“There’s also three apartments upstairs that we can convert to offices if we want,” Ally replied. “We can rent out the extra shop and the offices to earn extra income and help pay off the loan on the property.”
It was the perfect place for Cole’s new tattoo shop, a florist for Sienna, and a coffee shop she and Troy would run together until he’d taught her how to run a business. He’d been looking after the farm for their parents for years as well as working for Cole. He knew how to make a business run at a profit.
With her experience working in a coffee shop from her years at Uni, and his business savvy, as well as income from the spare shop and offices they could create upstairs, it wouldn’t be long before they would be making an income.
Troy just had to say yes. She needed his money to make the plan work. Old Mr. Croyden, who owned the farm next to their parent’s, had offered her a pretty penny for the piece of land her parents had gifted her at eighteen, and they’d done the same for Troy when he’d turned eighteen.
The land was theirs to do with as they pleased, and it pleased Ally to sell it and to never have to step foot in Ainsworth again. But Troy would have to sell his too.
“Alley cat, it’s gonna be awfully cold down here in winter. Think you can handle it?” Cole asked.
Ally sidled up to him and wrapped an arm around his waist, squeezing him against her. She grinned up at him. “It’s okay, you can keep me warm.”
He grinned back and gave her a kiss that curled her toes.
“I’m in,” Troy said from behind her.
“What?” Cole demanded, lifting his head. “Just like that?”
“Yep.” Troy took his hat off and wiped a finger across his forehead. “It’s the middle of summer, and I’m not even sweating. I want to live an hour away from the beach, and I’m ready to do something different for a while. I’ve been running the farm since I turned eighteen and it’s not even mine. This will be mine, and all the hard work will line my pockets instead of Dad’s.”
“I’m in too,” Sienna replied.
Ally turned to her best friend to find Sienna watching a man dressed in a business suit walk down the foot path towards them. She shook her head and looked up at Cole. “So?”
“Alley cat, what did I tell you a month ago?”
She shook her head. “You told me lots of things a month ago.”
Cole tipped her face to the side with a finger under her chin and leaned down to say in a low voice just for her, “Alley cat, I told you, I’d live anywhere you wanted to. You’re mine, little cat, and if living here and doing this will make you happy then we can move tomorrow.” He nuzzled her ear and sent a shiver down her spine. “Besides, this means we get to christen every room in the building, and, baby, there’s a lot of rooms in that building.”
Ally grinned. This was turning out to be the best summer she’d ever had, and she had a feeling things were only going to get better.
“So,” she said. “Who’s up for a trip to the beach?”
I hope you enjoyed reading The King’s Alley Cat.
For an up to date list of releases head over to my blog www.leeannwallace.com or like my Facebook page www.facebook.com/LeeAnnWallaceAuthor or you can email me directly at [email protected]
—Lee-Ann
About the Author
Lee-Ann Wallace wants to live in a world where washing folds itself, coffee’s good for you and dreams come true (at least the good ones).
With one series published by eXtasy Books, she’s just getting started with this thing called writing. If only her hands could type as fast as her imagination flows.
When she’s not tapping away at her computer working on her next story, you can find her daydreaming about her next tattoo, watching action movies with her family, and practicing self-control, so she doesn’t one click every book on Amazon.
Find out more about Lee-Ann’s current releases and what she’s working on now at www.leeannwallace.com
The King’s Alley Cat Page 4
