The Boyfriend Contract
by Victoria James
Copyright © 2019 by Victoria James. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Chapter One
After six months of driving aimlessly across the country, Emily Birmingham had finally decided she was ready to claim her new life—in middle-of-nowhere Maple Hill. She’d written her three-point plan on the back of a Starbucks napkin at two o’clock this morning. She’d even signed it to make it like a binding contract:
1) Break addiction to Diet Coke and Cheetos
2) Turn crappy old house into fabulous country inn
3) Get a life and make real friends
She peered through her filthy windshield as she eased her foot off the gas and slowed her SUV, trying to find a coffee shop on Main Street. Panic filled her at the thought of there not even being one in a place this small. There had to be. Towns without coffee shops couldn’t exist. That would be impossible. Maybe.
Maple Hill was situated on the shores of Lake Erie and was where her father had grown up before he ditched it to start his hotel empire.
As soon as she’d pulled off the main highway and onto the quiet country roads, wide open land and fresh air had greeted her. Horses, cows, and farmland were the view now instead of skyscrapers and taillights. Driving through the winding, tree-lined streets of Maple Hill, she’d gathered that it was a picturesque little place. It was a far cry from the city she’d grown up in. But maybe this was good. Maybe this tiny rural town, hours from Toronto, was exactly what she needed.
Twenty-six was far too old to be taking six months off to “find herself.” She’d never had that need; she’d always known who she was…until her parents died and all her illusions about them and her role in their family business had been shattered.
First things first, she needed coffee, and lots of it. Relief flooded her as she spotted a sign—The Sleepless Goat Coffee House—and she pulled into one of the empty spots outside the storefront. She hadn’t passed a Starbucks in the last three hours; she was pretty sure withdrawal symptoms were imminent. She absently dropped her keys into her purse—or what she’d thought was her purse, but the sound of crumpling plastic forced her to check. Emily groaned as she spotted her keys in the middle of her almost empty bag of Cheetos. She tugged them out of the bag, the orange crumbs hopelessly sprinkled across her hand and keys in a way that seemed to highlight the current state of her life.
Empty Diet Coke bottles and bags of Cheetos spilled out the door, onto the road, and she cringed, hoping no one was witnessing this. Not the way to make new, lifelong friends. She quickly scrambled out of her SUV to round up the garbage as it blew around in the wind. Her legs protested any kind of movement after being stuck in her SUV for the night. She dumped her pile of garbage into a nearby trash bin.
Squinting against the sun, she made her way onto the sidewalk of what seemed like a very charming Main Street. There was no parking meter in sight, which she took as a sign this was the right town for her—she was notorious for getting parking tickets. She threw her purse over her shoulder and headed toward the coffee shop, brushing errant crumbs from her shirt as she walked.
An A-frame chalkboard sign on the sidewalk promised all-natural pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin scones, and she picked up her pace. Pumpkin spice was exactly what she needed. It was another message—she was in the right town. She loved the fall and everything that went with it. Her Diet Coke and Cheetos addiction would be so easy to kick if she had access to pumpkin spice.
The red-brick building had large windows with black awnings, and the massive front doors had glass panes with “The Sleepless Goat” stenciled on them in blocky, old-school, gold-foil lettering. Reaching for one of the oversize tarnished brass door handles, she paused as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass. Who the heck was she? Her hair looked as though she’d been finger-combing for the past week—which she had, but still. There was not a hint of makeup or any kind of grooming skill. She didn’t even dare glance down at the rest of her because she already knew her T-shirt was rumpled, her jeans were stained orange from Cheetos dust, and her bare toes in flip-flops weren’t showing off a cute pedicure. Hopefully seven a.m. was too early for anyone else to be here.
She pulled open the heavy door, and the aroma, and the sound of coffee being ground, and the vibe of the place made it seem a refuge. The black-and-white hexagon-tiled floor spread across the space, and dark, weathered counters housed a variety of silver stands with glass dome covers. Vintage schoolhouse pendant lamps hung in a neat row and cast a warm glow over the freshly baked goods. Small, round, marble-topped bistro tables filled the shop, and a few people were seated at the tables by the floor-to-ceiling front windows. She avoided eye contact with anyone and tried surreptitiously smoothing her rat’s-nest hairstyle as she walked forward to place an order.
