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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

OLIVIA

Mmm. I snuggled into something warm. I sniffed. And it smelled so good. Like I was in a gorgeous forest, full of cedarwood. It reminded me of something. Was it one of my candles? No. Not a candle. Something else…

My eyes flashed open. Oh shit. The warm, nice-smelling thing I’d been snuggling into, that I had my arm flung around, was Roz. I froze for a moment before carefully removing my arm from her stomach and inching away from her. Thank god she was still asleep, dressed in the flannel shirt and pants she’d been wearing last night. My eyes lingered on her peaceful face, her blond hair flopped over her forehead. It felt so intimate, seeing her lying there, oblivious to my gaze. I dragged my eyes away.

What had happened last night? We’d been lying in the bed, watching Love to Hate You , and then… I must have fallen asleep. I winced. Hopefully I hadn’t snored loudly or gotten too handsy while I was dead to the world. Why on earth had I suggested going to her bedroom? It wasn’t until I was staring at her bed, my heart palpitating, that I realized what a terrible idea it was. Why did I keep putting myself in these situations?

I rolled silently to the side of the bed and grabbed my phone from the nightstand—7 a.m. I slipped off the bed and tiptoed to the window. Below, Thelma and Louise munched on grass in their field. Nearby, Ronnie was feeding the chickens. In the distance, a pick-up truck drove toward the fir trees. Only a few fluffy white clouds dotted the bright-blue sky. I liked my cozy apartment above Sapphire Blooms, but its view over Main Street had nothing on this.

A rustling behind me caught my attention. Roz was pushing herself into a seated position. My heart skipped two full beats. Her blond hair was mussed, her eyes bleary, but she still looked good. Too good.

“Sorry,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. “You dozed off and I was going to sleep in the guest room, but I must have fallen asleep too.”

“I should be the one apologizing for passing out on your bed,” I replied. “Well, I’d better get going.” I started toward the door.

“Unless you have to rush off, you’re welcome to stay for coffee and breakfast,” Roz said, then cleared her throat. “I don’t want you driving home on an uncaffeinated empty stomach.”

I stopped. Coffee would be nice. But I could do with getting some distance from Roz after our unplanned sleepover. My head began throbbing. Perhaps some caffeine would help. I’d have a quick coffee and a bite to eat and then make my escape.

“That sounds amazing, thank you. I might just freshen up in the bathroom if that’s okay.”

“I’ll grab you a towel.” Roz opened her wardrobe and peered in. “Unfortunately, I think most of my clothes will be too big for you, but you’re welcome to borrow a shirt if you’d like.” She pulled out a blue flannel shirt I’d selected last week.

I looked down at my red sweater and sniffed. A distinct scent of garlic and pizza clung to it. “That would be great, thanks.”

I’d only intended to splash water over my face, but after being provided with a thick, soft towel and a fresh shirt, the shower beckoned.

Once I smelled less like a walking vampire repellent, the scent of coffee drew me down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Roz stood over the stovetop, prodding something in a frying pan with a spatula.

She turned and grinned. My heart did that beat-skipping thing again.

“Does scrambled eggs with bacon, avocado and toast sound okay? I’ve also got granola, cereal, jam or peanut butter, if you’d prefer. Or last night’s pizza.” She winked at me. “Oh, and here’s your coffee.” She handed me a mug, her fingers brushing against mine.

I shivered. “Thank you.” With my hands wrapped around the warm ceramic, I took a sip, the strong latte sliding down my throat. “This is just what I needed. And eggs and bacon sounds incredible.” When was the last time someone cooked me breakfast?

I leaned against the kitchen island, watching Roz. The sleeves of her flannel shirt were rolled up, and the muscles of her forearm flexed as she flipped the bacon. I licked my lips. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Nope, I’ve got it all under control.” Roz scooped up a large spoonful of scrambled eggs and placed them on a plate already waiting with toast and avocado. She added two pieces of streaky bacon and handed me the dish. “Here you are. I thought we could sit out on the back deck.”

Cool air hit us as Roz swung open the back door of the farmhouse. I took a seat on one of the wicker chairs overlooking the farm. Ronnie had disappeared and Thelma and Louise had drifted closer to the fence, perhaps to keep an eye on us. The soft cluck of chickens and the bleating of the baby goats provided a relaxing soundtrack to the morning.

