AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This certainly puts a new twist to this visit.” She sighed.
“Look on the positive side,” he said.
“There’s a positive side that I’m not aware of?”
He laughed. Trying to stay optimistic himself. “Now you have a vacation in beautiful Montana.” He didn’t have any clue why the lady was there, but if he had to guess, he’d say she was supposed to help Bonnie with the floral business that had seen better days.
“A vacation? Here?” She must have realized how offensive her words were because she changed her tone. “I hear Montana is peaceful and full of wild animals,” She glanced back at Chow, “but I…” her voice trailed off.
“It’s not Paris with all the romance and culture or a tropical paradise where you can sit on the beach and have someone serve you.”
The sunglasses were back off and her heated gaze settled on him. “For your information, I have only been to Paris once, for a meeting, and a tropical getaway, or any getaway for that matter, isn’t on my short-term goals.”
“You’re not one of those people who escapes to a luxurious retreat for the weekend when you’ve had a bad day?” He knew he was digging his grave deeper but this city girl was in his territory.
She blinked. “I work. Hard. I don’t have time for vacations or weekend retreats.” Her pert nose wrinkled.
“So, you’re here to…what exactly?”
A long hesitation told him she debated whether, or what, she should tell him. “I’m here to help Bonnie.”
He snorted. “You know a lot about the flower business, do you?”
“I never said I did. Has Bonnie planned for someone to show me around the business until she comes home?” She fished her phone out of her purse and scrolled on the screen.
“Not that I’m aware of. I don’t think Bonnie thought she needed to make arrangements or pull out the welcoming committee. Not when she expected to see family. By the way, better check all your messages now. Where we’re going service is spotty.”
She brought her chin up, her gaze narrowed. “Please tell me that is just another one of your jokes.”
“I’m just warning you.”
Her sigh made Chow’s ears raise. “How can Second Chance not have service?”
“I didn’t say Second Chance doesn’t have service. I said where we’re going the area doesn’t have reliable service. Bonner’s Farm is about twenty minutes outside of Second Chance, near Wildflower Ridge. We’ll be going through town so if there’s anything you need, jeans and muck boots perhaps, you might want to grab them at Peterman’s Mercantile.”
“Why would I need boots?”
“The word farm in the name Bonner’s Farm isn’t for entertainment. If all your shoes look like those you’ll be going home with a lot less baggage.”
Oddly, she quieted down.
Chapter Six
Parker’s day only got worse.
She could ask for the cowboy to take her back to the airport and she could hand in her resignation. There were other jobs. Sure, she’d have to start from the bottom and work her way up again.
But she’d never been a quitter.
Reaching for the file, she opened it and looked down at the numbers. If Bonnie Bonner knew anything about business, she’d be happy to sell before the market plummeted. Why did Parker have a feeling there was a lot more to the story than Edgar told? Bonnie’s Bluebonnets had been a part of the community for over fifty years. People considered it a landmark. Townspeople didn’t like to part with tradition.
Parker’s level of frustration made her want to scream.
Before she mentioned anything to the owner about selling, Parker needed to know the business inside and out. To prove there was no other way, or path, but to liquidate. She’d hope she could spend the next few days getting to know Bonnie and her business. People tended to not like suggestions from strangers. Now, her plan had imploded. She didn’t have a single day to waste.
She stuck the file back into the briefcase and her attention settled on the journal. Her therapist had suggested when she was angry over the divorce to write in it. Parker had found herself writing letters to Gray—letters forhereyes only. There was something cathartic about cursing out your ex on paper. Something she never did in person.
Truth was, she didn’t hate him. How could she? They were married for seven years. She could count on one hand the number of times they’d argued. They’d always seemed to get along, see eye to eye, enjoy the same things. Perhaps that should have been a sign that they lacked passion. Didn’t all couples argue? Wasn’t make up sex part of the fun?