A young woman, maybe around her age, was behind the counter, laughing with a man in front of it who had his back to the door. Judging by the way they were leaning toward each other and their easy smiles, it was clear they knew each other well. Or maybe that’s just how people in small towns were. His face was turned away from Emily, and neither of them had noticed she was even there. The woman was very pretty. Her dark brown hair was up in a messy topknot that actually looked like she hadn’t spent loads of time perfecting it like the carefully arranged topknots she was used to seeing at Starbucks in Toronto. An oversize apron with the Sleepless Goat logo—showcasing a wide-eyed goat jumping over a cloud—enveloped her small form.
It was all really cute—except for the fact that no one had noticed Emily and she was dying for a coffee. She checked her watch, worried that she was running late for her appointment with the contractor. Of course, there was no one asking if they could get a drink started for her while she waited. She shifted from one foot to the other and cleared her throat, hoping that would move things along.
The man in front of her turned around, and she really wished she’d never walked into this place looking like she lived out of her SUV. He was a man who made her wish she was still the polished—if tightly wound—former version of herself. He was a man who made her regret not combing her hair prior to being seen in public.
He was tall, definitely. But he was much more than that. He could have been the cover model for some kind of country-boy magazine. Something filled with ads for sports and power tools. His T-shirt highlighted large, broad shoulders and hugged impressive biceps, hanging loosely over his flat stomach. His jeans were well-worn, the legs slightly bunched up where they met the tops of his work boots. He definitely wasn’t the kind of man she was used to. He stirred something deep inside her, awoke something she’d never experienced. He had strong, lean features, and stubble—again, not the carefully groomed stubble she’d see on men in the city, picking up their soy lattes between the gym and the office. His blue eyes were vibrant, and he watched her curiously…the sort of look one might give a friendly alien, should the alien walk into a coffee shop.
“Good morning! I’m so sorry, I hope you weren’t waiting long!” the woman behind the counter said in a bubbly voice, and Emily read the name tag pinned to her apron. Callie.
Emily swept a clump of hair away from the side of her face in a pathetic, futile attempt to resemble a somewhat put-together person. She forced herself to smile back at the chipper woman. “Hi, no, not at all.” She approached the counter. The man moved to the side, and she swallowed hard as their eyes met. He gave her a slight nod with, perhaps, a slightly amused twitch of his lips. And he didn’t leave; he just stood there with his coffee.
“Great,” Callie said, oblivious to their exchange. “What can I get you?”
“Um, do you sell anything by the gallon here?”
Callie laughed. “Rough morning?”
Rough life was more like it. She nodded and scanned the blackboard menus lining the back wall. So many temptations to choose from. “Oh, I’ll try your pumpkin spice latte with a double shot of espresso.”
“Good choice,” Callie said. “My brother over here refuses to try one, but they’re one of our bestsellers. Clearly he has terrible taste.”
Emily glanced at the silent man, but he was just leaning against the counter, looking unenthused by life in general and like he was used to his sister’s commentary. “Well, it sounds delicious,” she said.
“Can I get you anything to go with that?”
She focused her attention on the mouth-watering display and the little folded cards with neatly printed labels in front of each stand. The maple-glazed pumpkin scones were calling her name this morning. They would any morning. A wave of self-consciousness engulfed her as she spotted her reflection again, this time in one of the mirrored trays. Oh no. She became hyperaware of what she was wearing, her disheveled appearance, and her desire to order scones in front of one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen. She thought of the other men in her life and the brother she’d grown up with, the one who didn’t stand across from his sister with ease like the man at the counter. His sister actually seemed happy and comfortable around him.
Heat infused her face, but she had to do this. She opened her mouth to order half a dozen scones—some for now and some for later—when an old memory, an old voice, hijacked her own. You’re so ugly. You’re so fat. Look at your ugly fat face. Men don’t like women who shove food down their throat.
