Page 28 of Hating the Book Boyfriend

Ican't believe I thought getting snowed in with Colton Callahan was the worst thing to happen. I couldn't have been more wrong. Catching feelings for him is way worse. Luckily, I did get some sleep last night. It doesn't matter that it was on the hay bales I had staged in the corner of the barn with the Christmas trees. I got a solid four hours before my alarm went off, and I've been putting the finishing touches on the event space and running around the property with the camera crew all morning. He's been around. I've caught glances of him off in the distance, helping Archer with chores and trees. Christmas tree lots officially open this weekend, and Archer is glad to have the extra set of hands, but I'm not sure how he'd feel if he knew where those hands were last night, or hell, even his mouth. My core clenches at the mere thought of how good he felt. He was right to walk away last night. I didn't trust him, but I do now, and now I don't have time.

"Miss Estes, guests have started arriving. I'd like to get footage of cars driving down the gravel road for the commercial,” the photographer I hired to film today’s event pulls me from my thoughts.

"Please, call me JoJo," I say as I straighten one of the place settings on the table. "That sounds great. After dinner, I would like to get shots of the tree lot. We will have a hot chocolate bar set up, fire pots, and music. I think you could get some truly magical footage during that."

"Of course, and for the record, you don't need to worry about the footage. Your family farm is breathtaking. I don't think I've taken a bad shot yet." He caps his lens and chucks his thumb over his shoulder. "I'll be back shortly."

As he exits the barn, my eyes scan the room. He's right. It's beautiful. I forgot how much I love doing this type of work. Being home has given me pause on what life looks like after the holidays. I got my degree in communications with an emphasis on media studies to help grow the Estes name, and while I've done that behind the scenes, it's different from living it. Archer has been the one manning the ship and pulling his weight while I've been off pulling other companies out of dark waters, lying to myself and calling it experience when the truth is I needed an adventure. I wanted to live the city life, or I thought I did. It turns out that being able to walk to restaurants, bars, and shops isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially if you don't have money and you're not a social butterfly. I'm not a pauper. Technically, I get paid monthly as an owner of Estes Ranch, but Archer doesn't know that I've been putting all that money back into the shared account. I haven't felt right taking it, knowing I wasn't pulling my share.

"This place looks amazing, JoJo," Archer says as he enters the barn, and I couldn't agree more. The place looks like something ripped out of a Hallmark movie set. "You may have missed your calling. Interior design and party planning, this is you. You've always been able to see things differently."

"It turned out alright…" I drag out as I bump his shoulder with a big smile.

"Hey," we both say in unison.

"You go first," I rush out, still uncertain about my thoughts.

"No, it doesn't work that way, JoJo. Ladies first."

I twiddle my fingers, suddenly nervous. "How would you feel if I moved back to the farm? I don't want to be in the way of your dating life, and it wouldn't be forever?—"

"Stop," he grabs my shoulder. "This place is ours, JoJo. It's not mine alone. I'm not seeing anyone, and if that changes for either of us, we can figure it out then, but your moving home would be huge. Mom and Dad would be thrilled…" he draws off as another thought occurs. "Wait, you're moving home for this right?" He throws his arms out and gestures around the barn. "You're going to work full-time for the farm now?"

"Yeah," I nod in confirmation, and he swoops me up and spins me around.

"What's all the excitement about?" Colton asks, his voice instantly stealing my joy and replacing it with sweating palms and a racing heart.

"JoJo's moving back to the farm," Archie answers as he sets me down.

I run my hands down my jeans and risk glancing at Colton. It's not that I don't want to look at him. I do, that's the problem. I feel like I will give everything away the second our eyes connect.

"She is?" His eyes do a quick perusal down my body as he slides his hands into his pockets before meeting my gaze. The way they lock with mine knots my stomach. I rock back on my heels and try not to linger on the quizzical intrigue I hear in his tone. Instead, I move the conversation away from me.

"Archie, you had something to tell me?" I punch his shoulder.

"Watch it, tiger. I need my shoulder," he jests. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate the farm, our friends, and you moving back home."

"Is it bad?" I can't help but ask. Why would he want to wait?

"No, it's not bad. I promise." My eyes study his, and I believe him. He's been making big moves with the business lately. The profit sheet we reviewed the other day supported converting one of the tree fields to hops. Movement over his shoulder catches my eyes, and I see Jacob.

"This conversation is paused, not over. I need to say hi to my friend." I squeeze his arm and excuse myself, not bothering to acknowledge Colton. I'm sure he's memorized Jacob's face, and we never discussed who he is, but now isn't the time for that, though I'm less concerned about him making a scene here than the bar in town. Here he has a set of eyes watching his every move that he didn't there.

"Hey, Jacob. Where's Avery?" I peek over his shoulder toward the parking area. "I assumed you knew extending an invitation to a girl meant you knew you were supposed to pick her up and bring her to said event. I feel like I've already failed you."

He chuckles. "No, you didn't fail me. She said she'd meet me here. Apparently, she lives close. Sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to get here early to calm my nerves."

"At the bar the other night, we never got into the details of your anxiety when it comes to talking to Avery, but if I'm being honest, I'm very curious to see you in action. I don't feel like you have any problems talking to me. It's hard to imagine you getting cold feet."

His lips curl to one side in a small smile. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. I've had girlfriends before but looking back now I feel like I was wasting my time and I just didn't know it. That’s why talking was easy. I didn’t feel anything, or at least not the things I should have felt.”

I smile. "Classic case of Insta-love, and here I thought that was some made-up fictional bullshit." I have never felt it, but that doesn't mean it's not real.

"I didn't say I love her," he laughs, "But she feels different. I know that sounds crazy, considering we haven't been on one date, but I don't want to mess it up."

"Yeah, you may have mentioned that a time or two." I cross my arms and mindlessly look back into the barn, only for my eyes to collide with Colton's. The playful mischief from earlier is long gone, replaced with fury. Tongue in cheek, he shakes his head, but it's not until he drops his gaze that I realize what I saw wasn't fury but hurt. He starts toward the exit at the opposite end of the barn, and I want to go after him, but I can't. Guests are arriving, and while he may not know it, Jacob is a paying client.

I pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and consider sending a text, but as my fingers hover over his contact, Jacob says, "She's here." He clenches his fists and pulls in a heady breath. "Is there a bar? I feel like I need a drink for this."

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