Page 38 of Out of Bounds
“Good thinking and timing. Another few seconds and you would have missed me.”
“I hope I’m not taking up too much of your time.”
“You aren’t. Now tell me more about this dream of yours.”
“I was hoping to have the spa running by the end of the year. I think Pine Valley Lodge will be perfect for what I want.”
“Okay, if this is a dream how come you’re only just doing it?”
Trust him to push me in the direction talking about something I’d rather not talk about.
I drag in a breath.
“I was scared. I had the idea after high school and my grandma had just died. She left me some money. Not a lot but it was enough to leave Wilmington and set up somewhere. I wanted to go to Florida or L.A., but my mother told me I wasn’t capable enough.”
Sympathy fills his eyes, and he takes another sip of his drink.
“Sorry that happened. I didn’t know your mother was like that.”
“I don’t think she means to be. She has this vision of how she wants my life to be and when I go against her it’s not good. Shelby is more like a mother to me, or rather she’d say big sister if she were here. She hates anything that makes her look old. I’m not even allowed to call her aunt in public.”
He chuckles. “So, you’re going to do the spa now. You’re not going to try and persuade me to accept your offer then change your mind if someone tells you you’re not capable.”
“I’m going to do it. I wouldn’t have flown all this way if I wasn’t.”
“All right, I believe you.”
“Does that mean you’re going to accept my offer?” I sound way too hopeful, and eager.
His lips arch. “Not so fast, we’re not done yet.” he finishes his drink and grabs the bottle to pour us another round.
“What else do you want to know?”
“Is that the only dream you have?”
“It’s the main one and the most relevant to right now.”
He rivets his gaze to mine. “What are the other things?”
I stare back at him and wonder if he’s stalling me. “Ethan if you’re screwing with me, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m not screwing with you.”
“Well, aren’t you here for a bachelor weekend? Don’t you have to go and do whatever the hell you guys planned.” I can just imagine what they planned and I’m so glad Logan didn’t go.
“Yet I’m here sitting with you.”
“But you don’t have to be. The subject of the property is oh so simple. It’s a yes or a no.” I pray it’s not no and I hope I didn’t put it in his head that it could be. I’d be so crushed.
“If I wanted it to be that simple, I would make it that simple, but it’s not. So, humor me. What are your other dreams?”
Fine I can do this. It’s easy. I decide to conjure up all the things I want to do that are on the crazy side of the spectrum tohumorhim.
Chapter14
Bree
“Cliff diving,” I say with the flick of my wrist.
