AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, you definitely are. But you’re a smart, hardworking, loyal asshole.”
I smiled. My sister certainly had a way with words. “I’m just an asshole who’s trying to do the right thing.”
“And maybe that’s good enough for now.”
“Wow, you give one hell of a pep talk, sis.”
“Get the fuck out of my shop. I’ve got work to do.”
Chapter7
Parker
Lovewell was a three-hour drive from Portland. I started up the coast, then inland. After a pit stop in Augusta, our state capital, I headed north.
Massive mountains loomed ahead, and large swaths of farmland were chopped up by rivers and streams. The farther I got from Portland, the more spacious and wild the land became. I passed dozens of farms, watching fields of blueberry bushes disappear into the horizon.
And it felt different. Good, really. Kelly Clarkson sang through the car’s speakers; she was a wonderful road trip companion, and I had a couple of true crime podcasts bookmarked on my phone. Liv had packed a road trip survival kit filled with peanut butter M&M’s (the best kind, period), flavored seltzer, and heart-shaped plastic sunglasses. She said they would fit right in up in Lovewell.
It was like the first day of college all over again. Leaving home, embarking on a new endeavor, and being forced to live with a roommate I hadn’t chosen. It would all be strange and different. I wasn’t an eighteen-year-old kid with no clue this time around. No, I was a thirty-four-year-old grown-ass woman whostilldidn’t have a clue. But I’d picked up a few skills over the years.
I arrived at Paz’s home right on schedule. I hadn’t seen much of the town on the way in. I’d have to do some exploring later. The wide driveway was paved, and it led me to a large white farmhouse with crisply painted black shutters.
It had a wraparound porch and a giant picture window right smack dab in the middle. The front lawn was large and well-manicured, with native wildflowers and artistically pruned shrubbery.
I supposed theAmerican Psychostyle penthouse was clearly out of the question up here in the woods, but the last thing I’d expected was this bright, cheerful family home.
Tacky columns, a collection of imported sports cars, a golden toilet? Perhaps. Details that would add to my list of reasons to hate the guy and all that he stood for? Absolutely.
But this? There were matching rocking chairs on the porch, for Christ’s sake. Had I stumbled into some kind of Norman Rockwell horror movie? God, if Liv was here, she’d be whispering furiously into the dictation app on her phone, plotting out her next bestseller.
I parked next to a familiar blue BMW and eased out of the driver’s seat, stretching and taking a big breath of mountain air.
The front door opened, and Paz jogged down the stairs to meet me. The last time we met, he’d worn a perfectly tailored dark suit. Not today.
Nope, the man had the audacity to wear a flannel shirt and jeans. Both were clearly expensive, and both molded to his thick, strong physique. Like this, he looked less douchey finance bro and more grumpy lumberjack who could cut down trees and build fires and possibly make me orgasm with a quirk of his brow.
I took a step back toward my car. This transformation was uncalled for. I had placed this guy in a nice box in my mind labeled “rich asshole.” But the damn plaid shirt was prying the lid off that box and making my brain run wild—straight toward thoughts of the lingerie Liv had forced me to pack.
He walked closer, giving me a small wave. His face was still serious, thank God. I wasn’t sure if I could handle a plaid, bearded smile in my current state of semi-swoon.
“Parker,” he said, holding out a hand and giving me a firm shake. “Good to see you. I hope you had an easy ride up.”
I nodded. “It’s a nice drive. And thank you.”
“Why don’t you come inside? I’ll give you a tour.”
Quickly, I gathered my purse and followed him up the porch stairs.
“You live here alone?” I asked, as we stepped into a bright foyer.
“Yeah. It’s too big for me, but choices here are limited. Not much of a booming real estate market. Snagged this from the developer.”
I shook my head, still trying to understand how someone like him inhabited this exquisite family home.
But then he led me deeper into the house.
There were windows everywhere and gleaming dark hardwood floors. But not much else.
