Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brothers Trilogy 2)

“You paid for it?” She pulled her hand out from under his.

“Yes … Kind of. Earl and I did a trade, or we will in a couple of weeks. He extended me some credit until I can pay him.”

Holly stood up so fast her chair hit the wall behind her.

“I drive around in a car that your weed is going to pay for?”

“Quiet down, or Diamond will call Knox. I’ll have to fork over even more weed to keep out of jail. Hell, I’ve been spending enough. I’m going to have to grow extra crops this year, and I hate growing those fuckers under lights. They don’t taste the same.”

She stared at him speechlessly then gave him a dirty look before pulling her chair back to her desk and sitting down.

“Greer, go home. Now.”

He frowned at her prissy attitude. Why the fuck was she upset now?

“I need to get home, anyway. So, do you like the flowers? Are you still mad about yesterday?”

Her sigh sent the expensive flowers swaying.

“Why did you act like that with Caleb?”

He thought about making up an excuse then decided to tell the truth. “I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”

“Why do you care how Caleb looks at me?”

“He reminded me of the catfish I’ve been trying to catch for two summers.”

“You’re comparing Caleb to a catfish?”

“Yeah, it’s the only way I can explain it. Catfish are slippery sons of bitches.”

Her gaze became speculative. “He gave me that impression, too. Thanks for the flowers and for fixing my car.”

Greer smiled, relieved she accepted his apology. “You’re welcome. Tell Diamond I’m sorry.”

“I will.”

He left before he did something else that would piss her off.

Whistling, he walked down the steps and retraced his steps to where he had left his truck and saw the ticket under his window wiper.

The fine had been scribbled out and the extortionate fee had been written carefully in the bottom corner by hand.

Lifting his head from the ticket, he saw Knox standing in front of the diner with a coffee cup in his hand.

“Damn, I’m not going to have enough to buy a pack of gum by the time everyone takes their cut,” he muttered, getting into his truck.

He was tempted to flick Knox off, but the fuckwad would probably write him another ticket. He tapped his fingers on his steering wheel. It was when he saw Knox raise his coffee to his lips that an idea occurred to him.

He knew exactly how to solve his financial problem, and hopefully catch the woman he wanted to marry.

15

Sharpshooter: Thanks for your idea. It worked.

Kentuckygirl: Glad to help.

Sharpshooter: What’s your favorite flower?

Kentuckygirl: Daisies. They’re cheap and you can grow them in your backyard.

Sharpshooter: Do you have a backyard?

Kentuckygirl: Yes.

Sharpshooter: How big is it?

Kentuckygirl: I don’t know. Medium-sized, I guess. Why?

Sharpshooter: So I know how many daisies to plant there.

Kentuckygirl: You never stop, do you?

Sharpshooter: Nope. You won’t even tell me how big your backyard is. You don’t tell me anything about yourself.

Kentuckygirl: Ask me one thing about myself, other than my name and what I look like.

Sharpshooter: How do you feel about me?

Kentuckygirl: It doesn’t matter how I feel about you.

Sharpshooter: It matters to me. You said I could ask anything.

Kentuckygirl: I didn’t think you would ask that.

Kentuckygirl: I love you. Is that what you wanted to hear?

Sharpshooter: Yes. I love you, Kentuckygirl.

Kentuckygirl: It doesn’t change anything. I’m still not ready to meet you.

Sharpshooter: It changes everything.

Holly stared down at her computer, feeling sick at the admission she had just made. She should have just signed off and disappeared into the abyss of the Internet, which she had told herself she would do ever since she had started talking to Greer.

Closing her laptop, she went to the kitchen to do the dishes she had left to do after Dustin and Logan had left. She hadn’t wanted to waste a minute of their time together, knowing the dishes would give her something to do later.

Hearing the doorbell, she dried her hands on the dishtowel before going to the front door. It was dark outside, so she looked through the peephole to see who it was then opened the door when she recognized the eye staring back at her.

“Are you trying to creep me out?”

“How did you recognize my eye?”

Holly moved to the side to let Greer come in. “You’re the only one who has shifty eyes.” Holly used humor to sidetrack him. She would recognize that particular shade of grey from ten feet, much less staring right back at her.

“I have shifty eyes?”

“Must be an occupational hazard.” Holly raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain why he was here so late.

“I thought Dustin and Logan were still here.”

“They just left.”

“We must have passed each other in the dark.”

“Guess so.” She waited, expecting him to leave.