Walker’s head bows down, and he grips his waist, like he’s trying to summon some patience. I guess the disdain is mutual. “What you can do is go back to the house and spend time with your mom. Or go into town and hang out with your sister. I’ve got the farm covered.”
“There’s ten acres, Walker. The festival is in mere weeks, and the farm is a complete mess.” I swipe my hand against the glass windowpane on the door, creating a circle in the dirt. I hold out my palm, showing him the years-old grime.
Walker shakes his head but turns and starts walking away.
“I was trying to be nice,” he calls over his shoulder. “Butif you want to clean all the windows on the cottages, be my guest. Feel free to tackle the chairs in the barn when you’re done. They’ll need to be spruced up for the weddings!” He’s hollering now because he has put a good distance between us.
I chase after him. “What about the flowers, Walker? The two hundred and fifty thousand tulip bulbs. The hundred thousand daffodils. Who’s taking care ofthose?”
Finally, the man spins around and stalks back toward me. With each step he eats up three times what mine could cover, which means he’s standing right in front of me in barely a breath’s time. He grabs his hat and flips it backward so I’m victim to those eyes again. They’re as angry as a thunder-cloud, yet I can’t look away. The thrill of the potential electric bolt that charges through the air whenever he holds my gaze has me stuck stupidly in place.
“Do nottouchthe flowers, Tally.” His voice is a low growl, a warning. I don’t like the way it heats my cheeks.
Annoyed, I step forward so we’re practically chest to chest. We both breathe heavily, and I grit my teeth.
“Why won’t you let me help?”
His nostrils flare as he shakes his head. “Why can’t you just do what I ask?”
I poke his chest, ignoring the way my finger barely budges as it’s met by a wall of hard muscle. “Why are you so bossy?”
He stares down at my finger like he wants to remove it but refuses to touch me. Without looking up, he growls out, “Because I’m the boss.”
I push off him with a loud sigh and stomp away. Fine, I’ll do his stupid chores. I’ll do them so well he will be amazed. And then maybe he’ll lower his defenses and slip up to reveal what exactly is happening here.
—
Hours later, I’m convinced today was a bust. Walker disappeared sometime around lunch, and I haven’t seen him since. I’m tired, my arms hurt from rubbing the windows so hard they sparkle, and I’m starving.
I go to text Penny and Rosie to ask what they’re doing tonight when I see the town group chat blowing up.
HOPE HARBOR TOWN CHAT
BABS:What time is skinny dipping?
RAYNA:I’m not coming.
BABS:I didn’t ask if you were going. I asked what time it was.
STEW:Mayor Fletcher! I don’t think this should be in the town chat.
RAYNA:Well, it is an event that takes place in town so I would disagree.
BABS:Oh, go fly a kite Stew. The mayor doesn’t monitor this chat. We can talk about what we want.
I’m glad I forced Penny to go through my phone to update the contacts of everyone in the town group chat, because now at least I know who’s making these absurd comments, but I still have no idea what they’re talking about. I open up a text thread with the girls to find out.
ME:What the heck are they talking about?
PENNY:don’t ask.
ROSIE:Some of the elders in town like to get freaky when they play pool so they call it skinny dipping.
ME:Oh god, why did I ask?
PENNY:told you.
PENNY:How was today? Did you learn anything?
