Page 15 of Love to Prove You Wrong

Unknown number: Do you have time to work on our assignment tomorrow?

I swiped the message app open to type a reply.

Me: I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong number. The time for assignments is long gone for me. I left high school years ago.

Unknown number: Addy, it’s me.

Me: How do you know my name? And how did you get this number?

Unknown number: Carter gave it to me. You’d already left. How many other men are you working on the Spring Picnic with?

Me: Is this you, Justin?

Justin: Bingo.

Me: I don’t know if I have time tomorrow. I’ll let you know something later.

Justin: Great. The picnic is in two weeks, so we can’t keep postponing the work. Sleep tight.

I clenched my jaw. There was no way I was answering that text, wishing him a great night’s sleep as well. He was acting all responsible and sweet right now, but it was probably just a matter of time before the other shoe dropped.

Or had he truly changed, like he had told me? I shook my head. There was no use speculating. The only way of knowing was to spend time with him, whether I wanted to or not.

∞∞∞

I woke up early the next day and decided to get a head start on work. By ten o’clock I’d handled everything that needed handling. New guests would trickle in after lunch, as our check-in time started at two p.m. That gave me a few of hours without any urgent tasks. I fired off a quick text to Justin.

Me: I’m ready for our meeting now. I have four hours.

Justin: Wow, you don’t give a guy much notice, do you? But okay, now works. I’m getting a head start. Meet you at Jeff’s barn?

Me: Okay.

I slid my phone into my purse and joined Carter at the reception desk.

“I’m going to be out for a bit to work on the Spring Picnic preparations. I’ll be back by two, but if you run into a problem, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“A problem, like Diane?”

I giggled. “Shh. What if she walks in here and hears you?”

He leaned in closer and leveled me with a stare. “It wouldn’t hurt her to hear the truth, you know. Don’t let her walk all over you.”

“Carter,” I said, offering him a firm look.

He held his hands up. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I should always remain professional. Don’t worry. If she drops by, I’ll give her the royal treatment.”

“Thanks, Carter. I’m going to check up on Duckota first. See you later.”

He waved at me before returning his attention to the administrative work he was doing.

After making sure Duckota was safe and sound in her locked patch of garden, I went on my way. The barn was a pleasant fifteen-minute walk and it felt good to be out in the spring air. I spent way too much time inside and not nearly enough time in Old Pine Cove’s stunning surroundings.

Colorful spring flowers bloomed in every patch of grass I came across. The mountains made for a picture-perfect backdrop, and with every step I took, I felt my anxious feelings about work and Justin seep out of me.

When I rounded the corner to Jeff’s barn, I could spot Justin in the workshop that was attached to the barn. The doors were open and loud rock music blasted through a portable speaker.

Justin was wearing safety goggles and had stripped down to his jeans. His sweaty upper body glinted in the sunlight as he sawed wood, the muscles rolling with every one of his movements. I quickly averted my gaze before he could catch me drooling.

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