Page 83 of Dandelion Sighs

She beamed. “We’re so lucky to have Paola.”

“A trained chef who wants the freedom to do her own thing.”

“And her own thing includes lots of butter.” She pushed the menu aside. “I’ll get the tips too.”

She folded her hands and let her gaze wander around the rustic restaurant. She wore something a little dressier than what she normally did. Her shorts were a hair shorter than usual, and the shirt clung to her curves. The hint of cleavage drove me wild.

One more date, and I could have her again.

A shadow passed over her face, but it was gone just as quickly.

“What?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

“There’s something going on in that sharp mind of yours. Want to talk about it?”

She fiddled with the paper ring that had been around her silverware. “No, I don’t want to talk about it.” She dropped her shoulders and put the paper down. “I’ve been having some reality checks.”

There was only one thing that would be on her mind as the date for a possible and probable sale of Grandma Annie’s land approached. “REG?”

She nodded. “I’ve had to ask myself how much I want this and why I’m so afraid to fail.”

“You don’t want to let anyone down.”

“But what if I am?” She dropped the paper ring she’d folded into a small square. “What if I’m failing them by trying to hold on to the resort? REG has the funds. There’s more than one person in charge.” She huffed. “That has to be a benefit. What if they’re able to pay the staff more? Offer better benefits?”

“You’re doing just fine.”

“I’m struggling. Bishop’s Landing is struggling. If your aunt does decide to sell and considers me, I could finance the resort, but then… debt and payments. It’s scary.” She stared out the window. “You know that pretzel place?”

Her change of subject caught me off guard. “Pretzel place?”

“The one that started in some small town not far away from here? She sold to Hershey’s for over a billion.”

“Shit.” Dismay filled my gut, robbing me of my appetite. If the server came by, I’d probably just order water. Was the money proving too tempting? The irony of Aunt Linda possibly holding on to the property while Sheridan sold instead broke my heart. “Yeah, I think I recall hearing about that.”

“I know Bishop’s Landing isn’t worth a billion, but what if I put it up for sale? What if…” She licked her bottom lip. Conflict raged in her eyes. She didn’t like the idea, but she was so determined to do right by everyone that she was growing more resolved with each minute. “What if I sell with some sort of contingency clause that they give the staff a year before making changes or closing the resort? It’d give the employees time to find something else or maybe even stay.”

An exhale trickled out of me. She could do that. With REG looking for exactly that resort, she could pocket enough money to set herself up for years. She could start her own, smaller business, one that wasn’t unwieldy or that didn’t need a million updates.

“You could go anywhere.” The words tasted sour. I should be encouraging her to do what was best for her. I should be thrilled that she could go from a money drain to a windfall. REG would make it rain Benjamins and gobble this place up.

“I could go anywhere.” Was I imagining her wooden tone?

The server came by, and we ordered. My hunger hadn’t returned, but I asked for the beef tips, and I’d chew on each one even if it was dust in my mouth. Sheridan didn’t need to deal with my shit while she was working through her own plans.

She could do anything and go anywhere. Technically, I could too. I wasn’t in that different of a place than her. Would she move on and leave me behind, thinking I was just coasting through life? I could wait for the third date. Maybe I’d get a fourth. We’d have sex. And then she’d keep planning her future—one that didn’t include me.

I could start by showing her that I was the guy she wanted. That I could do more than coast. “Jensen suggested I hang my own handyman shingle in town.”

Surprise lifted her brows. “You’re starting your own business?”

“Thinking about it.” I hadn’t seriously considered it until now, but if she thought of me as more, as real partner potential, I would.

“Oh.” She let out a melancholy laugh. “I guess if I sell, I don’t have to worry about affording a full-time maintenance person.”

“You’ve been paying for a full-time maintenance person.” The pay wasn’t the best, but I had a lot of flexibility and a relaxed work environment. Those were two things I didn’t take lightly.