Do I mind? This is his house. He can do whatever he wants. “Have at it.”
“Thanks.” He kisses my hair before settling at the kitchen table with his laptop.
I plop down on the sofa with my tablet. Lennon sent me the profit and loss statements for the past seven years ofElectric Vibesthe other day, but I haven’t had a chance to review them yet. As I’m scanning the documents, it doesn’t take me long to realize I’m in over my head.
I’ve been managing bars for several years now, but managing is completely different than owning a business. I close the documents and open Google. I need to research business classes. I could ask Elizabeth or Gabrielle for their help – both of my sisters own their own businesses – but I’m not ready to tell them aboutElectric Vibesyet.
They’ll figure out I’m working there soon enough since they’re both living in Winter Falls. But I’m keeping Lennon’s offer a secret until I decide whether or not I want to buy the place. Otherwise, my sisters will dive in with their opinions and railroad me into doing what they want. I already know what they want. They want me to live in Winter Falls.
While I find the town eccentric and the gossip gals and their matchmaking hilarious, I’m not certain I actually want to live here. I was all for it until I realized how little privacy I’d have if I lived here. Privacy doesn’t exist in this small town, but I guard my privacy with my life.
“What are you watching?” Archer asks as he sits next to me.
“Nothing,” I murmur and quickly switch my tablet off before he can see what I’m researching. “Is dinner ready yet? I’m starving.”
“Almost.”
I spring to my feet. “I’ll set the table.”
While I set the table, Archer makes a salad to go along with the pumpkin casserole. I stumble when I realize how familiarthis feels with me helping out while he cooks. Although I usually work in the evenings, I’ve spent nearly every off day with him in his house for the past six weeks. Shit. I’m getting attached.
This is why I stick to one-night stands. To stop myself from getting attached. Dang it. I need to pull back from Archer before I develop feelings for him.
But when we sit across from each other at his tiny table with the food he prepared in front of us, I realize I won’t do it. I won’t pull back from him. I’m going to enjoy the time I have with him while I have the chance.
“How did working atElectric Vibesgo last night?” Archer asks as we dig into our food.
Yesterday was my first evening shift at the hippie bar. Until now, I’ve only worked there during the day as I can’t give up my evening shifts at theWhite Staguntil I decide whether to accept Lennon’s offer.
“Typical Winter Falls.”
“Really? Tell me more.”
Archer always wants to know the latest gossip in Winter Falls. For someone who’s a wanderer, he sure enjoys his local scandals.
“Mean girl Love Hill showed up and threw a glass of beer at Eden.”
His brow furrows. “Eden?”
“She owns the local plant shop,Eden’s Garden.”
“Gotcha. What did she do to piss off Love Hill?”
“Apparently, Eden stole her man.”
“Her man? Love Hill has a man?”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t know what man would put up with that woman. She’s a maneater. I fear for the life of any man shesinks her claws into. She probably has a trophy room at home containing the hearts of any man foolish enough to date her.”
Archer barks out a laugh. “I hope the hearts are in trophy cases.”
“Nope.” I wag my fork at him. “They’re not. She’s got them rigged up to buckets to collect the blood. Drip. Drip. Drip. Once she’s collected enough, she adds it to her daily smoothie.”
“Is she a vampire?”
“Either she’s a vampire or she has a plastic surgeon on speed dial because the woman doesn’t have a single wrinkle or laugh line. Of course,” I pause to consider. “I can’t recall her ever smiling. Which could explain the lack of laugh lines.”
“Women in their thirties don’t usually have wrinkles.”