5. Avery
Chapter five
Avery
My eyes snap open before my alarm even has the chance to buzz.
I lie in bed for a second, a wide smile spreading across my face.
My lips still feel a little tingly, a lingering phantom sensation from that desperate make out session in the supply room yesterday.
Gideon might look like a stoic, immovable mountain of a man, but the way he manhandles me tells a completely different story.
He’s all fire and intense possession beneath that quiet exterior. It’s hot.
Sunlight cuts through the thin curtains of my bedroom, painting long, golden streaks of light across the hardwood floor.
I throw off the sheets and hop out of bed.
The floorboards are cool under my bare feet as I walk out into the small kitchen.
Kennedy is already awake, slumped over the kitchen table with a giant mug of black coffee in his hands.
His dark hair is a messy nest, and he looks like he hasn’t fully registered that he is alive yet.
“Morning, sunshine,” I say cheerfully, dodging past him to stick a coffee pod into the Keurig.
“Do not use that word,” Kennedy groans. “It’s too early for all your sunshine, Avery. And why the fuck are you glowing? It’s disgusting.”
“I’m just excited for work,” I say with a laugh, reaching for the sugar and cream. I wonder if there’s honey in the cabinets? I make a mental note to ask Gideon which honey he recommends for coffee.
“Right. Work,” Kennedy scoffs, taking a slow sip of his coffee.
“Does this excitement have anything to do with the fact that the local, gorgeous bee farmer practically mauled you against the fabric shelves yesterday? Because Ezra called Olly, and Olly called me. The whole town knows you two nearly fuc—”
“Kennedy!” I shout. Just then Kai, my new roommate, walks into the kitchen looking just as adorably rumpled as my best friend. Apparently, he isn’t a morning person either.
“Don’t mind me,” Kai says with a small smirk. “Carry on. I’d love to hear the rest of this story.”
My face immediately heats up, a bright flush spreading across my cheeks. “Ezra called Olly?”
“Oh, honey, please. They are getting married in three months. They share everything,” Kennedy says, a small, teasing smirk finally breaking through his sleepy expression.
“Just promise me you won’t get so distracted by those massive biceps that you forget how to sew.
I need you to stay employed so we can take advantage of the fabulous discount Ezra offered you. ”
“I’m perfectly capable of multitasking,” I say, adding cream to my coffee. “I can appreciate a handsome man and design a fantabulous silk collection at the same time.”
An hour later, I’m pushing open the glass door of Beauty and the Boutique. The bell chimes. The boutique is quiet, the air conditioning providing a beautiful relief from the rising heat outside.
Ezra is standing at the large cutting table, a pair of heavy tailor’s shears in his hand.
He is wearing a perfectly tailored cream linen shirt, looking every bit the high-fashion icon.
He should be completely out of place in this small town, and yet, he brings life to everything around him.
He looks up as I walk in, his eyes taking in my bright yellow shirt and the bounce in my step.
“Good morning, Avery,” Ezra says. There’s an amused glint in his eyes.
“Morning, Ezra,” I reply, setting my bag down behind the counter.
“How’s rooming with Kai so far? I know it’s only temporary, but I really appreciate it.”
“Good! He cracks me up, and we totally get along. Apparently, I was already a fan of his social media. I had no idea it was the same guy I follow online. It’s too bad he doesn’t plan on staying in town.”
Ezra laughs to himself. “I’m pretty sure there’s a certain farmer that can change his mind.”
I grin, remembering that way Kai enthusiastically explained that I wasn’t the only one who met a “lumbersnack of a man” or had a one night stand the night of Pride. I get the feeling that Foggy Basin has its way of charming people into staying.
“What’s on the agenda for today? More fabric inventory? Or should we start drafting the patterns for the gown?”
Ezra places the shears down on the table with a soft clack. He rests his hands on his hips and looks at me thoughtfully.
“The gown can wait,” Ezra says. “We have a more pressing matter. As you know, the upcoming ‘Honey a few strands damp against his forehead.
Damn. Who needs a sexy little snack when Gideon is the whole damn meal?
I’m surprised he isn’t wearing his white beekeeping suit, but then again, it’s hot as hell, and he isn’t by the hives.
He stops dead in his tracks when he sees me. His dark eyes widen.
“Avery,” he rumbles, his deep voice carrying over the steady hum of the bees.
“Hi, Gid,” I say, putting my hands in my pockets. I give him my brightest, most playful smile. “Nice outfit. Do you always dress this scandalous for the bees?”
Gideon blinks, and right on cue, a dark blush starts at his collarbone and rushes up his neck, staining his tan skin a beautiful, deep red. He rubs the back of his neck with a thick hand, looking completely bashful.
“Uh it’s... it’s hot in the workshop,” he mutters, his dark eyes darting down to the ground before snapping back to my face. “The melting pots are running. What are you doing out here?”
“Official business,” I say, stepping closer to him. Damn, he’s so fucking sexy. “Ezra sent me. He says I need to inspect the production wax for the ‘Honey & Harvest’ line. He was very specific about it. Said I couldn’t leave until I checked out your process.”
I give him a slow wicked smile.
Gideon looks past me toward my truck, then back at me. An understanding look crosses his handsome face. He lets out a low, quiet huff that sounds almost like a laugh. “Ezra is a meddler.”