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I’m such an idiot. Why did I ever let him see this side of me? I’m fully capable of solving my problems without any help from Noah. And now, I have to wait up until he returns to check him in and give him his room key. I wonder what made him leave in such a rush. The question was on the tip of my tongue, but I reminded myself that he owes me no explanations. It’s none of my business where he has to venture off to, and it’s none of his that my business is slowly failing.
I go upstairs to the staff room to change into my pajamas, and when I get downstairs, he’s at the door, knocking. I could’ve left it unlocked, but I don’t like the idea of anyone being able to come in while all the guests are sleeping, and all the rooms use manual keys. I haven’t had the funds to switch over to a fob system.
“I’m so sorry.” I hurriedly open it.
His eyes roam over me like hot fudge over ice cream and my insides melt. “No, I’m sorry for all this trouble.”
“No trouble. Do you still have your room key?”
He nods, but his gaze doesn’t stop dipping to my cleavage in my silk button-up top. “I do.”
“Okay then. I’ll just lock up behind you.” I slide past him, but he barely moves, so my nipples brush against his bicep. You’d think I stuck them in an electrical socket the way I jerk back as a million volts go off in my body. “Good night, Noah. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I rush toward the staircase, but he catches my wrist right before my foot lands on the first one.
“Wait.” His voice is low and missing its usual confidence.
I slowly turn and tilt my head. He doesn’t release my wrist, and I don’t pull away. His touch feels good tonight after such a shitty day.
“Can we talk?”
“I don’t want to discuss what’s happening with the inn. You can’t save my business.”
He’s silent for a moment, so I pull my wrist from his hand and circle back around to take the stairs.
“I have a proposition for you.” His voice is stronger now, more how I’m used to hearing it.
Oh god, is he going to ask me to have sex with him? Because I’m not sure I can deny him tonight. All I want to do is walk into those huge arms and have them squeeze me as he tells me things will be okay.
“What?”
“I need you to hear me out. Can we sit?” He signals toward the dining room.
“What exactly are you propositioning me about?” I walk into the dining room, my curiosity too piqued to turn him down without hearing him out.
He takes a deep breath. “My grandma had a heart attack tonight.”
I instantly whip around, my hand over my heart. “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me before you left?”
His big hands steady me by my upper arms. “She’s okay. It was a minor one, I guess. The hospital couldn’t get a hold of me, so they called the second number on the emergency list, which is my dad’s.”
“Oh. And he went?”
He nods. “He did, not happily, but when I got there, my mom was holding my grandma’s hand. I haven’t seen them in the same room together in over a decade, let alone touching one another in a caring manner.”
I give him a soft smile. “That must’ve been nice.”
He doesn’t fully smile, walking past me and taking my hand, leading us to a table near the window. “There’s more.”
“Okay.”
He pulls out a chair for me to sit down and tucks it in behind me. He groans when he pulls out his own chair, folding himself into it. Then he stares at me for an uncomfortable beat. “I hate putting you in this position, and I want you to know you can say no, but I also want you to hear me out.”
“Okkaayy.” My hands fiddle in my lap. I have no idea where he’s going.
“You need help drawing more people to the inn, right?”
I nod.
