Page 1 of Only for the Season
Chapter 1
Jeremy – a billionaire who’s beginning to regret his decision to visit Smuggler’s Hideaway for the holidays
Jeremy
“Turn left in fifty feet on Treasure Trap Trail.”
“Left? Where? Treasure Trap Trail?” I search the area, but there’s no road to the left. There’s only a dirt trail. Am I supposed to drive on it?
“Turn left here.”
“I’m turning already.”
I’m also talking to my GPS as if it’s human. I blame my isolation for the past weeks, trying to get this new app developed for my company,Apparoo.It’s been tough not having anyone to talk to. But I also haven’t vented my frustration on anyone, so HR should be happy with me.
My rental car bumps down the dirt road. Why in the world does Eli live on a dirt road? As the co-founder ofApparoo,he has enough money to pave all the roads on this island.
Why the hell does he want to live on Smuggler’s Hideaway anyway? An island is nice for a vacation. Not as somewhere to live.
Baa!
“Shit!” I yell and slam on the brakes before I hit the sheep in the middle of the road. Where the hell did it come from?
My heart batters in my chest as the car screeches to a halt inches from the animal. I’m not an animal lover, but I don’t want to kill some innocent beast.
I wait, but it doesn’t move. I honk my horn. The sheep still doesn’t move.
Great. Just what I need.
I roll down my window and shout at it. “Move on. Get out of here.”
Awesome. Now I’m shouting at some random sheep on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Can this day get any worse?
The sheep starts to move. Good. I can get out of here. But instead of wandering away, it turns around to fully face me.Baa!
Damnit. I fold out of the car.
“Go! Move!”
Baa!
“Don’t you baa me. This is a road for cars. Not a road for animals.”
Baa!
Screw this. I’m not getting into a fight with a sheep. I climb back in the car. There’s no way Eli lives on this road. I’ll turn around and drive back into town to get directions.
I turn the steering wheel fully to the left to drive across the road. I barely make it a foot before I reach the edge. Shit. Turning around on this narrow road is going to be impossible. I’ll have to reverse the entire way.
Stupid sheep. Stupid island. Stupid app I can’t figure out how to program.
I slowly reverse down the road. The sheep continues to bleat as I drive.
“I’m going already!” I shout at it.
I’m almost at the main road when I notice a man walking through the field. Is he the sheep herder? Do sheep herders still exist? Whatever.
“Hey!” I shout to get the man’s attention.
