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“I just got off the phone with a caterer who is willing to donate her services.”
His brows shot up. “You’re kidding.”
She shook her head, unable or unwilling to hide her excited smile. “The town is really coming together for this event. I think you underestimate how much they want you to succeed.”
Mike tore his focus from her, that doubt creeping in. “I think they just loved my grandparents.”
“Maybe,” she mused, “but from what I’ve seen, Rocky Ridge has a history of building up those they consider family. You’re part of that family, Mike, whether you want to accept it or not.” Something in her voice made him want to believe it.
He bit back a smile of his own, his eyes dropping to where her hands dangled out over the railing beside his. It wouldn’t take much effort at all to reach out and intertwine his fingers with hers. The temptation was so strong it made his whole body feel like he’d been doing resistance training from sunup to sundown.
Rose turned to her side and grinned. “Everything is falling into place. How are you feeling about it all?”
“It’s… overwhelming.” That was the only way to describe it.
“Yeah. I guess it is.” She turned again, facing the property. Her shoulder bumped into his and she released a contented sigh. “Isn’t it great, though?”
Her head rested against his shoulder then, and for the first time in his life, he thought things might actually work out for him. Maybe a future with Rose was a possibility.
Mike couldn’t remember even one time when his grandfather’s house had been this full. He couldn’t move more than a few steps without bumping into someone from town. The kitchen was filled to the brim with those working for the catering group, and every so often, he had to jump backward to avoid one of them running into him.
Everywhere he looked, there were paintings he’d found in the studio and in the attic. A very quiet voice in his head anxiously asked him if he could actually part with all of these works of art. But all he had to do was find Rose’s eyes across the room and that voice was easily snuffed out.
This was the right thing to do.
A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He glanced over to the man who’d come to stand beside him. Eli Reese lifted a glass of lemonade to his lips and smiled.
“You’ve turned out to be a fine young man. Your grandfather would be proud.”
Mike stiffened. He hadn’t said two words to the man who had hired him since he’d moved back to Rocky Ridge. The members of the Reese family were the closest he’d come to filling the hole his grandparents had left behind. While the man was intimidating, Eli’s opinion was probably the only one that had mattered to Mike when he’d come home. It was the reason he’d sought out a job with his grandfather’s neighbor.
“Thank you, sir,” Mike murmured.
Eli gestured around the room. “Looks like you’ve been making good use of your time off. Will you be coming back to work for me? Or have you considered going into renovation work?”
“I—I don’t know, sir. I haven’t thought about it.”
“Well, maybe you should.” He clapped his hand on Mike’s shoulder again. “Keep up the good work, Mr. Anderson.”
Eli moved through the room and Mike watched him visit with several other members of the Reese family.
“What was my uncle saying?” Rose materialized beside him, causing his heart to once again go into overdrive.
“He was just saying how well this whole thing is going.”
“Well, he’s right.” Rose bumped her shoulder against his. “It’s perfect.”
Mike gave her an appreciative smile.
“Except for one thing.”
He frowned. “What is it? Did they run out of food?”
Rose shook her head. “Some of my paintings are on the back wall. I know I didn’t put them there.” There was a mild note of accusation in her voice.
Mike shrugged. “I guess someone thought they were good enough to be part of the set.”
“Mike…” she drawled. “I know it was you.”
