Page 19 of Stolen Kisses

She winked at me. “Well, that man looked like he wanted to do way more than dance with you. If I were about forty years younger, I’d definitely try my luck.”

I smiled politely before leaving the table. Chase was waiting for me just outside the gazebo, holding two glasses of champagne.

“Let me check the list first,” I muttered, glancing at my phone as we slowly walked toward the water. “Everything looks good.”

Then, out of habit, I checked my email. I stopped in my tracks, drawing in a deep breath.No, no, no. I had more cancellations at the inn.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

I lowered my phone. "Honestly, no. I'm in some trouble, but talking about it tonight won't help."

"What's wrong?" He sounded concerned, and I appreciated that, but there was nothing I could do from here.

I shook my head. "I really don't want to talk about it. I'll deal with it when I get back. Thingshave toget better. Anyway, I want to enjoy my time here."

"When are you leaving?" he asked.

"Tomorrow evening. You?"

"The first flight in the morning.”

“Wow. That's very early, right? You’re going back to San Diego? It's the eight o’clock one?”

“Six o’clock," he corrected.

I winced. "Why would you book that willingly?"

"I have a meeting as soon as I get back.”

“But it’s Sunday.”

“I know. I set it up before they set the wedding date, and I didn't want to cancel at the last minute. You know how finance can be"

"Yeah, I worked a few years in it myself."

"Not anymore?" he asked as we walked outside. I accepted the glass of champagne from him, taking a sip. "I thought Josh told me he met you at a finance conference."

"He did," I agreed, "but I was out of the industry by that point.” I didn’t say out loud that I’d gone there because I was facing the prospect of needing to get a full-time job again, and I’d wanted to make a few contacts. Then I decided to give the inn my all this summer season.

"How come?"

"I inherited my late grandmother's inn on Point Loma, and I wanted to give it my best shot at making it run."

"That's very commendable." I couldn't tell if he was serious. Gary had been so adamant that it was a mistake. It was the final nail in the coffin for our marriage.

"Look, I think there's a wooden walkway on the beach," I said.

He nodded, then asked, "So, are your problems tonight related to the inn?"

I sighed. "Let's not talk about it, okay?"

"Sure. Whatever you want."

He was walking fairly close to me; I could feel his body heat surrounding me like a blanket. I took one sip and then another one, my body relaxing. We walked close to the water but didn’t stray from the wooden path, so we didn’t have to take off our shoes.

I took a few more sips of the champagne, and then the glass was empty. "Oh God, I've drunk this whole thing already!" I exclaimed.

Chase laughed.

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