Page 10 of The Apple Tree

“You’re stealing my night out?” I stepped inside as he held open the door.

“Stealing? Of course not. I’ll pay you.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Is that it?” Adam asked, jogging down the stairs. “I put together your bedframe, and all your guns are locked in the safe.”

“Yup. That’s it. Thanks, buddy.”

“No problem. I’ll drive the truck back.” Adam glanced at his watch. “Grab the little man, and we can get pizza after you pick me up.”

“Sounds good. We’ll head that way,” Kyle said.

“It was nice meeting you, Eve.” Adam gave me a slight nod with a smile.

“You too.”

When the door shut behind him, Kyle pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “So six tomorrow night?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “My mom said I have to stop taking apples from the orchard now that you own it, but since I’ve lost all respect for you, I’m taking the best ones and leaving you with the wormholes.”

He narrowed his eyes briefly before the corner of his mouth curled into a tiny grin. “I feel like we’ve gotten off to a bad start.” He fiddled with his keys while giving me a slow once-over.

Was he checking me out?

No.

Maybe.

Gah!I hoped so.

I cleared my throat. “And who’s fault is that?”

Kyle shook his head. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“How?”

He smirked. “You’ll see. Josh? Let’s go, buddy. We have to pick Adam up.”

“See ya, I guess,” I mumbled, pushing open the screen door. When I gazed back, Kyle was looking at my ass or my legs. Maybe both.

When our eyes locked, he winked.

He. WINKED!

CHAPTER THREE

GEORGE MICHAEL, “FAITH”

Kyle

By the timewe picked up Adam from the U-Haul store and grabbed a pizza to take home, Josh was asleep.

Adam glanced in the back seat at my sleeping boy before breaching the subject that didn’t need to be discussed. “Eighteen-year-old girls look twenty-five these days,” he said.

I checked my review mirror to confirm that Josh hadn’t woken up. “I suppose,” I replied.

Through the corner of my eye, I caught Adam’s Cheshire cat grin.

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