Prologue
Three months ago . . .
“But we’re meant to be together.”
Stella knew this was going to be hard, but it had to be done. She’d wasted seven months on Rick Hudson and that was six months and three weeks too long.
“I’m sorry, but I have to focus on expanding my business. I can’t devote the time or attention our relationship needs. It’s not fair to you so we just have to step back. Permanently.”
Stella had met Rick at a Lexington bar on a night out with her friends. She’d been swept up in his sexy charm and suavely complimentary nature. He wasn’t the type of guy Stella usually found attractive and that had appealed to her. He wasn’t into the outdoors like she was. Instead, he much preferred weightlifting in a gym. His hands were dirt free while hers was always covered in it. He was all about climbing the corporate ladder while she ran her own small business.
While the differences between them seemed like novel perks at first, they soon became the reason their relationship was doomed to fail. First, Stella owned her own business, consisting of a floral shop and a recently purchased farm so she could open her own nursery and garden center. Dirty hands, muddy boots, and the love of the outdoors was her way of life. For her to have to beg to go on a hike or suffer through yet another “date night” at the gym was simply not her thing.
Further, while it had been endearing at first, the compliments Rick always gave her began to feel like a sales job. Then Stella began to notice he couldn’t stand not being the center of attention. Yes, he drove a fancy car. Yes, he had a solid income. Yes, he knew everyone in Lexington with a big name, especially those in the sports world. No, she did not want to hear about it every hour of every day.
“But you were to be my date to the Lexington Baller Charity Event tomorrow. I even picked out your dress and it complements my tux perfectly. How is it going to look for me to show up alone?”
Stella took a calming breath. He just didn’t see what he did all the time: turn everything into a “how will this help me” situation. He wasn’t upset they were breaking up. He was upset because he wouldn’t have a matching date on his arm tomorrow.
“What about that pretty brunette from the gym? The dress would fit her.”
“Which one? There’s the one who always wears her hair in a ponytail, the one who has those really expensive tennis shoes, or the one who wears that sports bra. You know the one.”
Stella had been sarcastic, but the way Rick’s brown eyes lit up, she was pretty sure the society rag’s pictures would have Rick and Brunette Number 3 featured in them.
“I think they’re all beautiful and any one of them would look great in the dress. Best of luck to you, Rick.” Stella held out the box of things he’d left at her place and shoved it forward so he’d have to take them.
“You’ll live to regret this, Stella Winters. Women like you end up with filthy farmers who only scrape by with a small living. You could have had all of this.” Rick waved behind him to the obnoxiously largest house in their subdivision.
That was another reason Stella’s creep-radar had gone off. Rick had bought the most ostentatious house in the whole development, right down the street from her, after one month of dating so they could “be closer and spend more time together.” It had seemed sweet at the time, but now it just gave her the shivers—the way he pointed out that he owned the largest house around . . . to everyone, the way he refused to park his hundred thousand dollar sports car in the garage because he wanted to show it off. And now she was stuck just down the street from him.
That settled it. She needed to move.
A minivan pulled up to the curb and Stella let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her brother and niece arriving. Rick groaned when he saw them because her brother, Karl, didn’t swallow the BS Rick tried to feed him. Neither did April, who was very perceptive for a three year old.
“We’re not done talking about this,” Rick rushed to say before he spun around and stormed off.
“Are you leaving, Mr. Wick?” April asked in her sweet three year old’s voice. It was clear that Karl’s wife, Eden, was away this week by the very lopsided pigtails her niece was sporting.
“For now.” Rick tried not to sneer but he couldn’t hide the fact he thought children were beneath him.
April’s bright blue eyes went big and her sunny yellow blonde hair bounced as she cocked her head to the side and looked up at him. “Forever is good.”
Stella bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling while Karl cleared his throat and nudged April into the house. Stella didn’t wait for Rick to think of a snappy comeback for a three year old. She just shut the door and locked it.
“What was that all about?” Karl asked as April skipped down the small hallway leading into the open kitchen and living room.
“I just broke up with Rick.”
“Thank goodness. I couldn’t stand him.”
Stella smacked her brother’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me that sooner? It could have saved me a lot of time.”
“He bought that gaudy, overpriced house down the road from you. It should have been obvious then that his cornbread wasn’t cooked in the middle.”
Stella wanted to roll her eyes at him, but she was beginning to realize how stupid women could be when a man with a pretty face paid them a lot of attention. She vowed right then and there not to fall for another pretty face without fully cooked cornbread behind it.
“Aunt Stell and Wick are over,” April sang as she skipped around some more.
“You never did like him, did you?” Stella asked her niece.
“No. He’s mean. Can I go play with Jimmy?” April asked.
“Sure. Jimmy is out back.”
Karl shook his head as his daughter flung open the back door and yelled, “Jimmy!”
The black and white mixed-breed dog raced from where he had been chasing a squirrel. Jimmy was a big dog, but a lean one. He weighed seventy pounds and was the height of a German Shepherd. He had the coloring and speed of a border collie and the short coat of a Labrador retriever. His body was black, but the bottom parts of his legs and the tip of his tail were white and he sported a white shirtfront in a tuxedo chest. His head was also black except for the lightning bolt of white down his forehead. Stella had stopped traffic during rush hour on the busy Harrodsburg Road in Lexington to rescue the dog four years ago.
Now he and April were inseparable. Jimmy slid to a stop and sat in front of April, who immediately flung her little arms around his neck. “Come on, Jimmy. I want to play dress up.”
Jimmy dutifully followed after as April ran down the hallway toward the guest room that also served as April’s room. Once a week, April stayed with Stella so Karl and Eden could have a date night.
When April and Jimmy were off getting dressed up, Stella grabbed a beer for her brother and one for herself. “I want to sell my house.”
“What? You just bought it two years ago.”
“I know, but it creeps me out that Rick is right down the street. How can I relax? Plus, with him purchasing that house, it’ll really help my comps. I should come out ahead on the sale.” Stella took a sip of her beer. “And I’m ready for a move. I bought that farm in Keeneston and the farmhouse on it is awfully cute. What do I need this house for?”