Page 22 of Tempt Me

“Yes. It’s a good solid building. It won’t take much for renovations to get it ready to reopen before Christmas.”

I’d think it was strange that she’s fascinated by this new business, except we live in a small town, and it’s a newsworthy event anytime something changes. I finish chewing before I respond, “Good location also.”

“Yes, it is.” She lets go of the edge of her shirt and sits straight. “I quit my job. I’ll be overseeing the renovation and opening of the new bakery. I was going to wait until after Levi’s graduation, but the offer came out of nowhere.”

“Ma.” I drop the cookie on the plate. “That’s fantastic news. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you.” The pleasure on her face says it all. She waited a long time to do this. “I think it’s time. You know I wanted to be at the school when you were both growing up, but….” She shrugs. “But I can’t pass this up. Chloe wants me to focus on new lines of cookies for the shop. In addition to her signature cupcakes. Now, back to the important stuff. Time is ticking.”

I slump into the sofa. “I can’t magically wave a wand and find a wife.”

“You could if you ask her on a date.”

“Stop.” My teeth grind together as I ball my hands on my lap. “You know I can’t ask Bella out on a date. I live withher brothers, and they’ve already warned me away from her. Besides….” I shake my head. “I’m not good enough for her.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Because of your father? Because of me? Those are my sins, not yours. You didn’t use drugs, and you have no responsibility over my decision to be with your father or to stay married to him as long as I did.” She shoves off the sofa. “I’m going to take care of it. I’m calling her. And then, I’m calling those brothers of hers. If you’re good enough to be their best friend, you’re good enough for their sister.”

Fuck. I grab her hand. “Don’t. Let me take care of it.”

“Like that’s going to happen. You’ve been mooning over Bella for years. Drawing pictures of the woman night and day until you fall asleep thinking about her.” She found my sketches years ago while cleaning my room, so there was no point in lying to her. Besides, she’s my mom and knows everything about me. “I think your brother is even half in love with her.”

Absolutely not. There’s no fucking way. He’s eighteen and she’s twenty-one. Fuck. She’s closer in age to him than she is to me. And she goes to all his games. I swipe my hands on my jeans.

“I’ll get the drawings and take them to my place.” I’ve always been leery of someone seeing them, but if Levi is starting to get stars in his eyes over her, I need to nip that in the bud. I’ll hide them behind some portraits I drew, and no one will know anything different.

Her hands clasp my lower arm to hold me in place. “You should show them to her. They’re good.”

“Someday.” I shrug. Like that’s ever going to happen. She’d think I was a stalker. “Besides, I think she’s seeing Xavier.”

“Xavier?” She rolls her eyes. “That boy isn’t going to get Bella’s attention. I’ve seen them together countless times, and I’ve never once seen her drooling over him.”

“Maybe in the past.” My stomach cramps at the memory of seeing them together at the house. And then at the bar. “They’re all up in each other’s business all the time. It’s fucking annoying.” Jealousy swells inside of me at the thought of Xavier touching her, and I instantly want to punch him in the face again.

I can’t wait until Sunday’s pickup football game. I’m going to ensure I’m up against him so I can get a few good licks in. Maybe even knock one of his perfect teeth out so he looks like an idiot.

“Then tell him how you feel so he’ll knock it off. Or better yet, you tell her how you feel.”

Tell her how I feel? I can’t. I have no father. No grandparents. No aunts and uncles. All I have is my mom and my brother. Hell, she’d be better off with Xavier. At least, he comes from a prominent family that everyone respects.

Chapter Eleven

A Couple of Days Later

Bella

The second I step into Callahan’s, my eyes drop straight on Dominic. Whether it’s because I have a sixth sense for where he’ll be or it’s because he’s standing at the bar talking to my brothers as usual, who knows. Most likely, it’s because I’m pathetic.

I jerk my attention away from him before he notices I’ve come inside. The crowd noise is dwarfed by a riffing guitar as one of the regular bands has taken over the stage for the evening.

As I weave my way through the crowd, I’m jostled several times by the packed room. When there’s a band on stage, it’s a madhouse. The fact Ruby managed to secure us a table is priceless.

“How did you get a table?” I yell at her as I lean across the table and slide into my side of the booth.

“A drunk girl and her boyfriend abandoned it fifteen minutes ago. I saw it from across the room and sprinted over here.” Her eyes dance as she lifts her leg up, showing off her foot. “Tennis shoes. There was another girl two steps behind me, but she had on heels.”

“I can always count on you.” I grin as she laughs and drops her foot back down to the floor.

“I ordered us drinks.” She shoves the second glass toward me. “So, it didn’t look like I was alone. I didn’t want to fend off sharks while I waited.”

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