Page 399 of Steamy Ever After

“I need to figure out what to do with it.”

“Do with it?” He shifts in his seat. “What do you mean?”

“I think I should sell it.”

“You’re kidding, right?” He leans back and folds his arms across his chest. His dark brows knit together, concerned and confused.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. It’s a lot to deal with.”

“Before you make any decisions, you should talk to the manager.”

“The manager?”

“Yeah, the guy hired to take care of the land.” He shifts away from me, almost as if my words wound him.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll talk to my uncle about setting up a meeting. Although, I have to tell you, I’m nervous about what it entails.”

“How’s that?”

“I know nothing about land management.”

“I’m sure the manager has that all figured out.” There’s a look in his face I can’t figure out, almost as if Drake’s having fun with me.

“No doubt. I’m overwhelmed enough settling in with the day job. Adding the management of ten thousand acres? I think my head is going to explode. How will I know what he tells me is the truth? I’m so afraid of being taken advantage of.”

“Don’t be.” Again, I sense something. “No one is going to take advantage of you, and you’ll get nothing but the honest truth from the manager.”

“How do you know that?” I’m overwhelmed.

I knew moving to Peace Springs would be challenging. I know nothing about owning a medical practice. I was an employee at the place I worked at before. I went to work. Saw my patients. Went home. The next day I did it all over again. I didn’t have to worry about billing, scheduling, payroll, malpractice insurance, or any of the other things I don’t know.

“You’re smart as a tack, city girl. You’ll figure it all out.”

“What scares me isn’t what I don’t know.”

“That so?” His brows tug together, concerned and worried.

The way he cares about me comes as a shock. More so, because I’m not used to it. Scott never cared about what bothered me. I had to deal with that all on my own.

Drake cares.

More than cares.

He’s deeply invested in me.

I would try to explain where I’m coming from, but that’s impossible. How is he going to understand the pressure I’m under?

“Here’s my problem.”

“Go on, city girl.”

“I’m not afraid of what I don’t know.” I begin with the obvious. “It’s a long list, but I’m willing to learn. It’s the things I don’t know that I don’t know that worry me.”

“Wait a second…” Drake leans back, pulling at his chin. “The things you don’t know that you don’t know?”

“Exactly. Those things will slip through the cracks, and I won’t even be aware of it.”

“I can see how that could be troubling, but you don’t need to worry.”

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