I shoveled a forkful of creamy scrambled eggs into my mouth and groaned. Roz’s eyes jerked in my direction.

Heat flooded my cheeks. “Sorry. This is really delicious.” So much for a quick bite. I’d definitely be staying until I’d finished the entire plate of food. Between the coffee and the food, my headache was already subsiding.

Roz grinned. “The eggs were freshly laid—I ran out and got them while you were in the shower.”

“Thank you, chickens!” I yelled in the direction of the petting zoo.

A rooster crowed back.

Roz chuckled. “Typical man, taking all the credit.”

I snorted and pierced a strip of bacon with my fork. “So, what did you think of the movies last night?”

“Surprisingly enjoyable,” Roz said, after she’d swallowed her bite of toast.

“Oh good! I found it very difficult to narrow it down to three, so if you want to watch any more, I’ve got plenty of suggestions.” My cheeks warmed for the second time in minutes. Had I just suggested another movie night? I didn’t want to make a thing of this, especially not movie nights in Roz’s bed. That felt… dangerous.

“That would be nice.” Roz shifted in her seat. Her shirt rose up, revealing a strip of smooth skin above her pants. I yanked my eyes up. Very dangerous.

“I could invite some of the others. And we could all hang out… as friends.” I cringed. It suddenly felt very important to clarify that. I took a bite of toasted sourdough, slathered with butter, and resisted the urge to moan again.

“I’d like that. To be friends.” Roz’s tone was stilted, but she looked genuine enough. “But I’ll need to replace the TV in the living room before I can host. I don’t think we could fit the whole trivia team in my bed—if that’s who you were thinking of inviting.”

I laughed. “Yes, it might be a little cozy. We don’t want any more falls.” I looked down at my plate and scooped up a chunk of avocado.

Roz placed her mug on the table. “You know I really related to Richard Gere in Pretty Woman .”

I looked up and snorted. “Why? Because you’re so rich and handsome?” My neck prickled. Handsome? Why the hell did I say that?

Roz’s lips twitched. “No. But thank you. Because he was a corporate player, focused on money and short-term gain, but then moved to a more rewarding, ethical business model.”

I tilted my head. “So, were you a ruthless corporate raider before you moved out here?”

“Not quite.” Roz stared out over the petting zoo. “But I helped my clients be ruthless corporate raiders. This farm feels like an opportunity to start things over and do things a bit differently.”

I nodded slowly. “That makes sense. It must feel pretty incredible, knowing that this farm is making invaluable memories for thousands of children. Oh, and did I ever mention that both Blake and Jenny and Hannah and George had big moments in their early relationships here?”

“No. But I’d believe it. ‘Red Tractor Farm, bringing queer women together since 1886.’” Roz quirked an eyebrow.

I laughed again. “Hang on a second. If you’re Richard Gere, does that make me Julia Roberts? If so, I’ll take it.” I tossed my hair behind my head.

Roz smiled, a warm, wide, breathtaking smile. Not the tight smile I’d captured in our selfie or the smirk I’d become so well accustomed to. My stomach fluttered. Friends like making friends laugh. Yes. But did they like it this much?

To distract myself from the fluttering, I jumped on the first conversation topic I thought of. “So, did you learn any fake-dating tips from our evening of research that you think we should implement?” I slammed my mouth shut. There was one, very obvious, answer—the one I’d thought of yesterday—that had featured in Love to Hate You . But surely Roz wouldn’t suggest that…

“You were right that the movies were generally a crash course in what not to do when fake dating. But one thing did stand out to me.” Roz’s gaze was fixed on me.

I swallowed. “Oh?” I shoveled a forkful of egg in my mouth, hoping it might squash the flutters that seemed to be increasing by the second.

“We haven’t really practiced being affectionate with one another. If we had some agreed moves that we’d practiced, it might help avoid a repeat of the fiasco at George’s. A bit like what I was suggesting yesterday.”

My breath caught. I’d clearly underestimated Roz’s dedication to saving the farm. But what types of moves was she proposing?

