pair of denim shorts instead.
My phone chimes with the arrival of an email.
Oh damn. It’s my agent. I’ve been dreading another email from her.
This won’t be good. I don’t need to open it to know, but I do anyway.
Holding my breath, I read:
“Need to hear back from you. It’s been three months. This doesn’t make us look good.”
Damn. I know she’s right but I still don’t have the answer she’s looking for. But I need to find one quick. It won’t be long before she starts calling and then I’ll have to answer.
I close the email app. I can only handle one problem at a time and I currently have three taking over my plannedmetime. And shouldering in like a bunch of brutes.
I leave my phone on the dresser.
I can’t hide out up here any longer, I guess. Time to face reality.
I follow the decadent smell of dark vanilla roast and bacon to the kitchen.
I make it down the stairs to find Linc with his back to me, absorbed in his breakfast duties.
Fresh white curtains hang over the bay-styled windows looking out over the lake. Coffee is brewing in a coffeemaker that wasn’t there yesterday. Off to the right, I spy a toaster with what smells like bagels and in front of him, Linc is working up a few more strips of bacon and eggs, and on the counter are four plates and matching glasses.
Huh.
