Page 28 of Harvest Heat

He took a step back, and Rhys pushed the door open.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes. Tomorrow.”

Caleb stood watching him until he’d stepped inside Frost + Foam.

CHAPTER 11

The morning rush at Frost + Foam had slowed, and Rhys left Sam to handle customers so he could take care of some bookkeeping. He tried to focus on his cost analysis spreadsheets, but he kept replaying the night before at Cloud Nine in his head.

What had come over him? Had he fallen and hit his head but didn’t remember it? Had he really run there in the rain, hardly even noticing how wet he was, and then told Caleb he couldn’t concentrate with Caleb shirtless? His face grew so hot at the memory that he had to fan himself.

No way had he just straight up admitted that he was horny for Caleb.

He was surprised Caleb didn’t kick him out after that.

He was watching you too. You know he was.

Maybe, but Caleb also might have been trying to make sure Rhys wasn’t going to make some unhinged move on him.

He was flirting with you.

Was he? Rhys had no way to be sure. Flirting was a mystery to him. Possibly, Caleb just thought he was crazy.

And now he was supposed to go apple picking today. He couldn’t see Caleb in front of other people. Not when all he’d be thinking of was Caleb shirtless and the moment when he leaned closer, when Rhys had thought Caleb was going to kiss him. Rhys wanted him to so badly, but then he’d backed off, and Rhys had to pretend he was a reasonable person who could say goodbye and not run away like he had so many times before.

He wasn’t even sure how he would be able to work with Caleb that evening, but no way could he be with him when Tessa was watching. She’d pick up on what was happening immediately.

He called Tessa. “I can’t come today.”

“What? Why not?”

He forgot everything he’d planned to say. “I’m… I need to work.”

“Did Sam call out?”

He glanced toward the counter, where Sam was making a cappuccino. “No, they’re here, but I’m not at all ready for the festival.”

“You are not skipping our annual apple picking trip to work on your festival entry. Agnes needs to calm down. This isn’t a do-or-die situation. Frostwick Harbor is doing great, and even if we weren’t, it’s not your responsibility to change that single-handedly.”

He wouldn’t be single-handed now that he was working with Caleb, but he didn’t say that. Tessa did not need to know about the insanity of last night. “I still don’t have any good ideas, so I should stay and experiment some more.”

“No, you’re coming to Briarwood Orchard. I know you don’t want to miss the doughnuts or the bunnies.”

Briarwood had a rabbit hutch filled with rabbits from a rescue. Most of them loved people. They would hop up to the fence, hoping for pieces of grass or other treats that could be bought at the farm stand. Rhys usually spent a long time sitting in the grass by their fence, feeding them and enjoying watching them chew on lettuce leaves or grass stems. He didn’t want to miss that.

Theoretically, he could go another day by himself. They’d be open to the public for another month. Would he, though? Not likely. It was hard enough for his friends to get him to take time away from the store. It wasn’t easy for him to break his daily routine.

Maybe he could avoid Caleb. Could he orchestrate things so they split up and Caleb went with Tessa while he went with some of the others? As long as he and Caleb didn’t have to interact much, he might could pull it off.

Tessa made the decision for him. “I’m picking you up at one, and you’d better be ready, or I’ll make you come as you are.”

Rhys let out a long breath. “Fine. I’ll be ready.”

He crossed his fingers Caleb was driving himself or riding with someone else.

Tessa couldn’t fit all of them in her small sedan, and he assumed Finn would be with her.