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I glanced up from my work. “Flynn told you that?”
“He did.”
“Did he tell you he turned it down?”
Pop smiled gently. “Oh, yes. Very vocally. My ears are still ringing.”
I snorted and continued sweeping. “He barely listened to the proposal I gave him. I don’t even think he read the terms. He just… flat out decided he couldn’t do business with me because he didn’t trust me.”
“Is that what he said?”
I thought back. “I don’t remember exactly what he said.” I’d been a little distracted by my own reaction to the sight of him after so long. By how badly I’d wanted him. By how much I hated him being angry at me. “But the gist was pretty clear.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m going to fix it, though. Flynn’ll see that I’m not out to take anything from him, and I never have been. I’m gonna make it so this deal will give him everything he wants.”
“Will it, though?” He pointed to the area I’d just swept. “Think you missed something.”
I ran the broom over that area again and nodded. “Oh yeah. Flynn’ll have plenty of money and plenty of freedom. He can live his life exactly the way he wants, and he won’t be tied down by responsibility to his family or his business.” Thinking of what Hayden had said, I paused what I was doing to run my fingers over my watch strap, tracing the tattoo beneath, and remembered why I’d gotten the ink in the first place. “Anyone would want that, wouldn’t they?”
“Ah, Frog,” Pop chuckled. “Your heart’s always been in the right place.”
I wasn’t sure how he could make a compliment sound like a criticism. “You think I’m wrong?”
“You ever tell anyone the story of why I call you Frog?” he asked, apropos of nothing.
“Huh? God, no. Definitely not.” My face heated.
“You know folks think it’s because you put a frog in a sleeping bag on a campout?”
“Yes.” I knew because I’d invented that story myself.
Pop chuckled again. “Nothing to be ashamed of in caring for other living creatures.”
I pursed my lips. “I was an eight-year-old idiot with no understanding of amphibian biology.”
“You were a sweet boy who wanted to make sure the frogs out at the lake stayed happy and warm for the winter, even if you had to dig each one up all by yourself and find it a home. You just didn’t realize they could take care of that for themselves.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” I rolled my eyes and answered my own question. “More life advice disguised as casual conversation.”
“Just an old man’s reflections,” Pop said, his eyes twinkling like a person half his age. “But if you’re looking for advice, I’ll tell you this: Firecrackers can light up your whole world, but if you underestimate ’em, they’re dangerous as all heck. You gotta treat ’em with care.”
This, at least, was self-explanatory.
“I know that,” I promised solemnly. “I maybe haven’t always been careful, but I will be.”
Pop snorted. “You’ll learn to be anyway. Ah, you and that grandson of mine.” He sighed with fond exasperation and shook his head. “Some people gotta do everything the hard way.”
I scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Means maybe you can head out to Quick Lake later on. Huck and Willow are leaving town in a couple weeks, so we’re having another cookout at the Retreat. Gotta make the most of the time they’re here.”
“Oh. I shouldn’t intrude. Flynn would be annoyed if I went while he was at the Tavern working—”
“Flynn’ll be there,” he said with amusement clear on his face.
I cleared my throat. “I’ll bring dessert.”
ChapterTen
Flynn
