Chapter 11

Andre

I rolled off Joelle and threw my arm over my face. Every inch of my body vibrated with energy. Excitement. It zinged through me and pulsed in my cock.

Was it because she was new? Because it had been a while since I was with someone? Because I was told to give her space and it felt like I was disobeying an order? Because she was so much younger than me?

What the hell just happened?

I looked over at her and found her half-asleep with a satisfied grin on her beautiful face. My heart kicked hard.

I had to go.

I vaulted off the bed and headed for the bathroom attached to her room. I closed the door but didn’t lock it or turn on the light. There was a soft glow in the small space that guided me to trash the condom and wash my hands.

She didn’t move. Still sprawled across the bed, gloriously naked and tempting.

My dick twitched, wanting a second time with her just minutes after my first. I ignored it and grabbed my boxers, stepping into them before Joelle sat up.

“Are you leaving?”

I nodded and tugged on my shorts. “I have an early morning back here.”

“Then you should stay. Just roll out of bed and work.”

The tug to do just that, to wrap myself around her and never leave, was too fucking strong. She was temporary, and I was…

Not.

I needed to remember that. She wouldn’t change her life for me. I wouldn’t ask her to, and she wouldn’t offer.

I yanked my shirt over my head. “I don’t have my equipment here, and Molly will never speak to me again if I leave her alone all night.”

“Oh,” Joelle said, sounding surprisingly disappointed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I leaned over her to kiss her.

She slid her hands up my chest and fisted my shirt, holding me to her. She moaned softly and chuckled. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“Same,” I said truthfully. It had to be something about her being just a fling. I’d had them in the past, but that had to be why the sex was so damn good. My body knew to let go and enjoy.

“Wait, did you say early morning?”

I laughed. “Yep. Here at nine.”

She flopped back on the bed. “Ugh! I should have negotiated a later start before you kept me up so late.”

I laughed again and leaned over to kiss her. “Next time.”

Her eyes opened and locked on mine. “Next time.”

I nodded, feeling that kick in my chest again. I kissed her quickly, then stepped away from her bed. “I’m guessing the front door locks automatically. Do you need to lock this one?”

She rolled out of bed and walked toward me. “Yeah.”

I waited until she was behind the door, just in case someone was outside her door, then opened it and slipped out.

“Good night,” she whispered.

“Good night.” I looked back, smiling when I saw her peeking around the door.

I had to go. Staying was the wrong choice. But it was hard as fuck to walk away from her.

I turned and walked to the front, staying as quiet as possible as I made my way to the entryway.

The Inn was quiet, sleeping. It wasn’t that late, but MacKellar Cove rolled up the sidewalks well before midnight, even on a weekend.

I took a deep breath when I stepped out onto the porch. It smelled like home. Damp air and fresh grass with flowers thrown in. Peace washed over me, calming the frayed edges from walking away from Joelle.

She wasn’t supposed to get to me the way she did. She was temporary. We were temporary. She could leave any day, and I wasn’t leaving.

It would be fine.

“Andre?” I heard from the darkness.

I froze, trying to place the voice before Sebastian stepped into the light around the porch. “Hey. What are you doing up here?”

“Zoey needed me to grab her phone charger. She brought it up here earlier and forgot it. What are you doing…? You were with Joelle.”

“I was,” I said, rocking back on my heels and shoving my hands into my pockets.

Sebastian shook his head and continued to the front door.

“What is so wrong with me that I should stay away from her?”

“It’s not you, Andre. I… She doesn’t seem to be in a place where she’s ready for a relationship.”

“We’re not in a relationship. We’re hanging out. Enjoying time together. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing is wrong with that. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

“Why would I… You know what? It doesn’t matter. I like Joelle. And she likes me. We’re consenting adults, and that’s all that really matters.” I rushed down the steps and across the lot to my truck.

I didn’t have to stand there and be told I wasn’t good enough for Joelle. Or that she was going to hurt me. I was fine. I wasn’t going to get hurt. There was nothing wrong with what we were doing.

Sebastian just didn’t get it.

* * *

I slept like shit. All night I tossed, frustrated and angry.

I did nothing wrong. I shouldn’t have to explain myself to Sebastian, or anyone else.

But that wasn’t the only thing bothering me.

It had to be a weird fluke that the sex was so fucking great with Joelle. It wasn’t some weird connection we had, although I liked her. I didn’t love her, and we were nowhere close to that. One date, an afternoon together, and sex once? No. That didn’t equal love.

My stupid heart was just hopeful. I’d been looking for someone for so long that I was inflating the whole thing. It would be fine.

