Once Pecan a Time: A Man of the Month Club Novella by Ellen Brooks

Author:Ellen Brooks [Brooks, Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Phillip

I’m an asshole. One who definitely doesn’t have a single Prince Charming bone in my body. Here I was telling Gabby what a charmed fairy tale life she lives when in truth, she’s got her own demons. The thought takes up residence in the back of my mind, sinking in as if it isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

I shift into park, back at the manor after dropping Mia at school, and heave a sigh. Gabby’s motivation for this deal changes everything. And I can relate with her dad. Hell, I’d probably do the same thing if I was in his shoes.

But still, it’s absurd to consider any sort of…well, anything, with Gabby Leigh. Absolutely impossible thanks to the fact that she and I are opposites in almost every sense.

But her in those soft pajamas, without a touch of makeup and her hair wild around her shoulders, tucked against me, squeezing tight and fitting perfectly under my chin this morning? The memory does odd things to my chest.

Sure, she only threw her arms around me because of the coffee beans I picked up at Mug Life yesterday, and yeah, she’s the type to hug a stranger who so much as smiles at her, but something deep inside, a part of me that’s been lying dormant for years, craves the touch of a woman again. But not just any woman. This one.

Too bad, I can’t ignore the million and one reasons she’ll never be mine.

Gabby’s in the kitchen when I finally head inside. She’s dressed—thank God—even if the blouse and skirt are barely better than those pajamas. Is there nothing she can wear that doesn’t make me want to run my hands down her body?

“This coffee is delicious. And I see you grabbed some half and half, too. You’re very thoughtful.”

The pot is half empty, and an unfamiliar warmth seeps through my skin. When was the last time someone called me thoughtful? A long time, if ever.

“It was nothing.”

“Well, thank you anyway.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Do you have a minute?”

Her tone is achingly sweet and immediately puts me on high alert. We’re back to business. But, rather than dreading the conversation, I’m curious to see what she has to say now. To hear what this other way that threw her into a tizzy yesterday might be.

“Sure.”

“Great. Please, have a seat.”

I spin the kitchen chair across from her around and straddle it. She clears her throat and seems to weigh her words. “So I heard back from the attorneys at Leigh Properties.”

“And?”

She frowns but catches herself and squares her shoulders. “And it appears as if my idea would work based on the laws in both New York and South Carolina. Rather than purchasing the Magnolia Manor, I’d like to propose an owner/operator agreement.”

“A what?”

“You would retain ownership of the land and buildings, however Leigh Properties, a leader in the hospitality space with extensive expertise and qualified staff, would handle the day-to-day operations. Items you, yourself, admitted were beyond your scope of knowledge—and even interest—like reservations, marketing, public relations, and such.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.