Page 7 of Fire in My Heart

“Why would I do that?” I stuffed the rest of the sandwich in my mouth so I wouldn’t need to answer any more questions.

Dad gave me a look. “I’m surprised you didn’t this morning.”

I chewed and swallowed, not wanting to choke. Then I took a long pull of the soda. The sweetness was more than I usually allowed myself to enjoy. It reminded me a little too much ofwhat it was like to be in Charlotte’s presence. She was a sugar rush, and I wasn’t looking forward to the inevitable crash that would come afterward. “I was thinking about it.”

“I’m happy that you refrained. She needs a place to stay, and the cottage is just sitting there empty.”

“What if Daphne needs it, or even Fiona?”

“Daphne is living with Cole now in that new house. The cottage is too small for them. And Fiona and Aiden built the house on their property. They’re not interested in the cottage. But providing Charlotte with a place to live means that we can pay her less overall. I need that right now.”

I understood the farm’s cash flow problem. I’d been intimately involved in the running of it over the years. We did enough to get by, but none of us was particularly skilled in marketing. I didn’t want to convince people of things. It wasn’t my strong suit. At work, I willed people to cooperate, and that combined with my size and authority did the trick.

The art of persuasion didn’t come easily to me. Thankfully, I usually didn’t need it to get a woman in bed.

I rinsed the plate and put in in the dishwasher, then tossed the bottles in recycling. “When should I get started?”

“If you’re free today, can you offer to take her around and explain how we tag the trees and introduce her to the different varieties?”

“You think she needs to know that to market?”

“She wants to revamp the website, and she needs to understand how everything works.”

I didn’t want my father to worry, and I should keep a close eye on her. “Fine.”

At some point, I’d move back into my house, and Dad would be alone with her. I needed to ensure his safety. I’d ignore any ripple of interest that ran through my body at the prospect of spending more time with Charlotte.

I’d ignore the way her clothes molded to her curves or theglint of challenge in her eye when she talked to me. She was merely a nuisance that would hopefully be moving on to other things sooner rather than later.

I didn’t need Charlotte Monroe in my life.

CHAPTER 3

CHARLOTTE

Ibit my lip, admiring the round globes of his ass in those gray sweatpants as he sauntered to his cruiser, opened the door, and shot me a disgruntled look over his shoulder. I waved, unable to stop the smile that spread over my face.

Teddy merely shook his head and got into his cruiser, putting on aviator sunglasses that only enhanced his inherent sex appeal.

I’d only ever seen him in uniform or a flannel and jeans. But this morning, I must have surprised him because he wore gray sweats that left nothing to my overactive imagination and a black department issued T that stretched taut over his well-defined muscles.

If he wasn’t such a grump, and my ex wasn’t such an asshole, I’d be thinking about all the ways I could get Officer Calloway to loosen up. I wasn’t in any position to partake in his deliciousness, but I could at least enjoy the view.

When the tail end of Teddy’s cruiser disappeared from view, I let out the breath I’d been holding. I half expected Teddy to throw his weight around as a police officer, insisting I was trespassing.

I’d panicked, knowing my old room at the inn had already been booked, and I had nowhere else to live. Unless I wanted to shack up with Cole and Daphne. They were a family of four now. There was no room for me.

I needed to handle this new phase of my life on my own, even if it scared me.

I would have offered to whip something up for lunch, but I hadn’t been grocery shopping yet, and I wasn’t sure if I could get pizza delivered to the cottage.

Teddy Calloway was uptight on a good day, and I knew he wouldn’t like that I was living on the farm. He’d fought his father on the issue as soon as he learned of it.

I’d had to tell Al about the situation with my ex so that he’d let me move in. When Rick hit me the first time, I quit the job where I worked with him, moved out of our shared apartment, and went to live with my brother, Cole.

I was able to get a job working the front counter at Matthews Inn which came with a room. Rick showed up one night, demanding I come home, and manhandled me when I refused. Thankfully, Aiden had been watching the video feed of the altercation in his office, and he’d removed him from the premises.

Rick wasn’t allowed at the inn, but I didn’t feel safe there anymore. It was only a matter of time before he returned.

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