Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
This had to be temporary.
She ate her breakfast while Clancy and Ewan both took calls, and they hammered out the details for the crew’s movements and order of which they’d use locations. She put her napkin on her plate and turned to her water, finally.
The bell jangled above the door, and Bianca looked up to see Mrs. Shiller standing there dressed in a long light blue raincoat with rubber boots. She waved and Mrs. Shiller motioned for her.
“I’ll be right back.” Bianca stood and walked toward the older woman while trying really hard not to blush. Was she about to get a lecture? “Hi, Mrs. Shiller.”
“Hi.” Mrs. Shiller looked up through thick glasses. “I called Adam and he said you were here.”
There went that heat into her face. Bianca was an adult, and she wasn’t going to be lectured by anybody. “Yes, ma’am. In fact, I’m probably going to stay with him for the rest of my visit.”
Mrs. Shiller’s gray eyebrows rose. “That’s just wonderful.” She patted Bianca’s hand. “I’m happy to hear that.”
Oh. All right. “Is that why you were looking for me? Do you need me to clear out the room?” That made sense. Why hadn’t she thought of that?
“No.” Mrs. Shiller drew a white envelope out of her pocket. “You received more roses with this card just a few minutes ago, and I haven’t opened it.” She handed it over. “I’ve been calling all of the florists in the city, and so far, none of them admit to sending either of the bouquets.” She sighed heavily. “I’m not a very good detective so far.”
“That’s okay.” Bianca turned the envelope over. A chill tracked down her spine, and that didn’t make sense. She opened it and could feel the blood drain from her face as she read.
Mrs. Shiller grasped her arm. “What does it say?”
“Um, nothing. Thank you for bringing this.” Bianca waited until the elderly lady had left before reading the note again. Last night was a one-time thing, and you were a decent fuck but that’s all I want from you. I was just playing this morning and hate conflict. Don’t make me say it in person. Adam.
CHAPTER 12
Adam finished unpacking several bottles of Jack Daniels and set them in a neat line on the glass shelves behind the bar. Morning light filtered through the wide front windows, turning the polished floorboards a warm honey color. The sun had finally come out.
He rolled his neck, easing the stiffness that came from too little sleep and too much activity. Not that he regretted a second, because he didn’t. Bianca had tunneled right under his skin, and he was very much afraid she was going to stay there. Even when she left.
The phone in his pocket rang, and he pulled it out before the second buzz. “Adam’s Bar.”
“Hey, it’s Elbert.”
“Hey,” Adam said, lifting the phone to his ear. “Do you need me to help you get that rental car out of the ditch?”
“No. We took care of it,” Elbert said. “Just brought it to the shop. I’ll take a look to let you know the damage. Do you know if she got the insurance with the rental agreement?”
Adam glanced toward the front window where the street still glistened from the storm. “I doubt it. Most people don’t get rental insurance, but I’ll find out. Just let me know what happened, okay?”
“Well, there was a big storm last night,” Elbert said dryly.
Adam huffed out a laugh. “I know. I just want to make sure she didn’t hit an animal.” He remembered the ditch and the broken fence posts, the rain pounding so hard he could barely see ten feet ahead. “I looked around,” he added, reaching for another bottle of whiskey and sliding it onto the shelf. “Didn’t see much, but I’ll go back out and make sure we don’t have a deer or other animal that needs to be taken care of.”
“I’ll take a look as soon as I have my coffee,” Elbert said.
There was a brief pause, and Adam already knew what was coming.
“I heard you and the movie lady have a new romance.”
Adam rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
Elbert Collier owned Collier Garage and knew half the people in the county. The other half he heard about eventually. He also gave free oil changes for anyone who couldn’t afford one.
“Where’d you hear about my dating life?” Adam asked.
“It’s Mineral Lake, dude.”
Adam chuckled and reached for a stack of glasses, setting them near the edge of the bar so he could polish them. “Are you serious?”
“I heard she’s real pretty.”
Adam pictured Bianca sitting at his kitchen table in his oversized T-shirt, hair still damp from the shower. Heat stirred low in his chest. “She is real pretty.”
“So while she’s here, she’s taken?” Elbert asked.
Adam stilled. “You’re happily married with three kids. What are you even thinking?”