Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

TEDDY

I drove a little too fast up the lane, kicking stones up as I headed to the main house. I slowed so it didn’t nick the paint on my cruiser. I should have been driving my truck around the farm, but I didn’t want to stop at home first to switch out vehicles. I had questions for my father.

I parked next to Dad’s old truck and crossed the distance to the front door in seconds. I knocked briefly before walking inside. “Dad. I’m here.”

“In the kitchen.”

I followed the sound of his voice.

Dad raised a brow. “You’re not getting dressed today?”

I looked down at my sweats and bit off a curse. I never went out unless I was put together. Charlotte got to me and not in a good way. “I was drinking my coffee on the porch when Susie Sunshine pulled down the lane. I had to see what she was up to.”

Dad raised a brow at me as he moved around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for a sandwich. “What she was up to? I told her she could move in.”

A muscle spasmed in my jaw. “Why now? ”

“I told you; she has some personal things going on.” I opened my mouth to ask what, and he held up a hand to silence me. “I’m not at liberty to talk about it.”

“If she’s in danger, I need to know about it.” There was something about Charlotte Monroe being in danger that bothered me. It was hard to imagine that anyone would want to give her a hard time. Except me of course. Her positivity drove me crazy. I didn’t trust it.

Dad gave me a pointed look. “She doesn’t want you to know about it.”

“She said that?” That irked me more than her sunny disposition.

He nodded as he placed slices of salami on his roll. “She wants to handle it on her own.”

I braced my hands on the counter. “Is she putting you in danger?”

Dad’s gaze lifted to meet mine. “If I thought that was an issue, I’d tell you. She just wanted a place to hide out for a while. She’s off the grid here.”

Why does she need to hide? Was it a family member or an ex? My mind raced with the possibilities.

“She’s a sweet girl. I wanted to help her.”

“What if she’s in over her head?” I frowned. Maybe she was one of those people who stirred up drama everywhere they went.

Dad slid the plate with meat piled high toward me.

I was starving because I hadn’t eaten breakfast when Charlotte ambled down the lane. I took a huge bite of the sandwich. “What exactly is she going to be doing here?”

Dad grabbed bottles of root beer out of the fridge, twisted off the tops, then handed me one.

“If you’d listened to any of our conversations about this, you’d already know. ”

I took a swig of the sweet soda. I usually preferred water or beer, but I drank the occasional soda when I was at home. “I was hoping she’d leave and not come back.”

Dad grunted. “She’s planning events for the holiday season to draw more customers. The Monroes have been upping their game, and it’s time for us to do the same if we want to compete.”

“I don’t want to be so commercial. Can’t we just sell trees?” I asked stubbornly.

Dad let out a breath. “I want to increase revenue on the farm. This place is my retirement plan, and I want to pass on something to my kids.”

“You already have a good thing going.” I didn’t see why holiday events at the farm would make much of a difference. “People want trees. They don’t need Santa photos.”

“Charlotte thinks they do.”

“She was supposed to prove herself to us last year, but I don’t remember her doing anything significant.”

“That’s because you blocked her at every turn. She wants to learn how the farm operates.”

“How’s she going to do that?” I couldn’t see her cutting down a tree or securing one to a vehicle.

Dad gave me a look, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “That’s where you come in.”

“Come again?” I asked, the sub sitting like a rock in my gut. I didn’t like the sound of any of this.

“You’re going to teach her what we do on the farm.”

My jaw tightened. “I don’t like it.”

“I didn’t expect you would,” Dad said drolly. “But you’re busy with your job. You can’t be here all the time. Now, you have the issue with your house.”

I was wondering how I’d handle the house and the farm, but I knew I’d figure it out. I always did.

“Charlotte is passionate about helping us, and I want to let her do her thing. I have a feeling it’s going to turn out to be a good decision.”

“You can’t possibly know that.” I liked to think of all the ways things could go wrong. And Charlotte Monroe being on our property was a disaster waiting to happen. “How can we trust a Monroe?”

“You know she doesn’t have anything to do with Monroe Farm. She never worked there or advised them on marketing.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I trust Charlotte. I know it will take a while for you to believe in her. That’s why you should show her around and get to know her.”

“I don’t want to,” I said stubbornly.

“I’m not asking for your permission. You can help me by taking Charlotte around the farm and showing her the ropes. Or you can step back from your role here.”

My throat tightened. I’d always been involved in the farm. Ever since Mom died, I took on a larger role, helping Dad out so he could breathe. I couldn’t imagine just letting it go now. “Fine.”

Dad nodded. “I appreciate that. I’d like to take a step back from the day-to-day operations, and I hope this is the first step in that direction.”

How could I say no to that? My first priority was always my father. I wanted to make sure he was taken care of, and if he wanted to step back from the farm, then I’d do whatever he needed me to do.

He waggled a finger at me. “Just don’t run her off.”

“Why would I do that?” I stuffed the rest of the sandwich in my mouth so I wouldn’t need to answer any more questions.

Dad gave me a look. “I’m surprised you didn’t this morning.”

I chewed and swallowed, not wanting to choke. Then I took a long pull of the soda. The sweetness was more than I usually allowed myself to enjoy. It reminded me a little too much of what it was like to be in Charlotte’s presence. She was a sugar rush, and I wasn’t looking forward to the inevitable crash that would come afterward. “I was thinking about it.”

“I’m happy that you refrained. She needs a place to stay, and the cottage is just sitting there empty.”

“What if Daphne needs it, or even Fiona?”

“Daphne is living with Cole now in that new house. The cottage is too small for them. And Fiona and Aiden built the house on their property. They’re not interested in the cottage. But providing Charlotte with a place to live means that we can pay her less overall. I need that right now.”

I understood the farm’s cash flow problem. I’d been intimately involved in the running of it over the years. We did enough to get by, but none of us was particularly skilled in marketing. I didn’t want to convince people of things. It wasn’t my strong suit. At work, I willed people to cooperate, and that combined with my size and authority did the trick.

The art of persuasion didn’t come easily to me. Thankfully, I usually didn’t need it to get a woman in bed.

I rinsed the plate and put in in the dishwasher, then tossed the bottles in recycling. “When should I get started?”

“If you’re free today, can you offer to take her around and explain how we tag the trees and introduce her to the different varieties?”

“You think she needs to know that to market?”

“She wants to revamp the website, and she needs to understand how everything works.”

I didn’t want my father to worry, and I should keep a close eye on her. “Fine.”

At some point, I’d move back into my house, and Dad would be alone with her. I needed to ensure his safety. I’d ignore any ripple of interest that ran through my body at the prospect of spending more time with Charlotte.

I’d ignore the way her clothes molded to her curves or the glint of challenge in her eye when she talked to me. She was merely a nuisance that would hopefully be moving on to other things sooner rather than later.

I didn’t need Charlotte Monroe in my life.