It was hard going, with the branch wobbling stubbornly. The morning was already getting hot, and after a few minutes, I stripped off my shirt before attacking it again.

  The air felt good against my skin, my muscles rippling in the sunlight.

  “Ryan! Buenos días!”

  Sofia was coming around from her back porch in a silky robe, coffee cup in hand. “Ay, my God, look at this mess!”

  “Morning,” I called back, holding the saw as sweat dripped on my chest.

  Sofia’s robe was barely tied at the waist, showing a generous amount of cleavage. “Oyy, your skin is so white,” she breathed, looking at me. “You’re gonna get burn.”

  “Yeah, I was just thinking that. Do you have any sunscreen?”

  She nodded. “I have. How about coffee? Would you like? Is from Colombia.”

  “Coffee sounds good, thank you.”

  “Come, come!” She gestured enthusiastically.

  I let myself admire how the robe clung to her curves as I followed her towards her porch.

  Caroline’s words echoed in my head: She’d love the company.

  Chapter sixteen

  “Sit down,” Sofia said, gesturing to a porch chair. “I come back.”

  “Alright.” Ignoring her command, I leaned against her porch railing, catching my breath from the sawing.

  I watched her pass through the glass door, the robe swishing around her thighs. She seemed to put extra sway in her hips as she moved around the kitchen.

  The way Caroline had encouraged me to come over to Sofia’s, with that sparkle in her eye…She clearly wanted me to enjoy her friend’s company. And Sofia was already making it enjoyable.

  “Would you like some breakfast?” she asked, returning with coffee and a bottle of sunscreen.

  “No, thanks. I want to go to the hardware store soon.” I took a sip of the coffee. “Wow. That’s good.”

  I put the cup on the table, then uncapped the sunscreen.

  Sofia crossed her arms, watching me. “You need to put it on your back.”

  “What?”

  “Your back. It’s gonna burn.”

  “Too bad I can’t reach,” I murmured, rubbing a glob onto my arm as Sofia watched me.

  She came forward, grabbing the lotion from me. “Here, turn around. Let me help you.”

  Her warm hands settled on my shoulders, spreading the lotion. Her touch was firm but gentle, almost like a massage.

  “You have strong muscles,” she hummed. Her breasts brushed against my back as she reached around to do my stomach. “Do you work out?”

  “Uh, yeah, I work out.” My voice came out rough. Her hands on my skin felt incredible.

  “Mm hmm, I can tell.”

  She worked the sunscreen into my shoulders with deliberate movements. Her breath was warm on my back. Every touch felt loaded with meaning.

  That’s when I started to wonder…

  Just how far did Caroline mean for this to go? Her encouragement to flirt was clear enough, but I felt like this could escalate fast.

  When Caroline said flirting, did she just mean a bit of playful banter? Or did she expect it to go beyond that?

  “So, you’re going to clean up Carolina’s yard?”

  “Gonna fix her porch.”

  “Really? Wow, you’re taking such good care of her.” She massaged more slowly and deliberately. I felt her fingers tracing down my spine.

  “I can see you like taking care of Carolina.”

  She said the words so caressingly, with so much suggestion in her voice. It seemed like she already knew about what happened between me and Caroline last night.

  Did Caroline tell her already?

  It wasn’t really surprising, given the way they seemed to share.

  But was I expected to give Sofia the same treatment now?

  I was going to need some clarity before this went any further. Whatever Caroline and I had going, it was a good thing. I didn’t want to risk destroying it because of a misunderstanding.

  Sofia apparently sensed my reticence. She finished rubbing in the sunscreen, then stood beside me with her coffee.

  I chatted a few minutes, then excused myself. “Thanks for the coffee, Sofia. I should get to the hardware store.”

  “You’re welcome. Come back if you need more sunscreen.”

  ***

  The hardware store was quiet this early. I grabbed a cart and headed for the power tools section, my mind still on Sofia.

  What the hell? Was I really about to get into it with two hot mature women at the same time?

