Page 3 of Pearl

“So, how are you settling into Saddle?” I ask, as casually as I can muster.

“I’ve always loved it here. I come from a small town myself in Idaho. Something Phoebe has probably told you.” She has. “When she suggested I take over the Peters’ farm, I jumped at the chance. I prefer bein’ on the farm to bein’ out on an oil rig. It’s peaceful here. I prefer land to sea.”

“A man of many talents,” I blurt before I can stop myself. Why does everything I say sound like a pickup line? It’s not. I haven’t been on the dating scene since Mahini’s father and I broke up. He lives between here and Blackstone. We get along; we just were always better off as friends. He’s very much still a part of Mahini’s life. He has her every second weekend because of his job, and we make it work.

“I wouldn’t say that.” He gives me a cheeky wink, and I have no fucking clue how I’m going to be able to look my best friend in the eye again when I’ve got the hots for her dad.

CHAPTER 2

DECKER

Well, well. Phoebe never mentioned her best friend was a knockout. Tan skin, brown eyes, mahogany hair, and a pretty smile. With skin you can actually see because it’s not caked with makeup. Not that I’m into younger women—women the same age as my own fucking daughter—and now I’m scrambling to remember how old Pearl is. I know they’re not exactly the same age, but that doesn’t make it okay. Phoebe had Kayla when she was barely nineteen, so from what I remember, there’s about five years between them.

Still, she’s young enough to be my daughter, so I need to get my head out of the gutter.

Heading toward her truck, to get the dirty softball kits, was the gentlemanly thing to do. I’m not a complete neanderthal.

Pearl makes small talk—weirdly, I don’t find it annoying, or awkward, like I usually do with other people—and I’ve somehow committed to heading to Saddle Hop during the week to try her famous pancakes. Fuck me.

She unlocks her truck and the trunk lifts. I take over, hauling one big-ass bag out after another. “You’d think there’d be enough jerseys in there for a month,” Pearl muses. “Not a week.”

I chuckle. “Kayla is always talking about your girl—Mahini, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. They’re as thick as thieves, those two. Kayla is a sweetheart.”

I swing both bags over my shoulders, and Pearl’s eyes drop to my chest. “She is. Mahini is a pretty name; I’ve never heard it before.”

“Oh, it’s Hawaiian.” She tucks her hair behind her ears. “My mom’s side of the family, and my ex’s. It means the moon, or light of the moon.”

“Do your parents live here?”

“Mom lives in Florida now, and my dad isn’t in the picture. He absconded years ago when he sold shares in a non-existent gold mine and was wanted by the cops.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen him a few times here and there, but he’s never acknowledged me. Mom moved on. She’s happy now. She deserves it after the shit he put her through. Are you sure I can’t help you with those?” She gestures to the bags of kids’ clothing.

“I’ve got it.” I head toward the house.

“I should be, uh, going—” she says at the same time as I holler, “Did you want to come in for a second? The girls won’t be long.”

“Oh,” she starts, chewing on her bottom lip.

Great. Why don’t you just scare the woman half to death?

I turn. “I promise I don’t bite.” Okay, that’s a little flirtatious. The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them. “What I meant was, I’m goin’ back to choppin’ wood, so I won’t be hoverin’ around, if you want to make yourself at home.”

She waves it off with a laugh. “Oh, no, that’s totally fine. I should be getting back. I have to lock up the café in half an hour.” I dump the bags in the doorway, and she points to them. “I should maybe put a load in before I go.”

“No need. I can work a washing machine.”

Her eyes lift and meet mine. She tucks her hair behind her ear again. I’m guessing that’s a nervous habit, but I don’t know what she’s got to be nervous about. Okay, I’m a stranger, obviously, but she can trust me. She might not know that right now, but it’s true all the same.

“Wow, they don’t make them like they used to.” She blinks, and my eyebrows pop at her words.

Are men around here really that fucking lazy?

I should go put a shirt on, but I wasn’t expecting company. I don’t usually wander around half naked, but I get hot and sweaty chopping wood.