Page 50 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

I don’t know why I said it like that. I called a lot of people honey here but calling Holden that felt different. Intimate and special.

“Thought you didn’t like that name,” he said, heat flaring in his gaze.

“I don’t.” My face warmed and I thought about the way his erection pressed against me the other night. “I call everyone honey here.”

He held my gaze and the side of his mouth ticked up. “Sure you do.”

I huffed. “Food, Holden. What do you want?”

“Burger, please.” His eyes flared with amusement like he knew how flustered I was.

“Be right back.” I whirled around, dropped the order off with the kitchen, and told Olivia I’d be in the washroom. Once inside the tiny space, I wet a paper towel and pressed it to my neck. My skin heated.

Okay, so I had a teeny tiny thing for Holden. Of course I did. He was so hot. He had that stoic, silent thing going on. We’d been spending a lot of time together. His eyelashes were fascinating, and so was the curve of his mouth when it did that twitching thing I loved so much. He smelled incredible and kissing him was the hottest thing I had ever experienced, but it didn’t mean I had to lose my head over the guy.

I’d done that before and look where it got me. Grant swept me off my feet, and I missed all the flags.

A thought entered my head and I frowned. What flags were I missing with Holden?

He was a workaholic, I knew that. He stood me up on a date. He was obsessed with getting married.

I thought back to the boat, and him rubbing my back in the bathroom while I barfed, and holding my hair back. He didn’t have to do that. A lot of guys wouldn’t have done that.

Unease spread through my stomach at the thought that Holden may not be who I thought he was.

That kiss? It was a slip up, and I wouldn’t let it happen again. How could I find him a wife when I was making out with the guy?

No way. I was in Queen’s Cove still for one reason, and I was sticking to the plan.

When I returned to the bar, Avery and Hannah were whispering to Holden while he scowled. They spotted me and sat up straighter with big smiles.

“We want to come visit the inn,” Avery told me. “Can we do a girls’ night?”

“We want to see all the progress you’ve made.” Hannah gave me a shy smile. “And we want to get to know you better.”

Avery leaned forward, chin on her palm. “We’re fascinated by you, Sadie.”

I flushed with happiness. “Of course.” Olivia passed behind me and I gestured at her. “You’re coming, too.”

She raised an eyebrow at us. “Fine.”

I clapped. “Oh, yay.”

We made a plan for them to come over the next week, on Monday night.

“We watch cheesy reality TV on Monday nights.” Hannah sipped her soda water. “Join us, please.”

I shrugged. “You’ve given me no choice, and I accept this rose.”

She beamed at me. Holden’s mouth curled up and I flushed again with delight. Emmett and Wyatt walked in and both Avery and Hannah’s heads turned.

“Causing trouble?” Emmett said to Avery, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She shot him a flirty smile. “Always.”

Wyatt slung his arm around Hannah and kissed her cheek. “Hey, bookworm.”

“Hi.” She shot him a shy smile and leaned back against him.

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