Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Her hand flies to her chest in a dramatic gesture. “Well, excuse me, for not being local and knowing how to drive in a freaking blizzard,” she snaps.
Jesus, I need more coffee for this shit.
“For your information, pal.”
Pal?
“I was given exactly twenty-four hours to get my ass on a plane which gave me very little time to prepare for every scenario I might encounter when it comes to a Canadian winter. And while I admit I probably should have bought a snow brush by now, the weather hasn’t exactly called for it until this morning, so it really wasn’t high on my list of priorities. You will be tickled to know it is now. Actually, I tell you what, as soon as I leave here, I’m going to buy the holy grail of snow brushes and proudly display it in my back window just for you!”
I grunt, unamused by her smart mouth.
“I will also have you know that while a snow brush would have been handy this morning, it would have done nothing to stop the entire Arctic from being blown over my little Subaru, which is why I didn’t see your ‘big flashy lights.’” She makes a large gesture with her hands, emphasizing those lights. “Not because of the ice bordering my windshield, and not because my shoelaces are untied. But since you are so hell-bent on making this about me being careless, go ahead and write me a ticket so we can both be on our merry little way and live happily ever after with our stupid snow brushes!”
By the time she finishes the tirade, she is out of breath, the anger in her cheeks matching the rosy tip of her perfectly shaped nose. She’s so worked up that the giant flakes falling from the sky melt as they land on her face.
I’d find this rather amusing if I didn’t feel like shit for being the one to get her so upset. I decide to take pity on her and wrap this up but not without finding out some important information first. “License and registration, please.”
She gapes at me, her snow-kissed lashes fluttering in shock. “You’re serious? You’re really going to give me a ticket for this?”
I don’t bother to confirm or deny her assumption.
Shaking her head, she stomps back to her car, almost tripping over her shoelaces again.
This woman is a hot fucking mess. Hot being the operative word.
She climbs back into her car with a huff and slams the door on me.
She’s also a fiery one.
I wait patiently for her to lower the window. Once she does, she hands me her license and the rental’s registration without a word.
Ignoring the registration, I look only at her license, wanting—no, needing—to know one thing…
Hollis Elizabeth Billings.
I find the name fitting, despite not knowing her. Taking in her address next, I see she’s from Southern California.
I figured she wasn’t Canadian by her remark about a Canadian winter, and, yet for some reason, I’m still struck with a pang of disappointment.
A scowl forms on my face as I hand her back the documentation. “Wait here.”
I hear her grumble something behind me as I walk back to my car.
Yeah, well, I’m annoyed too, sweetheart.
Though, if I’m being honest, more with myself than with her. Which is why I grab the snow brush from my backseat and walk back over to scrape the semi-melting ice off all her windows, starting with the windshield.
I ignore the feeling of her eyes on me as I move around the vehicle. After double-checking that there is, in fact, no damage to her car, I walk back over to the driver’s side window and lean just inside the vehicle, bringing myself dangerously close to all that beauty. “You can have this,” I state, handing her the snow brush.
Surprise and confusion mask her expression as she accepts it.
“It’s not the Holy Grail of snow brushes, but it does the job,” I add, throwing the words back at her.
A pink blush blooms across her cheeks.
“Just don’t display it in your back window for me. I wouldn’t want it to obstruct your view and cause another accident.” After a smirk in her direction, I push away from the car and get the hell out of there before I do something really stupid, like ask her out.
Once inside the safety of my SUV, I sit and wait, watching her drive away.
As her beauty slowly fades into the distance, the haze begins to lift, allowing my emotions to fall back into place, and it leaves me wondering what the fuck just happened.
Hollis
Christmas music filters throughout the store, filling my heart with holiday joy as I unpack the new village that arrived earlier today. The store has kept steady despite the weather outside, making this the first lull in customers I’ve had since opening, which ended up being thirty minutes late thanks to Officer Grumpy Pants.