She frowned as the wave of childhood and adolescent memories flowed through her; she hated that they still came up without warning and could still make her pause. Or maybe she was just vulnerable; maybe it was that final betrayal from her family that allowed these insecurities to plague her.
Her gaze darted back and forth between the scones and Callie behind the counter, who stared at her expectantly. What was wrong with her? Just order the damn scones, Emily. She had always hidden when she’d eaten something sweet at home, because if she didn’t, she’d be ridiculed. Eating treats had always been something to be ashamed of.
Those days were over. She was a new woman—a successful woman who ate scones whenever she darn well pleased. Tilting her chin up, she made eye contact with Callie. “I’ll take half a dozen pumpkin scones.”
There. She’d said it. But the man didn’t smirk. He didn’t stare her up and down, judging whether or not she made a habit of eating six scones for breakfast and whether or not there was evidence of it on her hips. Callie plucked six scones out with tongs and placed them into a white box. “These are my favorite,” she said. “You’ve got great taste.” She rolled her eyes toward her brother. “Unlike some people.”
Emily smiled at her, her shoulders relaxing. She liked the woman. If she had female friends, she imagined they’d be like her. Callie seemed the type to hang out and drink wine and talk about real-life things: goals, problems, dreams. Maybe she could be friends with her.
Emily fished through her purse for some cash while Callie finished packing up her order.
“Coop, don’t you have to get to work or something?” Callie joked.
Emily glanced at him from the corner of her eye, pretending to be occupied with something inside her purse. “You know I’m here getting my coffee and going to work.” His voice was deep and rich, but it was the warmth in it directed toward his sister that made her heart squeeze.
“Right. Here you go,” his sister said, sliding him a fresh to-go cup of coffee. “See you at Mom and Dad’s later.”
He snapped the plastic lid down and then shot Callie a smile before heading out. He did have the manners to give Emily a brief nod before walking—striding—out of the coffee shop. Her heart rate returned to normal as the door shut behind him, and she made a mental note to start taking more care with her appearance when she went out in public. Clearly, there was a whole different breed of men out here in middle-of-nowhere Maple Hill, and so far they beat the ones from the city. Not that she was searching for a man or anything. All the men in her life had betrayed her. If she ever allowed another man to get close, she would make him sign a contract first.
“Okay, finally done. Sorry about the delay. Are you in a rush?” Callie asked.
Emily glanced at her watch. “I’m okay. I have a few minutes,” she said.
“Oh good. My brothers are always wasting my time. Always around to bother me,” Callie said with a laugh as she placed Emily’s latte beside the box of scones.
“You have more than one brother?” Emily asked, trying to make conversation.
She winced. “He’s one of three brothers, I’m afraid. They take turns coming in throughout the day for coffee.” Her eyes sparkled, and she appeared completely relaxed, like it didn’t actually bother her that her brothers came in to see her. In fact, her voice was laced with fondness as she spoke of them.
Emily smiled awkwardly and handed her the cash. “That sounds fun. Thanks. This looks great,” she said, picking up her items.
Callie returned the smile. “Anytime. Are you here to stay or just passing through?”
She took a deep breath. “I think I’m staying. Well, I mean, I know I’m staying. I just arrived today.” She wanted to tell her that she’d be back tomorrow, and she was looking forward to…she didn’t know what. She wasn’t a child anymore, and she couldn’t go around advertising that she needed new friends and a new life, and that Callie seemed to have it all together.
The bells on the door chimed, and a group of elderly ladies walked in, their chatter loud and boisterous.
“Well, welcome to Maple Hill,” Callie said, her eyes darting to the group of women barrelling toward her.
Emily nodded and smiled as she walked out. Main Street greeted her with a sense of longing that hit her in the chest. Making her way back to her car, she took in the quaintness that surrounded her. The old brick Victorian buildings had been beautifully maintained, the trim painted rich navy or creamy white on each of the shops. The lampposts were black iron, and beneath each was a pot of bright-orange mums. Shop owners were just starting to open their doors and put signs out on the sidewalk. She climbed into her SUV and took a sip of the best pumpkin spice latte she’d ever had. Not too sweet, not chemical-y, and very pumpkin-y.