But just in case, I got my work done and loaded up my trailer. I didn’t see her watching me from her window, and I wasn’t going to hang around and face Sebastian or anyone else who had an opinion about us seeing each other.

I closed up the trailer just as the front door to the Inn opened. I looked up, my chest tightening as I hoped it was Joelle.

She stepped onto the porch, and my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I itched to ignore it and go to her, but ever since my dad’s stroke, I couldn’t ignore my phone. Ever. Just in case something else happened and my parents needed me.

I didn’t recognize the number, but it was a local number, so I answered it. “Davidson Outdoors.”

“Is this Andre Davidson?”

“Yes. Who is this?”

“Oh, good. So happy to catch you. This is Dan Hernandez. I’m the—”

“Superintendent of MacKellar Cove Central School District.”

“I am, yes. I didn’t think you would know who I am.”

“Small town. What can I do for you, Mr. Hernandez?” I smiled as Joelle approached me.

“I know it’s a long shot, but our buildings and grounds supervisor just called me. The riding mower they use to maintain the school property just died. The part they need isn’t something we have on hand. Is there any chance you can help us out?”

“Um, I can try. When do you need everything done?”

Joelle tilted her head, trying to understand my side of the conversation.

“Uh, today? If possible.”

I sucked in a breath. My day was wide open. I had no other work to do. Mountain View Retreat was finished for the weekend since I did it the day before, and I was done with MacKellar Cove Inn.

The only conflict was the woman standing in front of me.

But that jolt was back. So I did the only smart thing. “Of course. I’m just finishing up at MacKellar Cove Inn now, and I can be there in ten minutes.”

“Really? Oh, that would be great.”

“Is there someone there who could meet me and let me know what needs to be done?”

“Yes. Yes, absolutely. The building and grounds supervisor is at the high school right now. He can walk you around and fill you in on everything you need to know. Thank you, Mr. Davidson. You’re really saving us.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad it worked out.”

“So am I. Thank you.”

I hung up and turned to Joelle.

“You have to go.”

I nodded and tossed my phone into my truck. “I do. School district needs some help. Trouble with their equipment.”

“And you would never say no to anyone who needed something, would you?”

“No, I wouldn’t. Does that bother you?”

She laughed. “No. It’s pretty amazing, actually. I don’t know a lot of people like you. People who would give up their time off to help others.”

My brows shot up. “Sounds like you’ve been hanging around with some pretty crappy people.”

She rolled her lips in and nodded. “Yeah.”

I touched her arm. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No. You didn’t say anything wrong. You’re right. It’s one of the reasons I’m here.”

“One of? What are the other reasons?”

She smiled and ducked her head. “Let’s just say I was in a situation that wasn’t right for me, and leaving was my best option.”

“Are you in danger?”

She chuckled. “No. Nothing like that. Just figuring out what makes sense for me. I needed a change from the life I was living, and this is a good place to think and figure out what that change needs to look like.”

I nodded, part of me wanting to ask her more and part of me wanting to get the hell away before I did. “I hate to run out, but…”

“No, go. You’re good. I think I’m going to enjoy the sunshine today, and Zoey and Piper invited me to their book club again tonight. Maybe I’ll see you sometime this week?”

“Yeah, that would be good.” I leaned forward to kiss her, then stopped.

She leaned in and stopped, too.

We both laughed, and I reached for her. I cupped her jaw and brought her lips up to mine. She was sweet, like syrup, and smelled like her bed. Like us.

My cock twitched.

I meant it to be a quick, simple kiss, but my body took over and deepened the kiss with a tilt of my head and a press of my tongue to her lips.

She sighed into me, opening for me and meeting my tongue on its way in. Her hands eased up my chest and around my neck, pressing her body to mine.

My dick throbbed against her body, her soft floral scent reminding me I was dirty and sweaty. I pulled back. “Sorry. I got a little carried away.”

“I wasn’t complaining.”

I breathed a laugh. “I’m going to get you all gross.”

“I wasn’t complaining about that, either.”

I smiled. This woman. I wanted to say ~fuck it~ to all my responsibilities and lose myself in her. To spend all my days and all my nights with her.

“I have to go,” I blurted.

She smiled and took a small step back. “I’ll see you soon.”

I nodded and climbed into my truck. I started it up and waved.

She waved back, watching me as I drove away.

I watched her watch me.

I wanted to turn around. Go back to her bed. Sink into her. Never come up for air.

I tore my gaze away from the mirror and focused on the road. Molly nudged my hand with her head, then licked me.

I had my girl. I didn’t need another one. Joelle would leave, like everyone did, and I would move on, like I always did.

* * *

I pulled into the high school lot and waved to the man next to the lawnmower. I parked my truck and went over to him.

