Page 80 of Hoax and Kisses
“I’m calm,” I grumble.
I glance at Zoey, but her focus is stuck on Justin’s van. “So business is good, huh?”
“Yeah.” Justin shrugs again. “Can’t complain. Things are running pretty well.”
She narrows her eyes. “But could be doing better, am I wrong?”
I frown. What is she up to?
“Yeah. Well, you know.” He smooths his hair. “You always need more money when you’re your own boss.”
Zoey nods, her voice leaking confidence. “Absolutely. Especially when you have employees to take care of and raises to hand out every year. Not to mention the costs of material these days.” She scoffs. “Hello inflation, am I right?”
I hold back a snort. She’s brilliant. She carefully weaves a web until her target can no longer escape. Then she goes for the final blow.
“There may be a new lodge in the area soon,” she continues, her voice low, as if she’s spilling her secrets. “That would be a whole lot of work for your company.”
Justin narrows his eyes. “I’ve heard about it. I thought it got turned down.”
“Nope. And if it gets the green light, then you and I could talk about what it’d mean for your construction business.”
Justin chuckles awkwardly, his attention drifting to me. He shifts his weight like he’s ready to bolt.
“What’s the catch?”
“Thought you’d never ask,” she grins. “All I need is your vote at the next town meeting. Simple as that.”
I can see the wheels turning in Justin’s head as he considers his options. Finally, he lets out a long sigh. “All right. You’ve got me intrigued. I’ll think about it.”
She smiles, keeping the expression tame, but the way her leg shakes against mine betrays her excitement. “That’s all I ask.”
Once Justin is out of earshot, I turn and grasp her upper arms.
“You were fantastic.” I breathe. “The way you got him exactly where you wanted him? A master class.”
I don’t realize I’m jiggling her with each word until she laughs. The rich, spontaneous sound stops me cold.
She tilts her head back, and it’s like my whole world tilts with her.
“What?” she asks, her laugh fading in the breeze.
I swallow, my breath hitching in my throat. “Do it again,” I whisper, steadying her.
She searches my face, her brows pulled low in question. “Do what?”
“I want to hear you laugh again.”
Her frown deepens, her smile faltering. “I laugh all the time.”
I trace my thumb gently across her cheek, soaking in the heat of her skin. “Not like this. Not with your whole heart.”
Her expression shifts, a flicker of vulnerability peeking out from beneath the layers of her usual confidence.
Give me more, I want to tell her.Iwantmore.
“No one has ever noticed that before,” she says thickly.
I lean closer, my chest pounding, and stroke her cheek again, as if this small touch could somehow coax her closer. “I do. I notice everything about you.”
