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“She worries about you. She knows how easy it is to lose your individuality when the family business is the sole source of income.”
“She said that?” It hit her right in the solar plexus. The impact radiated all the way to her fingertips, making them tingle. No one…not one single Giordano had ever acknowledged the simple, obvious fact. Because it was a given. A way of life.
Just hearing the words, though…losing your individuality for the sake of the family business…
God.
Yes.
And she couldn’t even say she’d realized it on her own, but it was absolutely true.
She was a team player, so she’d never gotten to become her own woman.
And that’s why this summer matters so much. I’m coming into my own, finding out who I am.
“It was one of her biggest challenges,” he continued. “Knowing they couldn’t survive without our help but also wanting us to be true to ourselves.”
“Abby credits you for finding a way to allow everyone to live their dreams but also stay here on the ranch.”
“Yeah, well...” Contemplative, he thumbed his lower lip. “I wasn’t the best role model, and my siblings werenoton good paths. My parents had enough to worry about, so I tried to help them find…compromises, I guess.”
“Abby said you sent her to art school.”
“I didn’t send her. That’s what she chose.”
“But your parents wouldn’t have paid for it. They said it wasn’t practical. So, you did. With your own money. And then you found a way for her to do art on the ranch.”
“Well, we needed merch.”
She doubted that very much, but she loved this side of him. The one that was kind, caring, generous, and sweet.Oh, brother. If she had a chance in hell of keeping this crush under control, then she needed him to get moody real quick. “That’s funny because Abby told me you created the shop just for her. But nice try going with the whole badass mountain man thing you’ve got going here.”
“I’m not trying to be anything.” He chuckled. “I really am a badass mountain man.” He turned his attention to the lemon tarts. “These are pretty.”
In this cozy space scented with lemon and baking dough, she just felt so close to him, like she’d known him forever. “They taste even better.” She picked one up and brought it to his mouth.
He reared back. “No, thanks.”
“This again, really? Can’t you just take one bite to see if you like what I make?”
“I’ll like anything you do, but dessert’s just not my thing.”
“Because one lemon tart is like all the others.”
“I’m sure yours are better, but it’s empty calories.”
“And you don’t do anything unless it has a purpose.”
He didn’t answer, just held her gaze as if plundering the depths of her soul, looking for every piece of her. She got the sense that when this man committed, he went all-in. If he ever did tear down his walls, he would find out who she was and what she wanted and then, spend his life giving it to her.
She never knew until this moment how much she wanted—no, needed—to be that important to someone. That special.Too bad it won’t be him. “Well, something’s not adding up. Your mom said you had a wicked sweet tooth.”
“I did. As a kid. But when you’re dedicated to a sport, you learn to field the distractions so you can focus on what matters.”
“So, in this plan of yours, is there no room to indulge yourself?”
“The less temptation, the better.”
That was the second time he’d used that word. And it was all she needed to stop playing around with him. She set the tart down. “Okay. Well, I should get back to work. I need to double what I made today.”
