That Girl's the One I Love by Alana Lorens Read Free Book Online Page B

surprised about this.” He pulled out a drawer in his makeup table, revealing a stash of GooGoo Clusters. “Anyone can demand green M&Ms. Us Southern boys, though…” He tossed her the one off the top of the pile.
    “I haven’t eaten one of these since I was a kid,” she said, amazed. “God, I used to love them.” She peeled the wrapper back, studying the chunky chocolate-and-nut treat famous for its origins south of the Mason-Dixon line. “Definitely not a caviar-and-arugula sort of menu.”
    “Now, don’t be putting down arugula. I’ve got a great patch of it out on the farm. We eat it all the time.”
    The word “we” echoed in her ears, reverberating like an overhead clap of thunder, the kind that rattled the windows of the house. Who was “we”? Dare she ask? “Must be a big farm,” she managed.
    “Probably a hundred acres.” He leaned back in his chair companionably, still holding his unopened candy. “Working with a couple of seed companies to try to cross-pollinate some different strains of lettuces, make them a little more hardy. We sell to several local restaurants. The fruit orchards are all fully working, too—oranges, avocados, lemons, and so on.”
    “ We” again. Skirting the issue like it was a puddle and she was in bare feet, she asked, “You don’t do all that work yourself?”
    He laughed. “Not and keep up a touring schedule. I’m booked till, I think, October.” He leaned closer. “I gave up the only three days off I had this month for this little adventure.”
    Guilt zigged through her. “Oh, no. That’s hardly fair.” She couldn’t bring herself to apologize, though, with her mind consumed by the “we” issue.
    “Don’t you worry, hon. It was so worth it.” He studied her from his slouch in the seat. “I’d have given up the whole month, if that’s what it took. Or more.”
    He slipped from the chair, ending before her on one knee. Her heart stopped for a split second as panic set in. He took her hand, kissed it softly as it trembled in the nest of his fingers. He looked into her eyes. “Leyla, I—”
    She jumped up, pushed away from him, cut him off, her blood pressure racing. She didn’t even know what he was going to say. Panic took over. Even Tim hadn’t done anything that romantic when they’d gotten engaged. It was too much, too soon… “Arran, look, I don’t know what you thought, but I’m not ready for—”
    His eyes were wide with surprise. “Dinner?”
    “D-dinner?” She blinked, off balance.
    “Yeah.” He straightened slowly, watching her with more than a bit of curiosity. “You thought… Oh! You thought I was going to propose.” His face shifted to a warm understanding. “I can see why you… Oh, man. No, that’s not it at all.” He blushed to his hairline.
    That’s who “we” was. He was already married . Her heart plummeted into the miasma of her gut. “Arran, you’ve found me, right? So we don’t have to do this whole dinner-and-date thing, you know? If there’s somewhere you’d rather be, someone you should be with instead—” She forced herself toward the door, reaching for the door handle.
    “Don’t you dare!” His voice was sharp, an edge drawing it in an upward arc. He stood, frozen, his knee half bent as if he intended to spring in her direction but was afraid she’d vanish. The vehemence of his words told her volumes about his feelings. He wanted her—no, needed her—to stay.
    She dropped her hand to her side. “Arran, what do you want from me? Why try to find me after all these years?”
    He took a step back, shook his arm, releasing tension. “I was going to wait and tell you later, somewhere with candles and…” He trailed off at a knock on the door.
    “Mr. Lake, your limo’s here.”
    “Thanks, pal.” Arran cleared his throat and studied her.
    “Mr. Lake. That sounds so formal,” she said, repressing a nervous urge to giggle.
    He shrugged. “Mostly, when someone says it, I look around for