The Chocolate Garden (Dare River Book 2) by Ava Miles Page B

opportunity for her new business, especially since he didn’t have a budget. Oh, the things she could envision…
    As she pulled down his long drive, she took stock of his place with new eyes and noticed the road to his house was lined with ancient, towering oaks that provided shade from the brutal sunlight. The feel of his land was country and wooded. Private. That she’d remembered.
    There were wild ferns mixed with weeds and brush in his woods, but there was a clean trail through the thicket, and the tracks from his mountain bike were visible in the dirt. When she broke through the clearing, she smiled. Yes, his house was just as she remembered it—beautiful in its simplicity. The white wrap-around porch seemed to call out for serene family gatherings and evenings spent swaying on the porch swing in the hot breeze.
    Two stories with dormer windows, the house was painted a dark gray with white shutters and a bright red door. Old-fashioned. He had some azalea bushes out front, she noticed, and a crepe myrtle to the right of the door, bursting with red blossoms. There was an Annabelle hydrangea on the left, her favorite for obvious reasons, with its white mop heads lying on the ground like a tired child who had fallen asleep. A Lancifolia hosta in full sun had curly, mottled green leaves crying out for shade. White Shasta daisies drooped alongside of the house next to a massive humming air conditioner.
    He needed her help, all right.
    When John Parker stepped out onto the porch with Charleston, his red setter by his side, she firmed her shoulders. Her new leather satchel in her hand made her feel more professional.
    “Hi there! Picked a hot one to start, didn’t we?” he called out.
    “Yes, the hottest so far this year.” And it worried her some. The plants would need to root, and in this heat…
    He walked to the edge of the porch to greet her as she climbed up the steps, and she noticed his outfit—khaki shorts and a white T-shirt. “At least you dressed for it. Is this another new outfit?”
    She fought the urge to tug her simple yellow shirt down over her red khaki Capris. “Yes.”
    “It looks lovely,” he said, leaning against the railing. “Do you want some sweet tea? We can take it with us as we walk around.”
    The sugar would only make her jittery, but she loved the honeyed taste on hot days like today. “That would be lovely.”
    “You remember Charleston,” he said as he gave the dog a gentle scratch under her ears. “She’s getting on in years, but I love her.”
    “Have you had her for a long time?” she asked, stooping to pet the dog as well. It was nice not to have a rambunctious dog around for once. Bullet and Banjo were driving her crazy, and while Rory’s dog minded pretty well, it took some doing to stay on top of them all.
    “Since I graduated from law school. She’s a sweetheart.”
    He opened the door for Tammy and waited for her to pass. Charleston stayed where she was without as much as a whimper. The inside of his house charmed her in a way Rye’s hadn’t when she’d first arrived in Dare River. It was her first opportunity to really soak in the atmosphere, since his barbecue had been primarily held out back. John Parker’s place managed to be both cozy and elegant. She could easily imagine him entertaining his family here.
    An impressive maple wood staircase was nestled directly past the entryway. A deep-set window seat at the top of the stairs, covered in plush white cushions, made her long for the time to curl up with a book. The floors were hardwood in a deep caramel, covered in some places with plush silk rugs. His dining room to the left showcased an antique country style table and china cabinet. The formal living room decked out with shiny musical instruments drew her attention. A violin was casually splayed on its side with a silver harmonica resting nearby. A guitar laid on an overstuffed pillow like it was taking a nap from making music, a legal pad not far away