Page 5 of Pinch of Love
He pulled down a road that I didn’t recognize, but it was close to the lake, and my jaw dropped. “What the heck happened to Buttercup Lake? What is this?”
Cash nodded. “We got a new downtown complete with restaurants and shops.”
When I’d come here during the summers, there was a market attached to a gas station, an ice cream shop, a mechanic, a laundromat, a diner, and a small gift shop.
“It’s like a little bit of civilization erupted out of nowhere.” My cellphone rang again, and I ignored it, but I noticed Cash noticing that I didn’t even bother to see who it was.
Cash just continued on. “It kind of did. There was nothing here before, and nowhere to really develop a main street near the gas station, so the mayor and a developer worked on this together.”
“My sister said Buttercup Lake had really changed.” I glanced at Cash as he slowed to let a family across the street with their ice cream. “How long did it take?”
“About five years.”
I noticed faint lines around his beautiful green eyes and some crinkles along his forehead. I couldn’t quite tell how old Cash was, but the way the lines rested told me he used to smile.
“This will be the perfect getaway for me,” I said more to myself than anything.
“Yeah?” He glanced at me as he turned the corner near the lake. “What are you trying to get away from?”
I licked my lips and drew a breath, wondering if I really wanted to get into it.
A bit of the grump left his gaze, and I smiled.
“Just life.” I shrugged.
Cash looked a little concerned, but I turned my gaze out my window to catch glimpses of Buttercup Lake through the thick woods.
“I get it.” He tapped his steering wheel and let out a deep breath. “I really get it.”
Chapter Two
Cash
“For the love of all that is holy,” I muttered to myself as I reached into the trunk to grab her suitcases.
Why did my renter have to be so beautiful?
Just the thought soured my day, and the fact that I’d left my ice cream upside down at Becky’s didn’t help things either.
I glanced at Maya hopping out of the Jeep and shook my head. Whenever our eyes met, mischief dripped from her gaze, and her little sprite body sprang into action. She was like something I’d see in a damn fairytale rehashing, where she literally floated from one destination to another. Apart from tumbling head over heels atop her suitcases, she seemed like a vision.
A sigh escaped my lips as I snuck another look at her. All five feet of her were full of curves and softness. I only knew this because I was nearly six-five, and she was like a foot and a half shorter when I dug her out of her suitcases and set her in front of me.
My jaw clenched, and I shook my head.
Nope. Not gonna do it. Not gonna go there.
Maya pulled out the big suitcase from the backseat, and the Minnie Mouse bag nearly squashed her as the heaviness fell into her arms. She couldn’t be an inch over five feet, which was the complete opposite of her sister. Beyond the dark hair, there wasn’t much linking these two. Everything about Maya was soft. Grace was more defined. I liked soft.
As Maya steadied her bag, I held in a smile. At least she shouldn’t wreak too much havoc on my place. She’s a single, calm woman who wants to find herself or something.
Her cellphone rang, and she didn’t answer it, didn’t even bother to look at who was calling, just like before when it rang. I didn’t know whether she was just being polite in front of me or truly avoiding someone’s calls.
“You know, I have a smaller place that’s a bit less money if this is too big for you,” I told her. “It’ll become available in a few weeks.”
She turned and scowled at me. Her beautiful caramel eyes nearly knocked me off my feet. “I like space, and money isn’t an issue.”
“Duly noted.” I nodded and wheeled her suitcases to the porch. “Well, you’ll have plenty of it here. Five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, and several sitting rooms.”