“Andre Davidson?” he asked.

I nodded. “Dan Hernandez said you need some help.”

“We do. Thanks for coming right over. I’m Karl Downs. I don’t think we’ve met.”

I shook his head. “I don’t think so. Nice to meet you.”

“You, too. So, listen, I was almost done with the high school. The middle and elementary schools haven’t been touched. It’s a lot.”

“It’s all good. You think you’re going to be able to get that thing fixed?” I nodded to the ancient lawnmower parked on the pavement.

He snorted. “I hope so, but this thing is probably older than me. I’m going to stop by Al’s Hardware to see if I can find what I need there, but I don’t have a lot of hope.”

“Yeah, if they don’t have what you need, I don’t know where else to tell you to check.”

“Hopefully they can order it, but they don’t make this model anymore. We might have to get something new, and this time of year…”

I winced. “Yeah. You and everyone else are looking.”

Karl nodded. “Yep. And it’s not like we’re a big district. This kind of cost might not be something we can do. Not to mention holding on to employees is almost as big of a struggle.”

“Yeah? That’s not good to hear.”

“The school doesn’t pay as well as a private company. I maintain everything here, and I have two people who help out, but they’re only part time. In the winter, they don’t get a lot of hours, so hanging on to them is a challenge. Usually employees stick around for the summer, then find something else by winter.”

“That’s not easy. You do your own plowing?”

“Yep. It’s not a huge space, and we can get it done in a few hours, so it’s not a lot of work for three of us.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Wow.”

Karl shrugged. “Well, I’m not going to keep you here even longer than you’re already going to be here. There’s nothing buried that you should have to worry about. Pretty much an open space. Baseball and softball fields were the first thing I did, so just the grass is all you need to worry about.”

I followed where he was pointing and nodded. “Easy enough.”

“Thanks. I’m going to run over to Al’s and see what I can find out, then I’ll be back. Let me give you my number in case you need anything before I’m back.”

I nodded and pulled out my phone. He shared his number, and I typed it in.

Karl waved and climbed into a truck on the other side of the equipment building.

I unloaded my mower and set up Molly’s cage so she could ride with me since it wasn’t a space we were familiar with.

I finished the last of the high school space and moved to the middle school. The work was easy, but the space was big. By the time I was finished with all three schools, it was nearly dinner time. And since I skipped lunch, I was starving.

Karl was tinkering with his mower when I made my way back to him. “All set?”

“Yep. Any luck?”

Karl shook his head. “Nope. I ordered a new ignition switch since it wouldn’t crank up, but it was acting funny, and I have a bad feeling it’s the transmission.”

“Ooh, not good,” I said.

Karl nodded. “Yeah. Definitely not good. But that might be better than the motor.”

I snorted. “You’re going to be buying new if it’s either.”

“True,” Karl said with a sigh. “Which means holding on to employees is going to be even more of a challenge if they take that out of my nonexistent budget.”

“I wish you well.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate the assist today. If you don’t hear from Dan in the next day or two, reach out to me and I’ll put some pressure on him to make sure you get paid.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

Karl shook my hand. “No, thank you. I hope I don’t have to call you every week to bail me out. Although if they balk at the price of a new mower, they might just hire you to do this every week.”

I cringed at the thought. It worked out once because I was able to take care of Mountain View Retreat the day before, but if I took on the school district, I’d be working all day Saturday and Sunday, every weekend.

That wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. Especially since I worked nearly every day during the week.

“I wish I could say yes to that, but I’m not sure it’s something I could make work.”

Karl shrugged. “I have a feeling they’re going to be looking to outsource this job sooner than later. Between the cost of the equipment and the cost of the part-time workers, it’s something Dan’s mentioned more than once.”

I blew out a breath. “I… I’d love to do it, but I don’t see how I could make it work. It’s just me, and I already have some big commercial contracts.”

“Have you thought about taking on any employees? The two people working with me right now are great. Young, but talented and strong work ethic. They know this place and could step into this job without much in the way of training. You would just need to provide the equipment for them to use.”

I rubbed my jaw. I’d been growing steadily for a year, and keeping up with the demand was getting harder. Hiring an employee or two would help, but then I’d have to switch to boss role instead of just doing what I loved and maintaining properties.

“I’d have to think about it, but right now, I’m not sure it’s the right path for me.”

Karl nodded. “Understand. It’s not for everyone. Either way, thanks for your help today.”

“Happy to do it. Good luck.”

Karl laughed. “Thanks.”

I loaded up my mower and dropped off my trailer at Blossom & Grow, all the while thinking about growing Davidson Outdoors. Or rather not growing it.