Page 67 of Tempting Promises
“I was going to say nice to each other, but sure, we’ll go with good. I just appreciate you taking care of me.”
“That could’ve all been summed up in two words: thank you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You could’ve been nice and just said you’re welcome.”
“I could, but then I wouldn’t get to see you pissed off.” She turns, and I grab her wrist, not really sure why, I just don’t want this entire fucked-up few days to end on me being a dick. “You don’t have to thank me, as much as we dislike each other, which I think is misguided on your part, I would never let anything happen to you—you know, other than embarrassing shit. That’s fine.”
“Same. I wouldn’t really let you suffer in pain. I mean, anything else is fair game.”
I smile. “So we’re in some kind of truce?”
“Some kind.”
“Enough to let me have the Knight contract?”
“Not a chance in hell.”
I lean my face close to hers and watch the desire pool in those green eyes. “Then may the best man win.”
sixteen
CHARLOTTE
“Oh my God, all of that sounds so terrifying!” Faye says as I’m lying on my couch, ankle propped up on the pillow. “I’m so sorry I had to leave, but I’m here now.”
She has no idea how bad it was, but then also great. Toward the last day, I really did start to panic about the food situation. I worried that we’d run out of food and wouldn’t be able to get help. Then, my ankle was throbbing and I didn’t know if it was broken.
“We survived.”
“And your ankle?”
The doctor said it’s just a severe sprain and gave me a lace up support stabilizer for a few weeks. Considering I walked miles on it, there really wasn’t much they could do other than that.
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything is fine. The doctor said the bruising wasn’t so bad because of the salve I made too.”
Faye lets out a huge huff and leans back in the large armchair my granny sat in every night to read her book. Thinking about her, even just briefly, makes my heart hurt. I miss her so much. She was my favorite person in the world. When my parents were alive, she’d sneak us bubble gum because my father wouldn’t let us have any, he was so worried about it getting in our hair. Then, as we got older, she’d hide two-dollar bills all around the house that we couldsearch for. She said they were special bills that we had to keep forever. I still have them in the safe upstairs.
I think about this farm, this house, this life I have because of her and I can’t fail. I can’t lose what they gave me. For sixty-three years they lived and worked here, built a legacy, and in the course of two years, I’ve let it fall apart.
“Well, that’s good that you were able to find what you needed. Speaking of the cabin, how was spending five days trapped with Rowan?” she asks, her brows raised.
It was . . . orgasmic.
But not saying that.
“We endured,” I say nonchalantly.
He dropped me off late last night after the guys insisted we go to the hospital for X-rays. So, I did. Then Joey, Sawyer, and Rowan got me settled here, where it was awkward saying goodbye to him.
“I see that, but still, I was going crazy, worried about the two of you being stuck out there. Joey had to keep meverybusy so I could keep my mind off it.”
I bet he did, and I was very busy as well, but I can’t admit that. “So your week at the chalet was good, then?”
“Other than my best friend getting hurt and stranded? Sure.”
I smile and laugh. “Other than that.”
“I’m sorry your week was terrible. I know I convinced you to the leave the farm for just a few days and then it went a little stupid.”
