“Right. You said something about that earlier. And of course you’ve got this dog with you,” he said, gesturing toward the dog, who was lying at Avery’s heel. “You mean you train dogs for blind people?”
Avery snorted. It made Jake want to chuckle, though he knew that would probably just get him into even more trouble than he already was, so he kept his amusement to himself.
“Yes, like dogs for blind people,” Avery snapped. “And for many other situations, as well.”
“So what’s this little guy here for?” he asked, reaching down to the black Lab and scratching behind his ears.
“This is Dandy. He’s in training, so he needs to get out and experience different environments, including this one. We’re watching him to see where he shows potential. But see, what you’re not getting here is this place, this exact cabin, is the perfect location for those clients who come in to train with their new service dogs. They are usually under a lot of stress and need the peace that comes along with the seclusion and scenery this property provides. That’s why it has to be this specific cabin and not somewhere else. Trust me, I’ve been looking for a long time, and I know I won’t find anything better that’s close enough to work for our clients. You, on the other hand—”
“Can’t do anything to change what’s about to happen. Marston probably already has their lawyers drawing up papers, and if they don’t, they will soon. They’ve made their decision, Avery. I’m really sorry. This is the property they’ve chosen, and that’s all there is to it.”
“If it’s a done deal, then what are you even doing here?” she asked, her words as sharp as a sword. “And why don’t the Meyers seem to know anything about this?”
“I’ve come to Whispering Pines to settle things with the town council. Grease the wheels. Take care of permits and zoning issues as they arise. Obviously, Marston wants to make the transition as easy as possible for everyone involved.”
“Obviously.” Sarcasm dripped from her tone. “It must be nice to be able to see so well from that high horse of yours.”
“I’m trying to help,” he insisted. It wasn’t the first time he’d come up against resistance in a small town. To some degree, it was to be expected. No one really liked change. There was always someone digging in their heels against progress.
But Avery—well, she was making this personal, about herself and her bed-and-breakfast.
“I’m here to answer questions and make the whole process as painless as possible for everyone concerned.”
Her eyes widened. “Painless? Yeah. Good luck with that. Come on, Lisa. Show me the mother-in-law suite you were telling me about. I’m sure it will be perfect for the managers of my new bed-and-breakfast.”
Copyright © 2020 by Debra Kastner
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ISBN-13: 9781488070846
The Amish Baker’s Rival
Copyright © 2020 by Marie Elizabeth Bast
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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The Amish Baker's Rival Page 20
