Page 65 of Dandelion Sighs

“I’m a big fan,” Leon said, interest lighting his brown eyes. “We used to come up here and visit my aunt. My dad insisted on coming here each time too.”

“I probably waited on you,” I said woodenly. Pride resonated inside me.

Lawrence clasped his hands together. “I know you might not be thinking of selling, but if you ever are, please keep us in mind.”

They were just the right kind of pushy, yet pleasant. Worse, they seemed genuine. The kind of considerate that would make me think seriously about things like offers and closing dates. Yet they didn’t have a family legacy driving them. They likely didn’t harbor the same sense of obligation to the area and the people in it. I had that going for me.

Not much else.

“We’ll make it worth your while,” Melody said as if she knew what was coming was increasingly tempting. “This area is lovely, and we want to keep it going forever.”

So did I. “Yes. Okay.”

Would I be able to continue? They had money. They had assets. I was a washed-up real estate agent who could barely keep my real estate going. I was a failure.

They were all looking at me. I flipped the business card through my fingers. I closed my hand around it, crinkling the edges. I had time. My doors were still open, and I’d keep ramming myself into them until they stayed that way permanently.

“Thank you. Enjoy your meal.” My smile might’ve looked unhinged, but I attempted one before I walked away.

When I pushed out of the restaurant, I didn’t go back to my office. REG’s visit solidified some decisions while upending everything else. I continued out the front door and through the parking lot. Clouds banked in the distance. A storm was coming, but the temperature hadn’t dropped yet.

I continued over the grass to the shop. The side door was open. He closed the big door when the sun was shining in. I didn’t bother to knock. Was he even in here, or was he inside working on the bed frame Landon had reported as busted?

Clinging heat surrounded me the further in I got. Jasper’s wide shoulders were at the workbench. My cheeks heated even more when the memory of looking up at him rose up. Had I really done that?

But seeing his strong back and the way the denim molded over his ass, I’d do it again. It’d take my mind off what just happened.

He cranked his head to glance over his shoulder. “Hey, boss. I thought I heard something.” He turned from what must be part of the wooden bed frame. “But I figured you’d had enough of me over the weekend.”

“I got this goddamn business card,” I blurted out.

His grin faded when his gaze dropped to my outstretched hand holding the business card.

His boots thudded against the floor as he crossed to me. His jaw flexed when he read it. “REG.”

There was a finality to his tone. The sense of betrayal I thought I had dealt with cropped back up. “You’ve heard of them?”

“Uh, yeah.” He took his ball cap off and pushed a hand through his hair. “I talked to Linda and she told me. They made her a life-changing offer.”

A maniacal laugh left me. “They didn’t even throw a number out. Just said to give them a call.” As if it was a foregone conclusion.

Was it? Was it obvious to everyone but me?

He plucked the card out of my grip and tossed it behind him. Then he pulled me into him for a hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. His comforting warmth surrounded me, totally different from the heat of the day.

Still, this wasn’t enough to soothe the splash of reality I just got. “I had just been looking at numbers too.”

“Not good?”

“Is trending downward good?” I squeezed my eyes shut and burrowed further into him. His heart beat steadily underneath my cheeks. “I don’t care. I’m hanging on to the bitter end.” I might believe it if I repeated it enough.

“You’re turning around a ship. The resort is small, but it’s not a speedboat. You’ve only been at this for a couple of months.”

“Mom could do it.” She’d kept the resort alive with less. But she didn’t have this type of competition.

He rubbed his hands up and down my back. “Your mom sounds like an amazing person, but you’re not her. You’re going to see this place through different eyes.”

I just grunted my reply, soaking up the soothing rhythm of his touch. “She had a lot of skills I don’t.”