Page 25 of Right With You
Still, there it was. A tiny ember.
No idea what it was hopefor, but I found myself cradling it close just the same.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Elise
My brain ran at a sprinter’s pace.
I just told him how hot he is and of course he knows this but now I’ve made it incredibly awkward and obvious just how gorgeous I think he is and that’s fiiiiiine. It’s cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.
His gaze rested on me, but I didn’t dare look up and let him see the full blaze of my blush, so I kept my eyes on my food and hoped he’d continue.
Mercifully, he did.
“They are legitimate. It was an odd time in my life, but that didn’t seem to faze my grandfather either. At that age, all I wanted was for him to acknowledge I had agency and should get to choose, but he’d simply say it was a passing fancy and I’d change my ways soon enough. Then I did something more drastic—leaning into my half-American heritage my grandfather disdained and, even better, joining the American military. He froze the trust that contains a fairly large sum of money I should’ve received at twenty-five and made it so I couldn’t access it until I was out of the military. That time has come… and he’s moving the goal post again. It never bothered me because I had no use for that kind of money.”
I froze after crunching my latest guac-smothered chip. He laughed softly, this charming little wisp of air and flash of teeth, and shook his head.
“I was a petulant child and…” He looked down and tucked some grilled vegetables into the tortilla he’d been slowly filling, lines bracketing his mouth with his frown. “I’m afraid I’ve put you in this position because I still am sometimes. At the same time, I finally know how I’d use the money in the trust. I want to help Saint Security expand. We have a great investor now, but I’d love to shift that to someone who’s employed there. I’d—all those details don’t matter. The point is, I’m hoping this will appease him enough to stop him from dissolving the trust.”
I swallowed my bite and studied him. Why did his admission that he’d been acting a fool about all this make me like him more? Even the knowledge that he wanted to help expand Saint brought me joy because so many great people worked there. Some of my very favorite people, in fact.
“No one is immune to family dynamics. I’m surrounded by people who have these beautiful, loving relationships with at least one member of their family, and I—” My lips snapped closed when I realized what a personal truth I’d almost offered him right on a platter with a side of rice and beans.
He gave me a few seconds to recover, each of us eating our dinner with distant sounds of piped in mariachi music and the hum of other diners filling the space between us.
“You don’t have to finish whatever thought you started, but if you want to, I’d like to know.” His quicksilver eyes flickered back and forth between mine. “I’m under no illusion you’re perfect because no one is. But I admire and respect you, what I know of you, and I hope you’ll feel safe to tell me whatever you want.”
The emotion attempting to leak from my tear ducts came down to exhaustion. And maybe the overwhelm of being a business owner in a niche market in a resort town with heavy seasonal market shifts.
Maybe it also had something to do with this man being so forthright with me about his own failings and welcoming me to be human.
“You’re so sure I’m not perfect?” I asked, deflecting and hoping the tease would help me inch away from the ache at my jaw that signaled a potential onslaught of tears.
He flashed a grin before sobering. “I’m certain. And I’m glad. I could never be fake-engaged to someone perfect.”
After another bite, during which I summoned both calm and bravery, I set down my fork. “I was going to say I’m not close to mine. My mom follows her heart on a whim and is currently married to husband number six. They live in Florida, and we talk maybe once a month.”
I wouldn’t explain everything there—the reasons why we don’t talk more or why I couldn’t stomach being around her when she was married or recently divorced or looking for someone new—so basically ever.
“I’m only close to my sister, whom you’ll meet. She just confirmed she and her husband will be coming into town the day after my grandfather arrives.”
“I’m glad I’ll get to meet her. On that note, you just said fake fiancée, but the other day you said you wanted it to be real for all intents and purposes. I think I know what you mean by that—you want it to look real to everyone. That’ll help the Callum situation, too. But… are you thinking we’ll tell people?”
His shoulders rose and fell with a big breath. “I defer to you on this. I understand if you’re not comfortable telling others. Perhaps you tell your close friends what’s really happening, and everyone else will believe we’re engaged as will, we hope, your ex.”
“Tell them it’s fake?”
He nodded. “You tell your friends I’ve been an impulsive child and lied to my grandfather and you are the kind soul helping me navigate the mess of my own making.”
I chuckled, appreciating his self-deprecation even if it was a bit much. “I’m not sure all of that is necessary, but I would prefer to tell my friends. They won’t say anything to Callum, for sure, and otherwise, I’m not sure who’d notice. And you can let me know if you’ll be telling yours or?—”
“Fair warning. I have already told Kenny and Stone.”
My lips twitched. “I can only imagine what Kenny said.”
His eyes shut slowly, Luc’s flair for the dramatic hilarious. “You can imagine. And after tonight, assuming you’re comfortable with the way forward, I’m sure he’ll let you know how he feels about it.”