  By all appearances, Sofia knew that Caroline had sex with me, and now she wanted her turn.

  And Caroline seemed okay with it… Apparently?

  Heading for the Building Material section, I still felt Sofia’s insinuating touch lingering on my skin, and still thought about the way Caroline had practically pushed me towards her...

  I shook my head as I came to the deck and railing section at the back of the store. I found all the parts I would need there. They didn’t match perfectly, but they were close enough.

  Loading the lumber into my cart, I grabbed some deck screws and mounting brackets too.

  Finally, I grabbed some fuel for the chainsaw.

  Adding up the price in my head, it was going to be more than I was expecting, but I didn’t really care. I thought this little DIY project would be fun. Caroline could pay me back if she wanted.

  Rounding a corner, I headed into another aisle on my way to the checkout.

  There, standing in front of me, was Kate.

  Though I had a side-view of her, and she was looking away, I knew it was her.

  It was unmistakable even though she wasn’t dressed in gym clothes.

  Today she wore fitted blue jeans showing off that big, tight butt of hers. The way it stuck out like that, seemingly defying gravity…

  There was no denying it was a marvel.

  A black v-neck showed off those impressive curves even more. The shirt left about two inches of her midriff bare; her hips and stomach were toned but fleshy.

  Her huge bosom swelled under the shirt, and the v-neck displayed a deep line of cleavage.

  Even in casual clothes, she had that commanding presence.

  A blonde lady was beside her, jotting things on a notepad as Kate dictated.

  Pushing my cart along, I thought they might be too preoccupied to notice me.

  But as I was passing, Kate locked eyes with me, a slight flush in her cheeks.

  I smiled. “Hi, Kate, how are you?”

  She squinted her eyes as if remembering. “Hi… You were at the gym, right? Ryan?”

  “That’s right.” I held her gaze for a moment.

  She shifted, looking at my cart. “Doing some renovating?” Her voice had that same tone of authority I’d noticed in the gym. There was something about her that made you want to stand up straighter.

  “Yeah, fixing some storm damage. What about you?”

  “I’m here to get supplies for a climbing wall.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “You’re putting a climbing wall in the gym? Where’s it going to fit?”

  She laughed. “No, this is for my other business, Three Rivers Tours. We do river rafting and horseback riding. Now we’re adding the climbing wall and ziplining, hopefully, if everything goes as planned.”

  “Wow, that is really cool,” I said, genuinely impressed. “So business is good in Riverdale, then, just like I’ve heard.”

  “Business is very good for what I’m doing.” The way she said it was matter-of-fact, not bragging.

  Then she gave me a probing look. “Are you in town for business?”

  “No, not exactly. I’m sort of traveling.”

  I briefly explained about my app, how I’d sold it, and how my friend had recommended Riverdale as a place to watch.

  It seemed to land well because I saw a glimmer of respect in Kate’s eyes as she listened. But maybe I looked a little too complacent, because she resumed her usual hard edge.

  “Pretty impressive for someone as young as you,” she said with a smirk.

  “I’m not that young. Twenty-seven.”

  She exchanged a glance with her assistant, who chuckled softly. “Ah, you’re still just a kid,” she said, but there was something challenging in her tone.

  “Age is just a number,” I said with a cheeky half-smirk smirk, holding her gaze.

  She looked, shaking her head, a slight flush in her cheeks and a smile on her lips.

  “You should come check out Three Rivers Tours sometime,” she said. “You might like it.”

  “I just might do that.”

  I felt my pulse beating in my neck. It seemed that I now had a third hot mature woman flirting with me.

  What was it about this town?

  I needed to get out of there. My thoughts were already going places they shouldn’t.

  “Nice to see you, Kate.”

  “Nice to see you, Ryan.”

  The way she said it, like an indulgent teacher speaking to a naughty pupil… I kept hearing it all the way to checkout.

