“Sutherland,” I mock, and he snorts.
“Coffee was my idea. Besides, you can pay me back after we sell the farm.” He tips his baseball hat at the waitress.
“Have a nice day, Grahm!” she chirps as we exit. Unlike the hostess from last night, this one gives me a bright smile that I return easily. Okay, at least the daytime people here are much better than the night crowd.
Grahm tells me about a few of the shops as he drives through Main Street on his way to dropping me back off at the farm. We share a few laughs, and by the time we’re pulling into my driveway, I’m giddy and looking forward to seeing him again.
“See you tonight, Thornton.” He dips his head in that sexy way he did with the waitress, but he holds my gaze for a few seconds longer.
“Nine sharp, Sutherland. Unless you want to prove to me that there are more assholes in Bane Falls,” I shout as I walk backward toward the house.
He gives me one of those smiles that can knock you over, the kind that meets his eyes and makes me want to go buy a pair of overalls to fit his farm-town vibe.
“If I ain’t fifteen minutes early, I’m late.” His accent brings a grin to my lips. He doesn’t wait for me to respond before he peels out of the driveway, kicking up dirt as he waves out his window. Icatch his bright smile in the driver’s side mirror, and he watches me beam one right back at him.
Holy shit. Okay.
I’m going to forget everything crappy that happened yesterday.
I deserve to have a little fun tonight.
4
BRIAR
The entire afternoon flies by.Because honestly? This work is cut out for me. My uncle was a terrible hoarder, and I’m the opposite of that.
The farmhouse is crowded with boxes and useless things that seem to only have a purpose of adding clutter. The pantry of empty boxes was just the beginning of the absolute mess I have on my hands. It takes some serious elbow grease, but I’m able to clear the main part of the house before five p.m. I fill all four garbage bins out back and throw the larger trash into a burn pile in the dirt field.
Maybe I can have a bonfire. That’s what the country people do, isn’t it? I’ve watched it in a few movies, but I’ll have to have Grahm help me. I’ve never used anything but gas fireplaces.
My cheeks warm thinking about his easy smile. There are plenty of things he canhelpwith if I was reading his body language right. I don’t mind the ones that are flirty right off the bat. The guys last night had such promise if not for their weird loyalty to Roman—pity.
I take a deep breath and purse my lips with frustration. There’s still no sign of that flash drive anywhere. No sign ofanything worth a penny. My hopes were set a little too high, thinking it’d be easy to find.
My stomach growls, and I reluctantly go back to the horror-show kitchen that I just cleaned out. I still need to mop and sweep, but it’s better than it was. I’m just relieved there weren’t any rat droppings.Probably because there’s nothing to eat.
I bite my nails as I stare at the empty shelves. I should probably stock up on food; otherwise I won’t be eating at all tonight. I have enough cash to get me through the end of fall and part of winter as long as I don’t splurge. That means lots of pasta and ramen. Wine, of course, is a must.
I can’t even remember what a hamburger or pizza tastes like. It’s been a long time since I’ve forked over money for something like that.
When Mr. Holland said that I’d be going to a farm, I imagined one with crops and animals to tend to. Fresh eggs, milk, and vegetables. I guess that was a little too hopeful. But I certainly did not expect this wasteland of nothing. What was my uncle even doing out here? He owned, like, fifty acres but didn’t bother tending to it at all. It’s weird. How did he make a living out here? There’re hardly any signs of life. I find it hard to believe he stayed in this house at all.
From what I remember, my dad used to say that his brother was secretive and lived on the go. It was impossible to get in touch with him unless he reached out first. Which only adds to my stack of questions. What could he have possibly been doing all these years? Did he steal highly classified information? I bite my nails, considering if I’ll check what’s on the flash drive when I find it.
My stomach growls.
Regardless of the answers to my questions, one thing remains: I need to go grocery shopping.
It’s almost seven p.m. by the time I’m peeking outside the blinds to make sure the coast is clear. The Benz that was casing the farm last night might come back, so I check every window I can before slipping out the back door and locking it. Not that it’d keep anything out with how flimsy it is, but it gives me a little peace of mind.
I quickly get in my car and check my makeup. I did a thin line of liner around my eyes and some mascara, nothing too flashy since I’m not trying to attract too much unwanted attention.
My worn-down blue hat pairs perfectly with my boyfriend-cut jeans and a tucked-in, oversized white T-shirt. It’s the closest thing to thetownievibe that I have. I’m hoping it helps me blend in with the locals.
My ombre ashy curls are exquisite today. It’s weird, I haven’t felt this good in such a long time. I remind myself not to get too attached to anyone here. Including Grahm. And as far as I know, I’m certainly not welcome.
I tug down my baseball cap more to hide my face, just in case I run into those guys again.I’ll be in and out. I’m not talking to anyone unless I have to, I drill into myself.
