Read Online Cookie Cutter by Jo Richardson - Free Book Online Page A

going to be perfect for the cotton candy stand, but two dollars is too much to charge kids, can you do a dollar?”
    The older gentleman who runs the stand rubs at the back of his neck. “That’ll mean less profit for you all.”
    “I understand,” I say with a smile.
    “Then sure. No problem.”
    “Great.” We shake hands and he goes back to packing his things up.  
    I mark one more thing off of my to-do list and am about to pat myself on the back when a gruff voice sneaks up from behind me.
    “I’m um . . . done for today,” Carter says.
    When I face him, the same knots build in my stomach that I’ve gotten since the first day I met him. I ignore it. Or try to at least.
    “Great.” I smile tightly.
    “I tried to find your friend-”
    “Meg.”
    “Right. Meg.” He looks around.
    “The one who actually wants you to fix her carnival.” I bite my tongue as soon as I say it.
    Whyyyyyy did I say that?
    “Jealous?” Carter’s eyes twinkle. They actually twinkle.
    I sputter and roll mine. “No.” And sputter again for good measure.
    His smile is causing a rage inside me that I don’t know what to do with. I’ve never wanted to smack a man as often as I want to smack Carter Blackwood.
    “Anyway,” he pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. “She uh, doesn’t appear to be here, so . . .”
    “It’s fine, Carter.” I take the paper out of his hands and read it over so I have something to do, other than stare back into his insinuating eyes. “How much do we owe you?”
    I choke when I see the number at the bottom of the page.
    “That’s standard for per hour work,” he says. “Plus supplies.”
    “No, I, yeah, this is . . .” I stutter because I have no idea where we’re going to come up with this kind of extra money to pay him. I curse every freelance worker who overcharges communities like Spangler just to ensure they have a better car than most or a nicer home to flip .
    “I cut the price, I mean, since we’re neighbors and all.”
    “I’m sure you did.” I slip the bill into my clipboard with the other invoices I need to take care of. Maybe I can sell some blood.
    “I did.” His easy smile falters a bit. His brow dips and his tone becomes defensively.
    I’m not sure I believe him.
    “No, right, that’s great. Thanks.” I don’t have the energy to challenge him right now, to be honest. Plus, it’s difficult to argue with him when we’re the ones who asked him to help.
    “There you are.” Meg struts over to us.  When she notices something is amiss, she stops short. “Am I interrupting something?”
    She’s not being facetious this time, she’s being honest. Concerned. I open my mouth to tell her she’s not but Carter beats me to the punch.
    “Nope, just leaving.” He eyes me when he says it.
    He pulls his stare away from me to give Meg a polite nod, eventually, then he goes to leave.
    Meg and I swap notes on our progress for the day when Carter stops, roughly five feet from us, like he forgot something. “Oh, and Iris?”
    I step away from my friend to see what he needs, half expecting him to inform me he forgot to charge us for something else. He meets me halfway. His eyes are intense when he looks down into mine.
    “For the record,” he says, then he leans down so he can say something into my ear. I turn my head slightly to hear what it is he has to say. “I happen to love carnivals.”
    His voice is rough. Strained. And it makes every hair on my body stand on end. My head jerks back and he gives me a wink but no smile this time. He’s dead serious. My blood is rushing to my cheeks and my head feels a bit lightheaded all of a sudden.
    As Carter struts away, I swallow as I watch him, surprised at how completely turned on I am right now. Surprised and a little frightened, maybe. I back away, retreating from the tension created by his words, and I trip over something.
    “Whoa, girlie.” Meg grabs my arm and stops me from tumbling to the ground and making an idiot