Liam’s words were a sucker punch to the heart—in a good way but leaving me winded nonetheless. I reached up to rub my chest, brows furrowing. “I know I’ll always have you in my corner.” That much was true, but there was more to it. “It’s intimidating to think that this all was for nothing. If I don’t impress him, then why have I spent the last four years working for him? Because it sure as hell wasn’t for me. This feels like…an opportunity to prove to him that I can do the work I’ve wanted to do. Even if I leave Nelson Group at the end of it all. I don’t know if I would, but I’ve sure as hell thought about it. Now more than ever.”
Liam listened intently, nodding. He reached over to grab a napkin and wiped his hands on it. “Well, let’s get you packed up and sent off to Golden Falls. This is an opportunity to get you closer to what you want. Plus, you could use a vacation.”
I huffed a laugh. “I’d prefer if that vacation was to one of your resorts instead of a small town where everyone gives me the stink eye and I have a blue-eyed blonde wishing for my death sentence, but I guess this will do.”
“I’ll see what strings I can pull,” he teased with a wink. “Now…” he said with a wide smirk. “Tell me more about thisblue-eyed blondeand the winter wish list you have to complete. What’s on it? Anything good?”
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head and pushing myself off the counter. “Nothing more to tell, and no, nothing good. It’s all the stuff I hate about this time of year.” I walked toward my bedroom, focusing on what I still had to pack and not on the conversation at hand.Certainlynot on Lily.
“Nothing more to tell?” Liam repeated, his footsteps right behind me. “What do you think, Beans?”
Beans meowed loudly.
“Yeah, buddy, I call bullshit, too.”
“What, so I leave for a weekend, and all of a sudden you’re best friends with my cat? Who you’ve claimed formonthshated you?”
“Everyone loves a good slow burn. We just needed some bonding time.”
“Apparently, you’ll have plenty of bonding time in the coming weeks.”
Liam stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame. “I could use the company. Think I could bring Beans to Half Day Pub for dinner? Oh! I’ll get takeout. That’ll be easier.”
I barked out a laugh. “I do think that’ll be easier. But…” I looked over at him. “Then you wouldn’t see Fiona.”
Liam’s face fell as realization dawned on him, which only confirmed my suspicions that there wassomethingthere, at least on his side. “You’re right. I’ll pop in for an appetizer, say hi to her, and then get my dinner to go, so I can eat with Beans.”
“Sounds like you have a plan. Any dates lined up?”
Liam rolled his eyes with a groan. “Fuck no. I’m taking a break. I can’t handle another bad date or a date where the woman knows everything about me because she did her research. Like, I get looking up the person you’re going on a date with, but being able to recite my whole biography? Recounting details that even I’d forgotten about?” He shook his head. “That was my last straw.”
“Damn.” My eyes were wide as I listened to him. “Well, Beans is great company.” I would know. He’d kept me company during many date-less nights. I hadn’t been on a date in well over a year with how busy work had been. After the damage my parents had done on me and hearing Liam’s horror stories, it was possible I’d never date again.
Not that I was having much luck when Iwasdating. I always kept things casual and surface level, despite knowing that having a long-term relationship would be more fulfilling. I liked the idea of having someone I could tell anything and everything to—and being that person for them in return—but I couldn’t bring myself to open up.
Because of that, I typically sought out women who were looking for something casual. We would spend time together over a few dates and then go our separate ways without any hard feelings. It was easier that way. I didn’t have to dig into how unhappy I was in my career or my complicated relationship with my parents. Or how even though I wanted a long-term relationship, I was seeking the opposite.
Liam broke me out of my thoughts. “Tell me more about Lily. What do you think being around her will be like?”
I moved around the room, grabbing a stack of shirts and then a few pairs of pants. I had no damn clue how long I’d be in Golden Falls, which made packing difficult. I had to hope for the best. That and try to survive Lily. One moment her eyes were a bright blue, and the next I swore her pupils turned into tiny daggers.
“Absolute torture.”
For more than one reason.
10
LILY
The savory aroma of garlic,onions and herbs made my stomach growl as I stepped into my parents’ house. It also confirmed that while I could bake, I wasn’t much of a cook, because my apartment never smelled like this during dinner.
My dad was the one who cooked more often, but my mom loved helping him. As I walked through the open-concept living room—past the fifteen-foot Christmas tree and toward the kitchen—I would’ve been able to spot the grin on my dad’s face from a mile away. I loved the way he looked at my mom, like she hung the moon.
My parents had been together since their early twenties. My dad, who grew up in Golden Falls, was the one who started Lake Ridge, the bar my older brother now owned. Dad bought an industrial building and renovated it. Once he was ready to build his staff, one of the first people he’d hired was Mom. She helped him with everything, and together, they turned Lake Ridge into a favorite spot in town. It was the place to stop by for a drink after work, spend time with friends and neighbors on the weekends, and play darts or pool.
Wes bought Lake Ridge a few years ago, allowing our dad to step back and enjoy retirement. Wes had elevated the bar to new heights. He took the casual feel people loved about it and made it even more of a destination. He added fire pits, a custom-built wooden bar, expanded the bar and liquor selection, and included personal touches to the place, like photos of our parents from when they were running it.
I loved how much my family put into this town, and I wanted to leave my mark on Golden Falls, too. I was hoping I could do a version of that with Purrfect Blend and the building.