  Chapter seventeen

  Back at Caroline’s, I laid out my supplies on the porch. I looked at the line I’d already sawed into the branch, still slightly frustrated that I hadn’t managed to get very far.

  “Don’t look so smug,” I told the tree as I turned towards the shed.

  The chainsaw’s orange casing gleamed in the sunlight as I carried it out. After mixing the gas and oil, I filled her up, set the choke, and pulled the cord.

  The saw roared to life on the third pull, its growl filling the air. I let it warm up, feeling the engine’s vibrations in my hands.

  The sharp chain bit through the wood with a satisfying whine, throwing wood chips everywhere. The branch shook in protest, but the chainsaw cut through it like butter.

  The pieces hit the ground with a thud, and the porch was clear.

  I figured Caroline could use some firewood, with fall coming, so I got to work sawing up the behemoth’s branches.

  I felt like a lumberjack, with sawdust and chips flying around everywhere. The yard smelled like a forest.

  “Ayy, is so noisy! My God!”

  Sofia was standing on the edge of the yard in a sundress now, one hand on her chest, the other holding an icy drink.

  I grinned over my shoulder, the chainsaw buzzing in my hands. “You want some firewood?”

  Her eyes widened as she looked between me and all the chunks of wood. “Firewood? Yes, I would like.”

  “I’ll bring you some,” I called over the saw’s growl.

  She nodded, then held up her drink. “You want some juice? Is fresh.”

  I killed the engine. The sudden quiet made my ears ring. “You mean it’s actual fruit juice?”

  “Of course! I made it.”

  “Looks refreshing.”

  “Come!” She was already heading back to her porch. She glanced back at me, eyes twinkling. “You like using that machine?”

  “It’s pretty fun, I’m not gonna lie.”

  “Ayy, no!” She made a dramatic face and hugged herself, shivering. “I could never touch it. It scares me.”

  I chuckled, noticing how lovely her exposed shoulders looked in that dress. “It’s not so bad if you know how to use it.”

  I followed her, aware I was covered in sawdust and sweat. Sofia didn’t seem to mind. She poured me a tall glass of something orange and pulpy, then leaned against her railing.

  “Orange juice?” I asked.

  “Orange and mango.”

  I took one gulp and couldn’t stop, downing the whole thing quickly.

  “That was exactly what I needed,” I said, wiping my lips. “Thanks.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Well… Actually, I kind of forgot to eat breakfast.”

  She swatted my arm. “You have to eat! You want eggs?”

  “Well… You don’t have to.”

  Sofia smiled. “Is no problem! Really!”

  I knew she really wanted to cook for me, and I really wanted to eat her food. So it was a win-win.

  “Okay. Thank you. Eggs would be great.”

  Returning to the yard, I started piling firewood by the shed. I’d cut enough. Bill’s guys could deal with the rest.

  Soon, Sofia’s screen door slid open, and I heard her call out, “Ryan! Is ready! Please come!”

  I stacked the last few pieces of wood and headed across Sofia’s lawn onto her porch. The door was open, but I paused before entering.

  With my eyes adjusting from the brightness of the sun, it seemed dark and intimate inside.

  “Come on, come on!” Sofia called from the kitchen.

  I entered a small living room that connected to a den. The walls and shelves were almost crowded with pictures. Most of them were of her two sons. Others, presumably, were of her family back in Colombia.

  The kitchen was smaller and less modern than Caroline’s, but it was simple and tidy.

  Sofia spoke warmly, “Welcome to my home. Please take a seat.”

  On the table, a plate was piled with scrambled eggs, ground beef, sliced avocado, and arepas— little patties made from cornmeal.

  I immediately started wolfing it down.

  Sofia sat across from me, humor in her eyes. “Are you hungry?”

  “Worked up an appetite,” I said around a bite of food. “Thanks. I would have starved to death if you hadn’t saved me.”

  It wasn’t exactly a witty comment, but Sofia squealed with delight, flicking her hair over her shoulders.

  For a moment, she sat at the table, checking her phone. Then she started gathering her things.

