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Flynn clenched his jaw. “No.”
Susan immediately sidled up to Flynn. “Come now, Mr. O’Connor, I am sure we can find some way to persuade you.” She offered him a huge smile.
Harper gritted her teeth. Susan never knew when to quit. She had to know Flynn wouldn’t fall for her tricks. But that didn’t stop her from making the attempt.
Susan took Flynn’s arm and Harper was quite sure the woman deliberately brushed a breast on his bicep. Was she fucking serious?
Harper cleared her throat. “I think we should go, Susan. The weather is deteriorating.”
“Nonsense. I think it makes more sense to stay here until it lets up.” She tried tugging Flynn back toward the salon. “Mr. O’Connor, do you mind if I call you Flynn? I was wondering if you could tell me more about the Rainy Day Club.”
Flynn dug his heels in, resisting her efforts to get cozy. He didn’t even respond to her question. “Holding the event here is a bad idea. You’ll have to find somewhere else.”
“Susan!” A man stepped out from the salon. “I didn’t realize you were here.”
“Eli!” She immediately dropped Flynn’s arm. “And Richard. What are you gentlemen doing here? I thought you were leaving town.”
“We got held up,” Eli said. “Why don’t you join us for dinner? The club is doing a nice hearty stew this evening with fresh crusty bread.”
“Sounds delicious. I would love to.” She followed the men into the dining area, her hips swaying like a starlet from the Fifties.
Harper turned to Flynn. “Do you need some time? You could follow me to my place.”
He glanced up and swore softly as the front door opened. Jason, along with Crawley and Lazlo, trucked back into the foyer. “The canal overran the Thompson Bridge. I’m afraid we’re stuck here for a while.”
Harper didn’t know whether to cry or celebrate. She wanted to check out the rest of the rooms in the house and search for green paint and this could be her opportunity. On the other hand, she wanted to be alone with Flynn. She let out a long breath. Shit. She’d been jealous of Susan a few moments ago. How stupid was that? Maybe it was better if they stayed with other people. God only knew what would happen if they went to her place.
Crawley and Lazlo shrugged out of their coats and went into the salon. Jason came to a halt beside her and Flynn.
Flynn glanced at her. “Excuse me for a minute.” He walked by them and went down the back stairs.
But she knew exactly what would happen if he came to her place and now she was seriously disappointed that it wasn’t going to happen. She wanted Flynn as much as she wanted to breathe. That kiss had rocked her world and she wanted more of that. Much more.
“Harper?” Jason scowled at her.
“Sorry, what?” She’d been staring after Flynn and Jason’s face looked as ominous as the sky outside.
“I said what are you doing here? Didn’t you trust me to look into what you told me? And thanks for the tip, by the way.”
She wanted to hit him. There was no other way to describe it. She wanted to smoke Jason Merritt right in the nose and hopefully break it. “Sorry if I was wrong. Just trying to find out who killed Astrid. It was the same paint, by the way. The library is just one room with it. There could be more in here.” She fixed him with a glare. “And for your information, I’m here because we need a better place to hold the Halloween Extravaganza. Jed’s giving the mayor a hard time. This place has lots of space and parking. It’s close to town and spooky as fu…uh, in its own right. Perfect for the event. We’re here trying to convince everyone. Flynn is the only holdout.”
Jason glanced in the direction Flynn disappeared to and then back at her, uncertainty sprawled across his features. “So, you’re here to what, help Susan?”
She wanted to tell him the truth but didn’t trust his very judgmental attitude. Exactly what she didn’t need right now. She knew her infatuation with Flynn was stupid. She didn’t know him from Adam, and he emanated danger, but she also knew a compelling chemistry existed between them. More powerful than anything she’d ever experienced.
“I’m here to keep Susan on task and stop her from pissing people off. We wouldn’t be in this mess if she’d played nice with Jed.” She let out a loud sigh.
Jason smirked. “That sounds like Susan.” He inclined his head. “Where is she?” Just then a peal of laughter came from the dining room. He glanced in that direction and then back at Harper. “It’s like that, is it? She’s schmoozing and leaving you to do the real work?”
Harper made a non-committal sound. She didn’t want to throw Susan under the bus. Instead, she asked about the bridge. “How high was the water?”
He shrugged out of his jacket. “It’s a good foot over the bridge. If it keeps raining like this, we’ll be stuck here for a while.”
“It’s been such a wet fall. I’m not surprised there’s flooding. Climate change is real.” She peered at the back stairwell but still no Flynn.
“Well, since you’re here, you might as well eat,” Mrs. Carruthers said from the middle of the salon.
“Not the friendliest invitation I’ve ever had,” Jason commented. “But I’m starving so I’ll take it.” He stepped back and gestured. “After you.”
