Page 19 of Raised On It (Between the Pines #1)

Mason

D ear Journal,

Miles Montgomery has me hook, line, and sinker.

I’m done!

Waving the white flag.

I surrender.

No man has ever made such a sincere effort to get to know me.

To spend time with me.

To keep his promise and to make my day. Every. Single. Day.

Late last night, I got a text from him telling me not to plan any of my meals for today and that he hoped I didn’t mind an early morning breakfast.

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep at all. My mind was too preoccupied with what my day would consist of and who would be picking me up for a sunrise breakfast. He said not to worry about getting dressed, and that we wouldn’t be going anywhere.

I thought he must have been bringing coffee and donuts, which would have been fine by me, but of course, he surprised me yet again.

He arrived with Lou at his feet and a grocery bag under his arm.

When he read my shirt that said Just One More Chapter on it, he said he liked it, but my Romance Writers Do It Better was his favorite.

He loved that his comment made me roll my eyes because this means he had the effect he intended to, and the victory was all his.

Getting under my skin seems to be his thing.

Journal, the thing is, I like getting under his skin too. I love that he noticed my shirt. And I really love that he loves making me roll my eyes.

While I sat at the kitchen table, as instructed, he proceeded to make us pancakes. Amazing pancakes. Even Lou got one, hold the butter and syrup, of course.

After a quick thirty minutes, they were gone. Only the smell of pancakes and the burn of his kiss on my cheek left behind.

At noon, he was back, and this time we went to his parents’ house.

Yep, you read that right, Journal, his parents’ house.

Again.

His mom had lunch waiting for us, and we had a nice easygoing meal complete with her famous potato salad.

When we first walked in, I was anxious, wondering how exactly this was going to go, but it only took two minutes before I was relaxed and piling food on my plate. There were no funny looks from Mitch or Krista to make me feel like I was the new woman in their son’s life.

They talked to me as though they had known me for years, asking me to grab the iced tea out of the fridge and bring it to the table. They were warm and friendly and, just like my pancakes from this morning, amazing.

They talked about how harvest was going, Ken’s brand new baby boy, and argued over why Krista couldn’t give Lou his own sandwich.

On the way home when I told him how sweet I thought it was that he was making Ken take time off to be with his family, he said he didn’t mind covering for him at all but that he hated that it meant he got less time to take me on my tour.

I told him that was sweet too, but I did understand, and I didn’t need him to show me around every day if he didn’t have time.

I swear if we had been acting out a scene in a film, the music would have soared and the heroine would have touched her hand to her heart going all gaga because his reply was epic.

“You may not need to see me every day, but I sure as hell need to see you every day. Time with you has become a necessity.”

He needed to see me every day.

Being with me was a necessity.

For real.

That is what he said.

I keep wondering if I am having delusions of grandeur or if I’m actually just having the longest, best dream ever?

But when his lips linger on my cheek a little longer than usual when he says goodbye and the feel of his hand on the small of my back gently pushes our bodies against each other, he all but confirms I’m not out of mind just yet.

I am awake and not living in a perpetual dream state.

Only this feels better than a dream ever could.

For the rest of the afternoon, I was useless. I didn’t get anything done, knowing I was going to see him six hours later.

I tried, I really did.

I went for a walk, then tried to write but ended up doing some online shopping instead.

Every outfit I brought with me to Oregon had been tried on while I prepared to see him for dinner.

In the end, I went with a pale pink floral maxi dress.

I felt good in it, and it’s important I feel good in my own skin around him because one thing I know for certain is that my insides will be off-kilter all night.

After putzing around Katie’s place for what feels like days, my nerves that were balancing on the edge of combustion all day have me jumping out of my skin when the roar of his diesel engine shakes the house.

The knowledge of his arrival caused my already overexcited heart to do a flip in anticipation.

Journal, you know I wanted to run to the door and tear it open, but I waited for him to knock.

I didn’t even let myself look out the window to take a peek, but I sure wish I had because I would have had a second or two to prepare myself.

If I had, I wouldn’t have audibly gasped when I pulled the door open.

The embarrassment of my gasp was well worth it when he gifted me with one of his smiles that said he knew I liked what I saw, and knowing this seemed to make him feel as good as I did.

It was only the second time I had seen him without a hat, and it was like looking at a different person.

Just as devastatingly handsome but a more sophisticated version with a short hairstyle that appeared to have just enough product in it to give it a little lift and style.

A short-sleeved black button-down was tucked into tight dark jeans, and Miles being Miles, he still had on his work boots.

And to top it off, from behind his back came a small bunch of wildflowers.

All it took was a couple minor changes to his wardrobe, and he went from hot farm boy to…well, to sexy farm boy.

He told me I looked beautiful, and when I asked where we were going, he said my real date was waiting for him at his place. I had no idea what in the world he was talking about, but it turns out, we were both dressed up to have dinner at his house.

Before I was even out of the car, Lou was next to my door, waiting to greet me, and it was then I realized this was the date Miles was referring to.

Lou had on the cutest little plaid bow tie, and I was proud to call him my date for the evening.

Miles and Lou are two of the sweetest boys I’ve ever met.

His house was newer, on a beautiful piece of land with the nearest neighbors out of shouting distance. It wasn’t too big, but it was designed to perfection from the landscaping out front to the gray paint color and white shiplap on the walls.

The dining room looked like it had never been used, but this evening, it was adorned with a larger bouquet of the same flowers he gave me when he picked me up, as well as a meal that had to have taken all day to prepare.

When I questioned him about how he possibly had time to do all of this, he admitted Amelia had been his accomplice, and that she left right before we got there.

Dinner was great, and as always, he was a complete gentleman, but it was clear he was exhausted. When he asked if I wanted a second glass of wine, I told him what a great time I had, but that I thought he should take me home so he could get some rest.

I don’t think an early evening was in his plans, but he didn’t fight my suggestion. He’s clearly been burning the candle at both ends.

Tonight when he dropped me off, he gave me his usual peck on the cheek I’ve come to expect, and then he asked me if he could have me all day Saturday. He’s taking the weekend off, and he’d like to spend it with me.

There isn’t anything else I can think of that would make me happier was my reply. His tired eyes lit up, and he told me to dress casually and hoped I had sweet dreams.

Not sure how my dreams could be any sweeter than my real life unless they included Miles with his clothes off.

Now, that would be some sweet, sweet dreaming.