  “Are you going to the restaurant?”

  “Yes. It starts to get busy around 11:30. But you can stay. Take your time.” She put on lipstick at a small mirror on the wall.

  “But don’t you want to lock up?”

  She waved her hand. “Is okay. I lock the front door. Sometimes I leave the back open. Is very safe here.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “Really, is okay! You’re gonna be here, right?” She pointed towards Caroline’s yard.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here till Caroline gets back.”

  “See? Is no problem.”

  “Well, alright.” I relaxed a little in my chair. The casual trust she was putting in me was a big compliment. It felt meaningful.

  I watched her check her reflection again, primping her hair.

  "You work every day?" I asked, finishing the last bite of eggs.

  “No. The restaurant is closed on Sunday. She turned to me with a little pout. “But most days are busy. I work a lot, but is okay. I have to work hard to make my dream come true.”

  “That’s the right attitude. Don’t stop until you get there.”

  “Exactly!” She turned to go, but hesitated, playing with her hair. “Maybe…I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  I smiled. “I’m sure you will.”

  With a wave and a toss of her hair, she was gone, her sundress swishing through the door.

  I sat there in the quiet of her kitchen, surrounded by photos of her family.

  I washed my dishes in her sink, then headed towards the back door, passing a bookshelf in her living room.

  It was very different from Caroline’s. Other than a few Spanish titles by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, all the books were non-fiction—self-improvement, financial management, and mindset-type books for entrepreneurs.

  I’d read quite a few books like that when I was starting my app. Sofia certainly had an entrepreneurial drive. It couldn’t have been by accident that her restaurant was doing so well.

  Mr. Benson’s ghoulish image came into my mind as I walked out into the sun. I shuddered, remembering his grasping fingers touching Sofia’s arm.

  I cleared my throat angrily. If Sofia was reading all those business books, working that hard to achieve her goals, the last thing she needed was some sleazy developer getting in her way.

  I surveyed the mammoth tree, its severed limbs neatly piled by the shed.

  Perhaps I can deal with Benson similarly…

  I chuckled at the thought. Okay, maybe not literally cutting him up into little pieces—but at least getting him out of Sofia’s way.

  Taking the lumber from the porch and setting it down on the grass, I quickly forgot Benson, losing myself in the work.

  First, I removed the damaged railing, prying it free from the posts with a screwdriver and some elbow grease. The broken balusters came next, splintered and useless, and I tossed them aside.

  I marked the new railing piece against the old one, then carried it into the shed and set it on the workbench. The saw cut through the wood cleanly, leaving crisp, straight edges.

  Back on the porch, I lined up the new railing, double-checked the fit, and screwed it into place. The balusters went in one by one, evenly spaced and snug, until the section looked sturdy and whole again.

  Stepping back to admire my work, I wiped sweat from my forehead. The new section didn’t match the old exactly, but it looked good.

  It gave me a nice sense of accomplishment, but I didn’t feel like stopping yet. I had a rhythm going.

  So I pulled on a pair of gloves and started carrying firewood over to Sofia’s, stacking it neatly along the side of her house, under the overhang where it would stay reasonably dry. She could always cover it with a tarp later.

  By the time I finished, my arms were burning pleasantly, and I’d worked up another sweat.

  Then I raked leaves and twigs until Bill’s tree guys showed up. I got out of their way to let them work.

  There were seven of them, so they did it quickly. By half past five o’clock, they were gone.

  I got a text from Caroline shortly after that.

  Hey you

  Hungry?

  On my way

  Again, my thoughts returned to what seemed to be developing with both Caroline and Sofia.

  Was this really happening?

  My heart beat faster as I thought about Caroline coming home.

  Time to get some clarity on this situation. Did she want me to fuck her friend, or not?

  Chapter eighteen

  Iheard Caroline’s car pull into the driveway and went to meet her at the front door. She looked adorable. Her work clothes slightly rumpled from a long day, her hair coming loose from its clip.