A slide deck of potential moves flashed through my mind. Roz pushing me up against the wall of a barn, her tongue exploring my mouth. Roz taking me bent over her study desk. Me straddling Roz in her bed.

Get a grip. She’s talking about moves we could do in front of Fred. Not moves for a lesbian porn movie.

I swallowed and a chunk of egg got stuck in my throat. I tried swallowing again, but it felt as though my throat had constricted. My chest squeezed, my eyes watering.

“Are you okay?” Roz asked.

I raised my hands to my throat, panic flooding my body. I can’t breathe.

“Shit!” Roz sprang up, lurching for me. “Are you choking? Try coughing.”

I couldn’t. Shit. Shit. Shit. This was how it was going to end: dying on a mouthful of farm-fresh eggs. I scrambled to my feet, dizziness washing over me.

Roz jumped behind me, her warm arms enveloping me. She thrusted into my upper abdomen with force.

Egg sprayed out of my mouth, covering the deck. I gasped for air.

Roz guided me back to the chair. She crouched down, studying my face. “Can you breathe okay now?”

I nodded, my cheeks burning. “Sorry. I think the egg just went down the wrong way.”

“Here, have some water.” Roz handed me my glass.

I gulped it down. “Thank you for that,” I said once my heart rate and breathing began to slow back to their normal rhythm. “For both the water and saving my life.”

“Anytime.” Roz’s lips quirked up. “That’s what friends do for each other.”

My shoulders relaxed as I took a sip of my coffee, watching a swallow swoop down onto the fence of Thelma and Louise’s paddock. It appeared my near-death experience had distracted Roz from her previous topic of conversation. Thank god.

“Now that you’re breathing again, I was saying that if you’re okay with it, I think we should practice a few moves we could do in front of Fred, just in case he appears again.”

Shit.

“M-moves?” I swallowed again, thankful I only had saliva and no egg to contend with. So exactly what are you proposing?” I tried to keep my voice casual.

Roz pushed her now-empty plate away. “Some moves we can do sitting or standing, depending on the circumstances.”

An image of me sitting on Roz’s face sprang into my mind. A jolt of heat rushed over my body. Not that kind of sitting. Good god.

“Okay. Like what?” I looked at Roz for guidance. I didn’t trust myself to suggest anything right now.

Roz’s brow furrowed. “If Fred came up while we were sitting somewhere—like right now, for example—perhaps I could rub your leg affectionately? That’s a thing people do, right?”

“I think so.” I gulped down another mouthful of coffee.

“Do you mind if we practice doing it now?” Roz asked, leaning forward.

“Yeah, sure.” Hands shaky, I placed the mug on the table. It’s just a friendly leg rub. For practice. For keeping up appearances.

Roz’s palm skimmed my thigh, soft at first, then firmer. I breathed out. That was nice. Warm and comforting. Why had I been so worried?

Roz tilted her head, as if she was trying to think of what else we could do.

An idea struck me. That seemed harmless enough. “Perhaps if you said something funny?—”

“If?” Roz interjected, an expression of fake hurt in her face. “Don’t you mean when?”

“Haha,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

Roz wagged her finger. “Definitely don’t roll your eyes at me. That doesn’t scream ‘I love my girlfriend.’”

“Well, I don’t know, some couples like teasing each other. Maybe that’s us.” I arched an eyebrow. “Anyway, what I was saying is that if you said something funny, I could put my hand on your shoulder, look adoringly at you and laugh, like this.”

I reached out and patted Roz’s shoulder, letting out a forced laugh. Roz grimaced.

“Sorry. That wasn’t great, was it?” I pressed my lips together.

Roz snorted. “It reminded me of my grandpa slapping me on the back when I was a kid.”

“Grandpa is definitely not what I was going for.” I brushed a piece of egg off my jeans.

“Okay, let’s try that again,” I said. “But it would help if you said something funny for real.”

“Hmmm, the stakes are high. You want me to say something a-moo-sing?” Roz said, her lips twitching.

“Oh my god,” I groaned. “As your friend, I need to tell you…. That was terrible.” I laughed again, and this time I rubbed my hand more gently on Roz’s back. It felt warm and strong and suddenly, I had the urge to run my hand lower, to wrap my arm around her waist.

