Page 27 of Inked Persuasion

“I just pulled out my weeds. Now, I’m going to tell you how to do yours without massacring the whole thing.”

She gently shoved me out of the way, and I fell to my side, laughing.

“You’re violent,” I accused.

“Perhaps. But you deserved it. Okay, now do you have trimmers?”

“Like for a tree?”

She rolled her eyes, her smile wide. “No, for a bush. The little ones that snap together so you can trim?”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t have those at my other place.”

“Okay, I have some. We’ll get it done.”

“You don’t have to help me, Annabelle. I can buy trimmers.”

“You can, and you will. But first, I’m going to teach you how to help your garden, although I am surprised you haven’t hired someone.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know who to hire.”

“Benjamin doesn’t do many smaller jobs anymore, but he can always add you to his rotation if you want. Or I can put you in touch with someone else.”

I frowned. “Your brother?”

She nodded. “He’s a landscape architect. He’s brilliant and works on projects for small homes, neighborhoods, and also giant gardens that are part of the Montgomery purview, but not necessarily projects that all of the other family members work on.”

“How is it working with your siblings? It has to be a lot.”

“It’s interesting. Most of us get along all the time, and we have a new member of the team that works in the building with us. Clay. He is sort of like a son to one of my cousins.”

“That sounds like a story.”

“A very long one that’s not mine to tell. But my cousin, Storm, down in Denver, has been friends with Clay for a while. When Clay graduated college and was looking for a job, Storm and Beckett talked, and then Clay moved up here with his three cousins.”

“I guess it pays to know a Montgomery.”

“We will rule the world one day. Although I think it’s just in terms of numbers,” she said on a laugh. “Okay, now let me get those clippers, and I’ll show you what you need to do.” She stood up and wiped her palms on her pants. I tried not to notice how her jeans encased her ass, but damn it, it was right there. I could reach out and touch her. Though I wouldn’t because that would be wrong.

What was wrong with me?

She walked into her garage, and I swallowed hard and focused on dealing with my mulch, pressing it down and moving it around even though I had no idea what I was doing yet.

“Hey there,” a man said from behind me. I started and turned around.

He had a kind smile, bright eyes, and stood with his hands on his hips.

“You must be the new neighbor. I’m Hotch.”

He held out his hand, and I looked up at it, awkwardly standing to shake it. “Jacob.”

“Welcome to the neighborhood. I’m on the other side of Annabelle. Glad we’re sandwiching her, you know? A woman living alone and all that. Nice to make sure she’s safe.”

My brows rose. “I guess so. Though I’m pretty sure she can take care of herself.”

Hotch laughed. “Oh, she can. And one day, she will go out with me.”

“Hotch,” Annabelle said, rolling her eyes. “Stop pestering Jacob.”

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