Page 3 of I'll Catch You
2
Peter
My new girlfriendand I just survived our firstfight.
“This was superb,” I tell her as she approaches me. The sun is setting outside and painting her with the yellow and orange hues of the sunset. Her curvy little figure is shown off to the max in the little black shorts and white tee she’s wearing, and her black curls are piled on her head in a messy bun. Her high cheekbones and wide-set eyes are gorgeous. She’s the downright sexiest woman I’ve ever seen, she’s a hard worker, she’s principled, and she’s a fierce defender of the people she loves. She also hatesme.
I hand her my plate and take out my wallet before she has a chance to drop the check. I put a bill on the table and when she sees it her eyesprotest.
“I don’t need your charity,” she says, pushing the bill away. “A twenty percent gratuity isfine.”
“After the way you talked to me, you think you’re getting atip?”
She just stares at me. Death stare. I likeit.
“I know why you’re here.” She softens. “I’m not interested in selling. I’m sorry you wasted your time coming all the way outhere.”
“It wasn’t a waste of time,” I tell her, putting my hand over hers. She pulls her hand away. Maybe the touch crossed the line. I’m not used to women not liking me. I think she might be the only one who hasn’t instantly tried to sit on my lap. If I didn’t already like her as much as someone could like another human being they just met, the fact that she doesn’t like me is making me like her evenmore.
“Thank you for stopping by,” she says. “I hope you enjoyedeverything.”
“Wait,” I say before she can walk away. “You’re right, I’m here because I’m interested in the property. Just go out with me once and hear what I have to say. I don’t want to tear this place down. I know you’ve probably had a lot of offers but mine is different. Just have dinner with me once and let me make mycase.”
She pauses and her gaze snaps to mine. When I think I’m making some progress, she shakes her head, making her glossy curls shake. I might want to own her land, but I’d like to own her lips,too.
“I’m sorry,” she says. She slides in across from me. “You’re right. I’ve had offers before. And I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but my decision is firm. I don’t want to sell. I’ll be honest because you seem like a nice enough guy. I don’t like when people try to convince me once my mind is made up, so any further attempts will probably just push me even farther into mydecision.”
“Can I just take you out to dinner,then?”
She bites her lower lip and I can see that she’s contemplating it. Even if I back off any talk about her property, I know she’s going to think it’s in the back of my mind if I take her out. By walking in here alone and driving here unannounced in my Benz, I’ve made her assume certain things about me. She isn’t wrong. Everything she thinks of me is correct. Well, almosteverything.
“I’m sorry,” she replies. “I’m really busy with the restaurant and I don’t really have time for much of a sociallife.”
“No offense, but the restaurant doesn’t really seem all thatbusy.”
She takes a look around as though she’s just been dropped here from another planet. She’s proving my point. Where are all the customers, if she’s in fact very busy? I study her expression but it’s hard to get a read on her. If she won’t go out with me, that’s one thing, but why not sell? This place is valuable, even if it isn’t profitable in its current state. She stands to make millions if she were to sell. It doesn’t make any sense not to, and the fact that she hasn’t sold yet is equal parts miracle andmystery.
“I’m sorry,” she replies. I watch her lips as she speaks. She’s been through this all before, and she’s having none of it despite her initial consideration. “Like I said, you really do seem like a nice guy, but Ican’t.”
She stands as I reach out to shake her hand, her skin smooth and soft as I wrap my fingers aroundhers.
“It was nice to meet you anyway,” Isay.
“Nice to meet you, too.” She pulls her hand away after an extra beat and I can see on her face that she feels it too. As if I’m asking for permission to take more, I stay planted in my seat until she turns to walkaway.
I wave goodbye to her employee, standing behind the counter the whole time I was eating and who’s now chewing on the end of a peppermint stick as she watches me intently. I go over to the hostess stand and grab one on my way out thedoor.
“Those aren’t free,” Claire says afterme.
I chuckle to myself as I walk out the door and get into my car. Claire doesn’t know it, but I’m not driving back to the city tonight. If I weren’t already planning to stay in town for the next week, I’d find the nearest hotel and rent a room and stay here until I got her to at least entertain myoffer.
Or until I could get my hands on her curves, her lips against mine. Because I’m addicted to the chase, but I haven’t found the right woman yet. Or the right property. But I think Claire could be it, and her little shore-side restaurant might be theone.
Claire Beacon is a catch, and if I’m not careful I think she just might capture me and reel me in - hook, line andsinker.
And it might just be exactly what I’ve been looking for. When I get into my car, I call up my brother, hit the speaker and put my phone in itscradle.
“Hey brother,” hesays.
