I Told You To Run But You Didn't (Georgia) novel Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Georgia’s POV

89%

Finished

The next morning, I was sitting on the porch swing, nursing a cup of coffee and watching Erina and Louiella working together in the vegetable garden. They looked appy, chatting and laughing as they pulled weeds. It was a peaceful, normal scene. Too normal.

Then Estevan walked out onto the porch, stretching lazily like a big cat waking from a nap. He was wearing just track pants, his chest and arms bare. My eyes automatically traced the lines of his muscles, and I quickly looked away, annoyed at myself.

A wicked little idea sparked in my mind. A smirk touched my lips. When he finished his breakfast a few minutes later, I put my plan into action.

“Looks like they could use some help out there,” I said csually, nodding towards the garden. “Why don’t you make yourself useful?”

I expected him to scoff, or ignore me, or maybe make sme sarcastic comment about manual labor being beneath him. Instead, he just looked from the garden back to me, then gave a simple, surprising nod. “Alright.”

Without another word, he walked down the steps and started heading towards the garden patch. Erina saw him coming, and her jaw literally dropped.

He didn’t even acknowledge her; he just started pulling up stubborn weeds with a focused intensity, like he was ripping the heads off his enemies. Sweat quickly beaded on his tanned skin, highlighting the ripple of muscle in his back and arms.

Erina was completely useless after that. She kept dropping her tools, stumbling over rows, and staring at him with wide, adoring eyes.

After about twenty minutes, she practically tripped over herself rushing to offer him a bottle of water, batting her eyelashes like crazy,

I couldn’t help it. A low, angry scoff escaped my lips. I took a large, scalding gulp of my coffee.

Why am I mad? I asked myself furiously. This is perfect He’s outside, getting dirty, being fawned over by someone else. I should be happy

I hate him and I want him gone. But seeing her look at im like that, seeing him just exist looking like… well, like that… it stirred something hot and ugly and annoyi gly jealous deep inside me. Which was completely ridiculous!

I just sat there, trying to enjoy my coffee, but my eyes kept getting (lrawn back to the garden. It was like watching a bad romantic comedy unfold, and I was the nwilling audience.

Erina started chatting him up, her voice suddenly all light and breathy. “Wow, Estevan! You’re really good at pulling weeds! Do you do a lot of gardening?”

Seriously? I thought, blinking s

And complimenting his weed-pulling skills? Girl, have some dignity.

Estevan didn’t even look up. “Not usually,” he grunted, oping out another clump of grass with unnecessary force.

But Erina wasn’t deterred. Oh no. She moved closer, pointing to a perfectly ordinary-looking root near his

1/3

10:36 Tue, Mar 10 M M

Chapter 61

5.89%

Finished

foot. “Oh, um, could you maybe help me with this one? It’s really stuck, and you’re just so…” She let the sentence trail off, batting her eyelashes.

I raised an eyebrow so high it almost flew off my face. Swhat? So sweaty? So obviously not interested?

Estevan glanced down at the root, then gave it a single, effortless tug. It came right out. “There,” he said, tossing it aside.

“Oh, thank you!” Erina gushed, practically clapping herands together. “You’re so strong!”

I choked back a laugh, hiding it behind my coffee mug. He pulled a weed, honey, he didn’t wrestle a bear. My jaw was starting to ache from clenching it so hard.

She kept finding excuses to talk to him, asking him questions about the vegetables-questions she should have known the answers to, being the agricultural graduate and all.

She even accidentally brushed her hand against his bare arm while reaching for a watering can.

Oh, girl, you came here to work, not to flirt with the dangerous, semi-naked man pretending to be my fiancé! Get a grip!

Estevan just gave short answers, but I saw it. I saw the way his eyes kept flicking towards the porch, towards me, a tiny spark of amusement in their depths. He knew exactly what she was doing. And he knew I was watching.

That just made me angrier. Why was I angry? He could dirt with the entire town for all I cared. It would get him out of my hair.

But seeing her hang on his every grunt, seeing that little smirk playing on his lips as he glanced my way… it made my blood boil. It was ridiculous. Utterly, infuriatingly ridiculous!!

I couldn’t stand watching them anymore. It was making my eyes hurt. I stood up, dumped my cold coffee in the sink, and walked back inside, grabbing a glass of water from the fridge.

Louiella came in from the porch, wiping her hands on er apron. “I’m heading down to the market, hija,” she said cheerfully, “Need to pick up a few things for dinner. Want to come with me? Get some fresh air?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, relieved for an excuse to get away.

Just then, Estevan appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking annoyingly fresh despite the garden work. “No. need for you to walk, Louiella,” he said smoothly. “I can rive you both down.”

Louiella’s face lit up. “Oh, that’s so kind of you, Estevan But you kirow what?” An idea sparked in her eyes. She grabbed her grocery list from the counter and handed it to fne. “Why don’t you two go together? Get these for me? I just remembered I shouldn’t leave Erina here all by herself, poor girl.”

Estevan gave Louiella a charming wink that made my stomach turn..”Of course, Louiella. Happy to help.” He glanced at me. “Just let me grab a quick shower.”

I waited outside on the porch steps, fuming. He was doing this on purpose, manipulating Louiella, forcing us together.

When he finally came out, looking ridiculously clean and put-together again, he held the car door open for me. I stalked past him and slid into the passenger seat without a word, staring straight ahead.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify