Page 23 of Accidentally in Bloom

Abe backed away toward his truck. “I’m going to go. I’ll email you the results.”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to go.” Rose turned, not wanting to lose momentum on the evaluation.

“I think I do.” He glanced between the two of them and scurried to his truck.

“Great, now you’ve scared him.” Gray shook his head at Rose. “He just started opening up again after his break-up with Susan.”

“Why are you everyone’s best friend except for me, huh?” Rose crossed her arms and raked him up and down with her eyes. “Which side is an act?”

“Princess, I’m not like those fake assholes you’re used to in LA.”

He stepped closer, and she stood her ground, fighting the urge to back away. As if he would know anything about life outside of Pennsylvania.

His voice went low. “I don’t like how you treat people. I don’t like how you talk about my friends or my town. I stand up to bullies.”

A bully? She was protecting her family. Herself. “How dare you act as if you know me?”

He’d backed her to the greenhouse door and leaned over her, his hand on the doorjamb. “Oh, I know your type, better than you realize. And I can’t wait until you crawl back to the Hellmouth you escaped from. So, the sooner we get this over with, the better. Frank and I discussed selling the land and greenhouse for eight grand. Deal?”

What the actual hell? She stuttered through a million emotions, namely fury.

She pushed at his chest to let her through, but he didn’t budge. Goddamnit, why did that cause every nerve ending to sizzle through her?

“Asshole.” She shoved him again.

Rose sidestepped him and wheeled around, hands on her hips, taking up space in the drizzly spring morning as if on the front lines of battle. “Ignorant, annoying, asshole.”

Keep it together, Parker. Lure him in, and then hit him with the number you need. Never mind that his voice sent chills down your spine. Or that you’d rather punch him in his stupid sexy face than talk to him. Dig in, put on your iciest shield, and get through it.

GRAY

“What the hell is your problem, princess?”

Gray had initially been delighted to see Rose outside the greenhouse. He thought space away from everyone else would give them a chance to start over.

She had a tight, form-fitting skirt that hugged her curves, a blouse that showed a tantalizing hint of cleavage, and heels so high his mouth watered. He’d thought today wasn’t starting out so bad after all, until he clocked Abe’s truck and put it all together.

She’d gone behind his back.

Rose paced in front of him, and it made him madder that his eyes wanted to linger on her long legs.

She sent him an icy death stare. “My problem? Eight thousand dollars is ludicrous. I’ve paid more for plane tickets.”

“You think I’m unfair?” Gray’s temper thundered. This woman. Stalin would be easier to deal with. “Did you bother to ask any questions before throwing accusations?”

She stood straighter and paused. “How on God’s green earth did you arrive at that number with my father?”

He closed his eyes, pressing the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off a headache. This was not how he pictured his morning going.

“Because Rose, that’s what he would let me pay him.” Opening his eyes, he pleaded with her. “I offered more, but he said the land and the structure weren’t worth it. He would only take that much.”

“Bullshit. Do you have anything to prove it?” She crossed her arms and cocked her hip with blind confidence.

“To prove...?” Who the hell did she think she was? He threw his hands in the air, fed up. “We live in a town of one thousand people.” He was nearly growling now. “We shook on it, and that was it. You couldn’t possibly be Frank’s daughter because you don’t know how things work around here—”

“—Don’t pretend as if you knew my father.”

Gray reeled at her. “You’re the one who didn’t speak to him for ten years. Do you know how much that broke his heart? It’s the only time I ever saw him cry. His last birthday, in case you care. You didn’t call.” He and Frank had often talked about how much Frank missed Rose.

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