Page 7 of Three Days of Holiday

“Because you’re wearing those boots. The ones your sister said will get you laid on the first date.”

I sucked in a breath of air. “You heard that.”

“Holly, they built this farmhouse in the early 1900s. I hear everything.”

I threw one hand up silently, telling her to stop and then clutched the other against my chest. “I guarantee you that will not happen tonight. I was planning to take a quick walk down the trail to get fresh air.”

She nodded, but it wasn’t very believable. “Yes, I can see that. I often like to go for strolls in the woods wearing expensive boots and nice jeans.”

“I hear it’s this new trend everyone on social media is doing. I wanted to check it out for myself. It’s never too late to become health conscious.” I pre-laid the groundworkfor my lie, but it didn’t seem like she bought it as easily as I hoped.

“Uh-huh. Well, don’t let me keep you,” she said and took the last bite of her cookie. “Oh, Holly…”

I turned again, already halfway out of the kitchen. “Yeah?”

“Don’t let your brothers know until you’re serious about him.”

I nodded at her sage advice. They would never find out about Will because I had no plans to get serious. At least not right now. Once I settled into my position as the farm’s new Outreach Coordinator, I’d worry about finding a boyfriend.

We decided through text after the event that tonight was only desserts and conversation. Nothing more.

I darted into the trees, skipping the trail and instead kept my path to the outskirts of the tree line to see what was happening on the farm and walk along the driveway route, which would get me to the main road faster.

I was almost past the bed-and-breakfast when the back door slammed open and then shut, causing the few remaining leaves on the trees to shake. More crap.

Why did I have to have such a big family full of overprotective men, and why were they out and about? It was 7:30 on a Sunday. Didn’t they have places to be?

Haden jumped in his truck, started it up, and waited until Molly exited the bed-and-breakfast and hopped in beside him. They kissed—eww—and then he backed out of the parking spot and started toward the main road.

I waited another thirty seconds to make sure the coast was clear and then continued on my way again, quicklysending a text after I cleared the bed-and-breakfast, letting Will know he was safe to pick me up.

His car, a small little flashy black thing, waited at the end of the drive. The only way I would’ve seen it was because of his headlights. Otherwise, it faded into the blackness surrounding Oceanview Orchards this time a year.

“I can see you weren’t kidding about having to sneak out,” Will said after I slowly closed the passenger side door so I didn’t make too much noise.

I buckled my seat belt and turned to him, hoping he wouldn’t kick me out of the car. “I was definitely not kidding about the three brothers.”

“Are you sure you’re old enough for drinks? How old are you?” he asked, but put the car into drive and inched down the road.

I wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of our entire situation, but he sounded serious. “I’m old enough to drink. I promise. It’s my brothers. I just moved back home from college, and I’m staying with my parents until I can save enough to get a place of my own. Pelican Bay is an expensive area to live.”

“I’ve heard that about this side of the state. It’s the coastline. Which, by the way, you are not near the coast.”

Man, he asked tough questions. “Yeah, I know.”

“Can you even see the ocean from your orchard?”

I shook my head, but I wasn’t sure if he noticed in the darkness. “No, but somebody in the family thought it would be better to give the illusion that we had an ocean view.”

Will chuckled to himself. “That’s not a bad idea.”

“I would love to build a home on the orchard like mybrother is doing.” I left out the part where I would have to save a lot of money before that became a reality. Like maybe in thirty-five to fifty years.

My phone vibrated in my lap, and I checked it quickly as Will used his GPS to maneuver onto the right path to Clearwater. My second stipulation to agreeing to celebratory drinks. We couldn’t eat in Pelican Bay.

Hope: Did you make it safely out of the orchard? Has he killed you yet?

I typed out a quick reply.

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