Sweet Destiny

Chapter One

Ashley

It's mid-August and scorching hot in Jacksonville, Florida. I’m walking to a nearby deli to grab a sandwich. It’s such a beautiful day to be trapped in an office but such is life. I take a deep breath and look around me. The aroma of coffee invades my nostrils. It smells incredible. The nearby coffee plant is processing the beans and it makes the whole city smell so good. Having an hour for lunch allows me the time to take a short stroll and get some fresh air. After walking a few blocks, I reach John's Deli. It's usually very busy but they’re very fast at making food.

I walk inside and stand in line. I look up at the board to see what today's specials are. As I'm standing there, a strange feeling passes through me. I feel like someone’s watching me. I turn and look around when my eyes lock on the most beautiful brown ones I have ever seen. I suck in a breath and I can't help but stare at the incredibly gorgeous man staring back at me. I will tell you that men that look like that only appear in pages of a magazine or movies. I take in a deep breath and absorb the man in front of me. He's tan with extremely broad shoulders. His muscular arms are so sexy. I'm mesmerized by how they look in that t-shirt. My eyes travel back to his face and he looks down at his food and continues to eat. I see a blush creep across his cheeks, and I can’t help but smile. I place my hand on my chest and turn back around. He just took my breath away. I continue through the line and place my order.

Once my order is placed, I again continue through the line to the cashier. I can see the guy from the corner of my eye, and I can tell he's looking my way. I look over at him and our eyes lock again. I look away first and hide my face with my hair. My heart’s pounding out of my chest. I smile to myself and know I'm blushing. I'm very surprised by a man that looks like that is looking at me. I mean, I'm not ugly but I'm nowhere near being a supermodel. I have fair skin, long dark brown hair, and an hourglass figure. I’m only five foot three and have quite a bit in the ass and boobs department.

I pay for my food and collect my order. I can still feel his eyes on me, and I don't know how to handle it. I head toward the door to leave when I see him standing by the door. My heart starts to pound harder as I head toward him. I swear he’ll be able to hear it. When I get to the door, he opens it for me, and I step through. I hope I don’t trip or do something stupid. I bite my lip as I turn to him.

Thank you, I say as soon as I get outside.

My pleasure. He responds and smiles. What an amazing smile. That smile could stop traffic. It seems as if he’s trying to sum up the nerve to say something else. I can see he’s shy and that's such a turn-on. Do you work nearby?

I do. How about you? I watch him.

No. I'm only downtown because I needed to file some paperwork at the courthouse. He says and I nod my understanding. He looks around as if he’s trying to think of something to say.

Were you able to get that done? I help him out and try to keep the conversation going. He’s nervous and it’s so adorable.

I did. He looks down and visibly takes a deep breath. He wipes his hands on his jeans and looks back at me. I know you need to get back to work, so I won't keep you any longer. Would you like to have a cup of coffee sometime? He says this so fast I almost miss the invitation at the end.

I would like that. I smile and he just stares at me. I can tell he didn’t expect me to accept his invitation. He gives his head a little shake and pulls his phone out of his pocket.

Can I have your number? He asks. I take his phone from his hand and plug my number into his contacts. I send myself a text so I have his number as well. I hand the phone back to him. He takes it and our fingers brush. I feel a weird jolt, but I ignore it.

My name is Ashley and it was very nice to meet you, I say as I start to walk away.

Same here, Ashley. I'm Drake.

See you soon, Drake. He looks at his phone. A huge grin appears on his face. That smile is going to be the death of me.

I turn and head back to work. I can feel him watching me, but I don't turn around. The smile on my face is wide and I can't believe a guy like that is interested in me. He's so damn sexy and extremely tall. I'm guessing about six foot three. Not only are his arms muscular but his whole body is. Those muscles aren't gym muscles though. Those are hard work muscles and I can't wait to get to know him. For some strange reason, I feel comfortable with him. I think my little world just got a little more interesting.

Drake

I'm driving home and I can't get the beautiful girl out of my head. She's mesmerizing. Everything about her is captivating. As soon as she walked into the deli, my whole world turned upside down. I felt like I met the woman of my dreams. Everything about her is perfect. The body on her nearly had me falling to my knees. The blush that appeared on her gorgeous face made my heart skip a beat. Her green eyes are hypnotic. I could stare into them for hours. Her long brown hair was beckoning my hands to touch it. I don't know how I got the courage to talk to her, but I wasn't as shy as I normally am with her. Talking to her was easy and I'm sure as hell going see her again soon. Something about this girl pulls at my heartstrings. I don’t know what it is, but I intend to find out. My life has been so empty. I almost don’t know what it feels like to feel for another human being.

I pull into the drive that leads to my property. That was the fastest twenty-minute drive ever. I'm on a high and I feel like there might be some brightness in my future after all. I park my truck and head into the barn that I made into an office. I have a pep in my step. I make my way to my desk and start sorting through some paperwork. I’m suddenly overcome with energy and start working through the piles I have let sit for a long time. I’m in desperate need of an office administrator but I just don't know or trust anyone enough to give that position to.

I live and work on a farm. I’m a pumpkin farmer and sell my pumpkins to many stores, churches and the public in the area. I open the farm to schools for field trips, pictures, and hayrides during the fall months. Most of the year is spent growing my pumpkins for my contracts. I only have a few employees and do most of the work myself. Unfortunately, paperwork is my downfall and I need someone to help me sooner rather than later. My grandmother used to do this part of the job, but she did everything in an old-school way. I want to make everything more modern, but I don't have the first clue about where to start. I have a laptop but don’t have any idea what to do with it to make my paperwork digital.

I don’t have any siblings and both of my grandparents have passed. The farm was left to me and I plan on continuing to make it succeed. I love everything about this farm. It’s my life and couldn’t imagine my life without it. It’s been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I ran through the pumpkin patch as a little boy and there’s no way I’m giving it up. My father, on the other hand, wants nothing to do what this farm. My parents are living off money my grandfather left for them. They’re always traveling and don't understand why I would take on any of this. Hard work is a concept they don't understand. My grandparents showed me the value of hard work and how to take pride in your work. The farm is successful because I worked hard to get it that way. I will continue to do so and hope to pass it on to my children one day. I want to see my children running through the patches.

Chapter Two

Ashley

The rest of the day passes quickly. Drake has been on my mind all day. I couldn't get the smile off my face and I’ve been so distracted. I keep hoping he'll call or text me. The anticipation is taking over my brain and nerves. I can't wait to see him again if he calls me. I get home and start dinner. I put in a load of laundry while my pasta cooks. I have a very mundane life. I live alone in a townhouse I purchased a year ago. Just recently, I bought a new car and I’ve been supporting myself for quite some time. I put myself through school since my family didn't have much money. When I graduated from college, I got a position with a Fortune 500 company as a financial analyst. I make good money, but I don't have much time for a social life. I slowed my working hours when I realized I needed time for myself. I worked around the clock and didn't have time to do laundry or clean my house. When I bought my house, I cut down on my hours and work normal hours now. There was no reason to be working the way I was. I don’t have many friends and I’m close to my parents. My sister and I don't get along. Unfortunately, she’s spoiled by my parents and believes she needs to always compete with me. It's ridiculous but that's how she is. I hate that our relationship is strained but I’ve exhausted every avenue I had to try to fix it. They live in Tennessee, so I don't get to see them often. My parents don't like to travel, and I’ve been so busy. I haven't had the chance to go visit them. It's long overdue. I’m planning a Christmas visit. I miss them so much.

I add veggies and cheese to my pasta and plate it up. I take it to the living room and place the plate and the Diet Coke on my coffee table. I turn on the