Page 8 of Peach Blossom Hollow

A few more volunteers came forward and Miranda sent a sign-up form around the room.

“I love kids,” Violet stated.

“Yeah, me too. They’re fun.”

“I want about a half dozen.”

Leo laughed. “For real?”

“In theory. But in terms of practicality, somewhere between one and three.”

“Those are good numbers. But my vote will always be for more than one.”

“Being an only sucks.”

Leo thought about what it would be like to be without his three siblings. He couldn’t imagine it.

“You can approach me at any time about the charity,” Miranda continued. “That includes family and friends, as we’re not exclusive to employees or players when it comes to spreading goodwill. In fact, we’re hosting a gala fundraiser on December 19th. And everyone is welcome.”

“That sounds fun,” Leo whispered so as not to interrupt. “You two going?”

They shrugged, but he could see how their eyes lit up at the idea of a black-tie event. They reminded him of his sister.

He sat back as Miranda finished her presentation. She seemed warm and friendly, not at all like the cool, collected executive he often saw on television.

“I thought she’d be scary,” he whispered to Violet as Miranda left the room.

“She seems nice.”

“I guess she can be herself on home turf, where nobody’s got her tied to an angry bronco.”

Violet shot him a puzzled look. Sitting this close to her, he noticed she had faint freckles across the bridge of her nose.

“On TV,” he explained, after clearing his throat. The press frequently had fun at Miranda’s expense. He wasn’t sure why, exactly—just was grateful he wasn’t her.

“I guess I’d better volunteer, too,” Daisy-Mae said, as the sign-up sheet got to their table.

“Why’s that?” Leo asked.

“We commute together.” She pointed to Violet, then scrawled her name on the page. Then she sighed and scratched it out. “Except I’m pretty sure I’m getting fired.”

“What? Why?” The panic in Violet’s voice had Leo leaning forward as well.

Her friend winced. “I kind of told off the PR team.”

Leo bit back a bark of laughter when heads turned to stare at him. “Nuvella?”

She nodded.

She probably had it coming.

A break was announced and Daisy-Mae grabbed her phone, muttering something about missed calls before she hurried from the room.

“She runs a bunch of businesses in Sweetheart Creek,” Violet explained.

“And the two of you commute? From way out there?” He’d heard the team captain, Maverick Blades, talking about the small town, and Leo had looked it up. Tiny and a bit more than an hour’s drive away. A commute like that could wear on a person, even just a few days a week.

“We wanted to have a little fun,” Violet said.

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