She pressed the navigation button and pulled out onto Main Street, following directions to her new home. She sipped her coffee and tried to enjoy the easy drive out of town. The rundown house should be somewhat liveable because her father paid for a maintenance company to keep her grandmother’s place from falling into complete disrepair, but Emily’s expectations weren’t too high. No one had lived in the house for twenty years. Her parents had referred to it as “that ridiculous house in the country” that Nanna Julia refused to sell.
Emily had very little memory of her father’s mother.
From what she knew, her father and grandmother had argued and then severed their relationship. They’d visited the house one Christmas when she was small, and Emily could remember yelling and then the drive back to the city, during which her parents spoke in hushed, angry tones. She remembered the house had seemed like something straight out of Anne of Green Gables, and she’d been fascinated by how old it was.
Emily took the last turn onto Maple Lane; the tree-lined street was filled with old homes deeply inset and hidden behind massive trees. As she drove, the houses became farther and farther apart, until she slowed at the last house on the street. Her navigation aid stated she’d reached her destination, and she pulled into the driveway flanked by two brick posts with large round lights on top.
Her breath caught as she slowly entered the property. Her tires crunched over crushed gravel on the circular driveway. There was a faded yellow barn with a navy roof on the one side and an old red-brick house on the other. Woods framed the property, and weeds and shrubs obstructed her view of what she knew, thanks to Google Maps, was a river at the bottom of the steep hill.
She parked her SUV, leaving her empty coffee cup and scones, and slowly stepped outside. The smell of fresh air filled her body, and goose bumps pricked her skin as the cool morning breeze from the river floated over her. She took in the enormous porch with its large pillars and wood planks. The house was Gothic revival style, but she only knew that because of her research. She would have assumed the style was Victorian based on the ornate gingerbread trim and detailed porch.
As she stood in the middle of the driveway, that sense of belonging—or maybe of longing to belong—hit her, just as it had in town. She had never really felt as though she belonged anywhere before. At home, she’d never truly been herself. At her father’s company it was the same, though slightly better than home because she’d established herself as a respected leader.
But here, this, something about it felt so right. It was her. It spoke to her. This house, in its imperfection, spoke to her. It was real—all of its flaws were real and visible. She could make this into her own little empire. It would one day be a beautiful, five-star country inn. She slowly walked toward the barn, something she had never imagined owning, but completely suited the property.
Staring at the narrow river at the bottom of the grassy hill, she imagined skating on it in the winter. She could already imagine the marketing for the winter season—she could offer picnic baskets with slices of cranberry bread, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a charming red-and-green plaid blanket. She’d hang twinkling white lights in the trees. She could smell the fresh cedar boughs she’d hang on the porch. The brochures would create themselves out here. In the summer she would have hanging baskets of ferns on the porch. She could see flower baskets under the two barn windows, once the barn was restored and looked less like it might fall with one good gust of wind.
Did she want this place? Oh, yes. It was a ten-minute walk to town, yet because it was a three-acre property, it was as though she was way out in the country.
This one boutique country inn would lead to another, and then soon she’d have a dozen. Then she’d be on the cover of Toronto’s most prestigious business magazine…maybe featuring entrepreneurs under thirty. This time next year, her nightmare of a family would be a distant memory…
She needed to put her years of hard work on a family business behind her. She needed to stop replaying that last day when the company she had slaved over had been ripped from her hands and given to her undeserving brother. She needed to forget the humiliation of being told her inheritance would only come when she got married. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath…and then the sound of an approaching truck reminded her where she was.
The truck parked. It had a Merrick & Sons Construction decal on the side, and a thrill of excitement zinged through her as she waited to meet the people who were going to help her build a new life.
She shielded her eyes against the sun as the driver got out and circled around the truck. As he came into view, her stomach dropped, and she inhaled sharply. He was the one man she “knew” in this town. Coop.
