The Chocolate Garden (Dare River Book 2) Read Free

that she was starting her own business. A few of the people who’d loved her work had given her their business cards, making her toes dance inside her shoes.
    “Thank you, John Parker. That’s kind of you to say.”
    He shifted on his feet, drawing her attention to his muscular legs. She forced herself to look away.
    “I didn’t want to ask you before, what with the wedding and all, but now that it’s done, I was hoping you might be willing to look over my property and design something like you did here for me.”
    Her breath rushed out. Of all the people at the wedding, she wouldn’t have expected John Parker to be interested in flowers and gardens. “Are you serious?”
    “Of course I am. I like to be outside, and now that you’ve worked your magic on Rye’s place, my own has started to look pretty plain in comparison. It’d be nice to have something more interesting to look at.”
    She wondered if it was a ploy to spend more time with her, but she was so delighted, she didn’t care if he had ulterior motives. He was Rye’s friend, and while he watched her with an intensity that gave her goosebumps, he hadn’t made a move on her…nor would he any time soon. For which she was glad. Yes, she was glad. She’d just shed one man, and while she found John Parker devastatingly attractive, sweet, and compelling, she wasn’t anywhere near ready for another.
    This was her time to discover who she really wanted to be, and nothing was going to interfere with that.
    “Well, I am starting my own gardening business,” she confessed.
    “You are? Well, that’s wonderful. Do you have anyone else signed up?”
    “Ah, no. I mentioned my plans to a few of the guests, but I’m going to set things up more officially after the wedding.”
    Rye and Tory were leaving tomorrow for a short honeymoon in Memphis before starting his summer concert tour, which meant Tammy and the kids would be alone at the house for months. While she would miss her brother and sister-in-law like crazy, she was looking forward to having more time to devote to her business.
    “I’d love to have the first official spot on your calendar. I can bring by a check this week for whatever you consider a reasonable down payment.”
    “That would be…wonderful,” she said, trying to keep her cool as her heart did a twirl. Her second paying client, and this one wasn’t a relative.
    “Exchanging money is a form of a contract in my legal mind.”
    “We can work out the money once I give you an estimate.” The official nature of it made her want to take a deep breath and grin at the same time. “It’s a bit late in the season to be starting a project like this though,” she forced out.
    He waved a hand. “Don’t worry about that. I know it will work out just fine.”
    If they watered all of the plants and trees with clock-work precision, it should be okay, she decided. “Then consider yourself my first priority.”
    “Good. We can set a time for you to swing on by. Once we discuss your ideas, we’ll draw up the contract.”
    Now they were in more official territory. She and Daddy needed to get her incorporation papers finished pronto. “Perfect.”
    There. She sounded like a confident businesswoman. Of course, she’d need to create a pricing strategy, but she’d read books about that as well. She had never handled her own money, and she’d put off learning about finances, afraid she might not be up to the task. Mama had never encouraged her and her sister to excel at math when they were in school, saying ladies didn’t need to worry their little heads about such things.
    A couple careened a bit too close to them then, and he drew her back to prevent a collision.
    Oh, how his hands felt on her skin. So shocking and forbidden and delicious.
    “I know you probably have plenty of help from your daddy, but if you need any business or legal advice in passing, just ask me.”
    “That’s brilliant of you,” she said, happy for all the help she