Roz held my gaze. “That’s good, except for the fake laugh. But I’m sure whatever I say will be so hilarious you won’t need to fake it.”

I laughed for real this time.

“There you go.” Roz leaned back, arms folded in triumph.

The space around me grew cold. “What else?”

She bit her lip, eyes skating over me. “Sometimes your hair sort of falls down beside your face. Would it be too much if I leaned over and tucked it behind your ear?”

A warm glow lit in my belly. “That would be sweet.”

She leaned over and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. It was such a small gesture, but her fingers skimmed my cheek and then my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. Our eyes locked. Shit . What would it feel like if she bit down on my lobe? Olivia, get a hold of yourself . Friends didn’t have these thoughts. It had only been fifteen minutes since we’d agreed to be friends, and I was already failing miserably at it.

Roz pulled back as if I’d given her an electric shock. “Of course, given the circumstances, with Fred being a potential business partner, he wouldn’t expect us to be all over each other in front of him.”

“That’s true.” I couldn’t blink, my eyes still locked on hers.

“If we were standing…” Roz continued, rising to her feet.

My breath hitched. Standing like we had against the restroom wall at Pryde, her body pressing against mine . My eyes flickered to her lips. Stop it, Olivia. Don’t look there. But…

Roz held a hand out to me. “Would you be okay with a kiss on the cheek or if I wrapped my arm around you?”

“Yes.” My throat thickened as she pulled me to my feet, my legs wobbly. “Do you… Do you want to practice that?”

“It’s probably a good idea.” Roz’s blue eyes shone, her breath quickening.

My pulse raced as we each took a step forward, drawing close. It’s all the caffeine I just swallowed.

A cough pierced the silence. “Good morning.”

Roz and I jerked apart.

Dana stood at the bottom of the deck, eyeing my red flannel shirt with one eyebrow arched. God, could we look any more like a stereotypical lesbian couple, standing here in matching flannel shirts? If she didn’t think we were dating before, she would now.

“Sorry to interrupt. Roz, I just want to check if I can order a new fork for the forklift? It would be great to have it to help with moving the fence posts to fix the fence in the apple orchard.”

Roz hesitated, just enough for me to notice. “Yes, that’s fine, Dana. Go ahead.”

“Great, thanks. Enjoy your breakfast, ladies.” Dana’s lips curved up into a knowing smile as she twisted around and strode away.

Once she was out of earshot, I turned to Roz. “By the way, did you tell her that we’re dating—or fake-dating?”

Roz grimaced, her gaze following Dana. “You know, I don’t think I did. Thank god it didn’t come up when Fred was at the farm. But I think she has her suspicions now.” Roz looked at me. “Where were we?”

“Um. We were going to practice wrapping your arm around me and a kiss… on the cheek.” I flushed.

Roz nodded. “That’s right. Stand over there.” She pointed at the railing. “Face out.”

Swallowing, I took the three steps over and rested my stomach against the top rail.

“I could wrap my hand around your waist, like this.” Roz’s arm encircled my waist.

I slipped my arms over hers, my throat dry. “Good. Much better than our attempt at Novel Gossip.” I exhaled and relaxed into the embrace.

She was so warm and smelled so damn good. When this was all over I’d definitely need to create a candle to capture her scent. It would sell like hotcakes. I tentatively leaned my head back against Roz’s shoulder. Unlike our bumbling efforts at Novel Gossip, this felt so natural. Like we were standing on the deck, as we did every morning after breakfast, admiring our gorgeous farm. We gazed over the fields, the corn maze, studded with tiny green seedlings, the dirt road and the petting zoo. A tractor putted in the distance. The fresh smell of grass wafted on the light breeze.

Roz moved, and suddenly soft lips were grazing my cheek. My eyes fluttered close. That was nice. Very nice.

Knock. Knock.

I flinched. Was that someone at Roz’s door? I pulled back and twisted my head to look at Roz.

“Are you expecting visitors?” I asked.

Roz shook her head. “It’s probably my parents trying to offload the car on me again. Let’s just ignore them.”

“Hello?” a man’s voice called.

I stared at Roz, my eyes wide.

It was Fred.