Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Emeline’s mood had definitely changed. And now she suddenly went into business mode. “When did you want to discuss the schedule for your volunteering? We should also decide which camp you want to sign Rhett up for. That is, if he wants to attend.”
After wiping my mouth, I set my napkin on the table. “I know you brought your calendar; we could do it now. Or I could stop by the ranch tomorrow and sit down to really take a look, unless you’ll be busy. If we wait until tomorrow, I could bring Rhett with me.”
She thought for a moment. “Is tomorrow at two okay?”
“Two works great for me.”
She nodded as she pulled out her phone. “Then I’ll add it to my calendar.”
Lucy came by a few minutes later and took our plates.
“Let me get this, since I invited you.”
Emeline winked. “Who am I to complain about a free lunch?” It seemed her friendly mood had returned.
“Did you need to get back to the ranch right away?” I asked.
She shook her head. “What did you have in mind?”
Leaning in and lowering my voice, I said, “I’m really intrigued to see Lilibeth’s store.”
Emeline sat back and cleared her throat. For a moment, I thought she was going to say she needed to get back to the ranch after all. But instead, she smiled. “Why, Levi Tucker, I do believe you’ve just painted a perfect way to end our lunch date.”
I smiled. “Date?”
Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t mean it that way. I should have said business lunch.”
She bit her lower lip, and my eyes instantly tracked the movement. A strange sensation of warmth filled my chest, and I almost had the urge to reach up and rub it. Instead, I jerked my gaze back up to hers…but it slowly returned to her mouth.
I had the most insane desire to kiss Emeline in that moment.
“We should go,” she said, quickly sliding out of the booth, and I followed.
I glanced around the café as we left. A few people gave me curious looks, while others smiled. I sighed internally. The Daily Dirt was going to have a field day with this, and they certainly wouldn’t call it a “business lunch,” that much I knew.
Strangely enough, I wasn’t the least bit bothered by that.
Emeline
My heart pounded in my chest as I walked out of the café. I drew in a deep breath of fresh air and closed my eyes, willing it to settle down.
Had I imagined that Levi appeared to want to kiss me? In the middle of the freaking café?
Yes, you did imagine it, Emeline Wilde.
I opened my eyes and glanced behind me. Levi had stopped at a table, talking to whoever was sitting there. I hadn’t even paid attention to who was in the café. I was too busy trying not to let my emotions show around Levi. The man I’d been crushing on since I’d first learned boys didn’t have cooties had actually been sitting directly across from me eating lunch.
I started to pace back and forth in front of the café.
Why did I say date? What if someone heard me? Was that why Levi had been stopped? Were they asking him if we’re…dating?
“Oh God, The Daily Dirt,” I whispered.
I leaned against the building and looked up. “If only there was a time machine so I could take it back.”
“What a curious thing to say!”
The sudden voice from beside me didn’t make me feel any better.
Janet Miller. She owned Main Street Gifts…and was also the writer of The Daily Dirt, the gossip column in our local newspaper. The column’s motto was, ‘We dig up the dirt so you don’t have to.’ And Janet was good at digging up dirt. She pretended she wasn’t the anonymous columnist, but everyone in town knew she was.
To give credit where credit was due, not all of the articles in The Daily Dirt were gossip…just the vast majority. I also had a sneaking suspicion that Janet’s daughter, Grace, was behind some of the articles. Especially the ones geared toward my family. My mother said Grace had a thing for my father back in high school, and to this day she blames my mom for stealing him away from her. Even though Dad insisted he never once dated Grace—and he didn’t meet Mom until they were juniors in college.
“Janet! Hi, how are you?” I asked with a sugary-sweet smile.
“I’m doing well, little Emeline.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. The woman was forever calling me little Emeline. I was twenty-five years old, for goodness’ sake.
“That’s good to hear.”
Trying not to let her see where my gaze went, I stole a glance into the café. Now would not be a good time for Levi to exit.
He glanced up at that exact moment and held up a finger, silently telling me he’d be right out.