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“What gave me away?” Finn’s undivided attention is focused on Grandma, his eyes never straying from her rosy face and warbling smile.
She hums in the back of her throat, and I throw a panicked glance at Nia. “Do you want me to trip him?” she mouths, and I shake my head no. Because surely Grandma would go down with him, and I’m not trying to take a trip to Holly County Memorial tonight.
“I’ve lived in Pine Ridge long enough to know all of the eligible bachelors here—Delilah isn’t going to get herself married.”
He chuckles, finally glancing in my direction with a quirked eyebrow. I offer the nastiest glare I can muster in return as I exclaim, “Oh my god, Grandma!”
“And you’re too skinny, which means you haven’t been eating any of the excellent food at Sunny Side Cafe.”For the love.I open my mouth to reprimand her, to remind her that I’m doing justfineand don’t need her inviting the world’s biggest asshole to darken the doorstep of my restaurant when she continues, “You should stop by in the morning and let Delilah cook you up something nice.”
Heat unfurls deep in my belly when Finn and I lock eyes over Grandma’s head, and my mouth gapes as he offers me a lascivious grin. “Mrs. Cooper, I have been exploring thefinerdining options in Pine Ridge and Delilah certainly seems like she’s on that list.”
“Okay, absolutely not,” I say as I step toward Grandma, not-so-gently yanking her hand from his arm. For good measure, I glare at Finn one last time before pulling Grandma away from him.“Fine diningisn’t on the menu for you, asshole. Take a hike—Pine Ridge isn’t buying what you’re selling.”
“Delilah LeeAnn Cooper!” Grandma chastises. I drag her away from Finn, shaking my head as Nia, eyes wide, laughs and chases after us.
Tempering my breathing, I pull to a stop when we’ve reached the edge of the town square. I turn, crossing my arms over my chest as I feel my eyes bulge. I take a deep breath, heart careening in my chest as I glance between my not-even-close to chagrined grandmother and my gleeful best friend. “Grandma, have you lost your goddamn mind?”
“Delilah, when a man that good looking steps foot in town, you have to snatch him up before someone else gets him! And unless you want to start dating Keith Lawson, you’re running out of options!”
“Grandma,” I say, inflecting as much levity into my tone as possible, hoping that my next words will help her understand the gravity of the situation. “That wasFinn Vittatoe.”
Nia’s face pales, and Grandma’s mouth falls open. “Oh, fuck,” she whispers, the craggy lines around her mouth smoothing with the force of her frown.
Glancing across the square, my jaw tightens at the sight of the man staring steadfastly back in my direction. It’s not the mature thing to do, but I raise my middle finger in the air and turn on my heel to stomp away.
Finn Vittatoe being in Pine Ridge is my worst nightmare. The man ruined my freaking life, and to add insult to injury—he doesn’t even remember me.
Chapter2
Finn
I’ve always been a take-life-by-the-horns type of guy. I make decisions, I stand beside them, and if I fail, I cut my losses and move on. If a business venture isn’t going the way I expect, I don’t sit back and let it bleed me dry. I nip it in the bud and start over somewhere else.
There isn’t time to second-guess myself, which is why I find it so fucking strange that I can’t get the woman from last night out of my mind.
Delilah Cooper, a small-town beauty with a big-city attitude.
The dismissal in those chocolatey brown eyes of hers should have warned me away, not intrigued me. The way she stood at the edge of the square and flipped me off after dragging her downrightdelightfulgrandmother away from me should have told me all I needed to know about her. But somehow, I found myself wanting to knowmore.
For example, how the hell does she know me all the way in Holly County, and why does she dislike me with such fervent vitriol?
Vittatoe Holdings is a nationally recognized brand, but in a backwater town like Pine Ridge? I shouldn’t even be on her radar.
“The mayor is proving to be moredifficultthan expected,” I say as I step into the frigid afternoon air, squinting against the harsh sunlight reflecting off the snow in the square. I prop my phone between my shoulder and my ear as I drag my leather gloves on. “I’ll need to spend a bit more time here than expected.”
I glance both ways before jogging across the street, away from the Municipal Building and my failed meeting with the stubborn mayor. Opening a fine dining experience in the town square, lining my pockets, and increasing my holdings in Holly County should be my top priority. But as I cross another block and head toward the street behind the square, all I can think about is Delilah’s smart mouth.
“Finn, honey,” my mother’s voice drags me out of thoughts of putting Delilah’s mouth to work in theright way. “This isn’t the time of year to be wasting your efforts. We’re very busy with the Van Horn and Lavorre parties this week, and there’s still so much planning to do for your father’s event.”
I slow my pace to a stroll, watching through curious eyes as patrons of the town shuffle in and out of the shops on this road as well. The potential for the town is out of this world, but dollar signs are the last thing on my mind as I spot the kitschy sign for Sunny Side about halfway down the block. My heart skips a beat in my chest, but I try not to overthink it.
“Mom… Taylor, Lance, Haley, and I have been working non-stop on Dad’s event. When have we ever let you down?”
“Yes, but it’s for thechildren,” she says with a sigh, and I can’t help the laugh that puffs through my lips as I pause outside of the restaurant. Glancing inside, I can already tell it’s everything Ihateabout chic, farmhouse style restaurants and prepare myself for a menu of deconstructed salads, sandwiches, and overpriced coffee.
“Mom, the event is well-planned, and Dad would be proud of the effort, just like every year in the past. Thechildrenwill not be disappointed, nor will the hospital when the funds are delivered. Stop worrying. Now, I love you, but I need to go. I have one last appointment in Pine Ridge before I head home.”
I usher my mother off the phone with one last guarantee that I’ll be back in time to follow up with the philanthropic director at the children’s hospital. Shaking my head, I slip my phone into my pocket and square my shoulders.
