Page 29 of Three Days of Holiday

And how stupid of me to allow that to sway me even further in his direction. It wasn’t the violence but the way Will took what he wanted. If it was me, I didn’t have plans to give in.

I was working my way between the two men, intent on saving Will’s life, when two other bodies found their way out of the convention hall—Diane and a man whoresembled Will. Hale ground his teeth so loudly I heard it as I finally wiggled between the men, my chest now against Will’s.

“Darling, you’re late,” Diane said at the top of the steps of the hall and gave a quick wave in Will’s direction.

I pushed my open palm harder against his chest and glared, making sure our eyes met. “Yeah, darling, you better hurry.”

I pushed Hale back with newfound strength, giving Will room to escape. He slipped down the length of the vehicle and went to stand at the hood. “Holly, can we talk for two minutes?”

Was he serious? Stupid and crazy. I slammed the door, almost catching Hale’s fingers in the process. “No.”

And then with as much saving grace as I could muster and my nose stuck high in the air, I walked past Will and stormed into the convention center not giving Diane a second glance.

It might break my heart, but she could have Will. They deserved each other.

10

WILL

Iset Jack and Shawn to unloading the truck and then started double checking the measurements I’d taken earlier. I also met every single one of the death glares Holly drilled me with from across the room.

Her brother never left her side, and when he caught my attention, he looked downright murderous. Maybe he hadn’t been joking with the threat to kill me for talking to his sister.

Either way, I didn’t care. I’d get that chance to talk to Holly one way or the other.

I waited for my opportunity, but her brother never took his eyes off her. It was as if he knew the minute he gave her any space I planned to slide right in there and explain myself.

Diane and I worked to rearrange the tables so each one was the same space away from the other. Bacon sniffed under the tables before picking the best spot for his mid-morning nap. Most of the contestants would say it was a waste of time to measure the table legs anddistances, but symmetry was important. It also went along with our theme, and minor details set one entry apart from the others.

Diane worked alongside me, taking direction for the first time in her life without complaint. She touched my arm each time she walked close enough for contact, and by the fifth or sixth time, I didn’t even bother ripping my limb away. It obviously wasn’t going to stop her. She was definitely up to something.

I just didn’t have time to figure out what. She wanted more power on the farm and I’m sure saw dating the soon-to-be CEO as a way to get it.

Her motives had always been simplistic in nature.

“Darling, this table is about an inch too far to the left, but I can’t seem to move it alone. Can you help me?” she asked in her most damsel-in-distress voice.

Wow. Had I really fallen for that shit in the past? Now the noise grated on me to no end, but I couldn’t start drama before winning the competition.

From the loud “pfft” sound Holly made from the other side of the room, she was also irritated by the question and tone. I grinned but made sure to glance downward so she didn’t catch me and use it as a reason to yell. Holly could say whatever she wanted, but I affected her.

Or I would.

I needed to get her brother away to have a civil conversation.

I wandered over to the table where Diane worked and picked up the other end, leaving as much space between us as possible. Together we moved the table to the perfect location so it lined up with the ones on either side of it to project the proper image from above. Bacon woke upwith the noise and switched tables, choosing to lounge under the one we just relocated.

Problems were coming at me from every direction, but I needed to put them in priority order to handle them properly. First, I had to take care of the growing issues between Holly and me, and then I would deal with the competition. After I settled all that, I’d figure out what to do with Diane.

Once I had control of the family farm, her tenure would come to an abrupt end. I wasn’t completely heartless. I’d set her up with a great reference, possibly a job at another orchard, and a good severance package, but the truth of the matter was she could no longer continue to work on the farm. Not while I dated Holly.

Which I planned to do as quickly as possible.

Who cared that we came from different families? Or that our parents hated each other? They didn’t determine our future. We’d keep business as business and our personal lives out of it. It could work if we tried hard enough.

I had no idea how, but I’d figure out a plan.

We didn’t live in the same town, and we’d both be running competing orchards, but somehow in the last forty-eight hours I’d thrown those concerns to the wind. Yes, we had hurtles, but we needed to give us a chance. Holly’s determination matched mine, and I wanted to experience her passion firsthand. She had a fire brewing in her eyes that intrigued me.

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