Page 37 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

“There’s a lot about him online,” Rhett said.

“Not so much about you.” She met his gaze.

“You were Googling me?” That was great news.

She nodded. “You don’t even have Instagram.”

“I know, right? How do I live?” He grinned. They were back to teasing, but also … she’d Googled him. He’d feared last night she wanted nothing to do with him again.

“I can’t understand it.” She raised her hands. “Must be like the dark ages.”

“For sure.” He paused and looked her over. She wasn’t as muddy as yesterday. “Do you feel up to driving back to town? I can follow you. Or I can have one of my guys drive your car and you can ride with me.”

“Oh …” She rolled her eyes and clenched her fists. “Jaxon hurled my keys into the forest.” She pointed.

Rhett shook his head. “What a jerk.” He looked at the thick vegetation and mud and spring mulch. “I don’t think we’re going to find them. Luckily, I know a guy.”

Sloan looked him over, and then she smiled. “Luckily, I know a guy too.”

Rhett’s lips curved in a smile as well. She did know him. He wanted her to know him much better.

They walked through the mud and to his truck. The rain was coming down in earnest, but it didn’t bother him or dampen his mood.

She said hello to Andy and some of his guys, promising them donuts tomorrow. He helped her into his truck and they drove to her car, loading her suitcases, purse, and treat bag into the back seat.

“This is becoming familiar,” he teased her as they loaded back up.

“You hauling me and all my luggage around?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He smiled. “Where to?”

“Well, I guess I could take everything to my new short term vacation rental, then I’d better get some groceries. I’ve had sugar for breakfast two mornings in a row.”

“The breakfast of champions.”

“That’s right.”

“Where’s your rental?”

“It’s on the Flathead River. Leisure Park is in the backyard. Let me look on VRBO and find the address.”

“That’s all right.” He held up a hand. His reasoning that heaven above had brought Sloan into his life strengthened by what she’d just said. “I know the area.”

“Okay.” She relaxed back into the seat and stared at him. “And you ‘know a guy’.”

He chuckled, reached across the console, and wrapped his hand around hers. “I’m a lot more concerned right now about knowing a brave lady from Arizona.”

“Hmm. Maybe you’ll be blessed and be able to get to know her.”

“I hope so.” He threaded their fingers together and enjoyed the warmth of her much smaller hand in his—not a physical warmth but a warmth of bonding and belonging. “I really hope so.”

Her answering smile ratcheted his hopes up again.

Chapter

Fourteen

The next fewhours flew by too quick with Rhett. He drove to the address the owner had given her. It was an exquisite two-story brick home with the river and jogging trail beyond their landscaped gardens in the back.

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