Organically Yours: Sanctuary, Book Five Abbie Zanders (classic fiction TXT) 📖

In retrospect, I suppose I shouldn’t have parked my truck right out front in plain sight. That’s a dead giveaway, huh?”

“Don’t be a smart-ass,” he rumbled.

“It’s who I am. Let me know when those numbers come in, will you?”

Without waiting for an answer, she turned to leave.

“Bert.”

“Yes?” she said with exaggerated patience.

“You need to get that windshield fixed.”

He didn’t ask what had happened, suggesting he already knew.

“I will. I’m still waiting for the auto insurance guy to call me back.”

“You need me to spot you some petty cash?”

If she didn’t know better, she might think Rick was trying to assuage a guilty conscience.

“No, thanks. I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?”

His eyes widened. “You don’t think I had anything to do with that, do you?”

“Well, you did threaten me. Something about”—she made air quotes with her fingers—“ ‘consequences’ if I kept going up to Sanctuary. Sound familiar?” She let that soak in for a moment and then continued, “Look, I know it wasn’t you who followed me and shot out my tire. But there’s no doubt in my mind that some of your friends did.”

He didn’t deny it, instead asking, “Why would they do that?”

It might have been retaliation for firing Eddie. Or maybe someone warning her off Sanctuary because if Bonnie knew what she’d been doing, everyone knew. Maybe it was both—retaliation and a warning.

It didn’t matter what message they had been trying to send. Eddie was never stepping foot in her orchards again, and she was now more determined than ever to continue her weekly trips to Sanctuary. If her pursuers had intended to intimidate her, their plan had backfired spectacularly.

To Rick, she replied, “You could probably answer that better than I can.”

His expression hardened. “You know, if you’d gotten off your goddamn high horse and just listened once in a while, none of this would have happened.”

“And if you got your head out of your ass and stopped listening to idiots, you’d realize how ridiculous you’re being right now.”

“I’m being ridiculous? I’m not the one cozying up to borderline psychopaths.”

She almost laughed. Compared to Rick’s temper tantrums and Eddie’s half-assed sabotage, the Sanctuary guys were models of rational, adult behavior.

“But they’re not the ones shooting at me now, are they? Tell me, Rick, who are the real psychos here?”

Rick’s jaw clenched, as did the hands curling into fists at his sides.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“You can’t even see it, can you?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “They’re luring you in, just like they lured in the others. Next thing you know, one of those guys will be hitting on you, if one of them hasn’t already.” He narrowed his eyes. “Have they?”

“How do you know I haven’t been the one hitting on one of them?”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

“Let’s face it, Rick. There aren’t many keepers in the Sumneyville pond.”

“Jesus, Bert.”

“I’m done here. Oh, and, Rick? Stay out of my business—unless you want me poking into yours. Or maybe I’ll just follow you to O’Malley’s one of these nights. That’s where you go, isn’t it?”

He ground his teeth and said nothing.

“What’s going on? And don’t even think of telling me nothing because I know better. Something has you vexed.”

“I told you. Nothing you need to worry about.”

“Bullshit. Obermacher Farms is as much mine as it is yours.”

“You sure about that? Because I’m not the one who went and created my own company now, am I?”

He was still pissed about that—clearly. And she still didn’t care. Now more than ever, she was convinced she’d made the right decision.

“If something’s going on, I need to know.”

“You just worry about your precious mill and leave running the farm to us. Anything else? I’ve got work to do.”

Tina glared at him. There was no point in arguing further, not when his back was already up. But if he thought she was going to stop trying to get answers, he had another thing coming.

On that note, Tina turned around and walked out of the office.

* * *

“I don’t want to wait until Sunday to see you again,” Tina told Doc over the phone later that night. It had only been three days, but they’d been three very long days. “I could really use one of your magical massages.”

“I could drive down and give you one.”

“Would you?”

“In a heartbeat. Sooner if those gateway sexual favors are still on the table.”

She laughed, taking great pleasure in the fact that he seemed every bit as anxious to see her as she was to see him. Plus, she couldn’t stop thinking about the time they’d spent in his trailer. Her body lit up at the thought of what they could do with her new prototype edible body butter and the box of condoms she’d picked up.

“What are you waiting for? Get down here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The crappy mood that had been plaguing her instantly lifted. Doc had that effect on her.

Figuring she had a good thirty minutes before he arrived, she took a quick shower, ensured she was completely stubble-free, and then applied the cocoa, coconut, and orange butter to her skin. It soaked in almost instantly, leaving her skin soft, smooth, and delicious, if she did say so herself.

Doc made good time. She’d barely thrown on leggings and a brushed cotton tee when he knocked on the door.

He took one step inside her cottage, wrapped her in his arms, and told her she smelled fantastic.

“It’s a new product I’m working on, and you’re the inspiration.”

“I am?”

“I enjoyed our taste-testing so much that I decided organic body edibles were the way to go. I did some online research, and the stuff that’s available is all chemically—”

She didn’t get to finish that statement. The steamy kiss that followed made her especially glad she’d done the extra prep. Judging by the damp ends of his hair and the lingering scent of shaving cream on his skin, he’d done a bit himself.

“You taste as delicious as you smell.”

“That’s the idea.”

The gold flecks in his eyes flashed at her. “Ready for