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She stopped before they made it to Diamond and glanced up at him from beneath his arm. A small smile hinted at her lips, but she didn’t respond to his compliment.
Their eyes locked and in that moment he could pretend they weren’t competitors. He could see her for the amazing businesswoman she was—theattractivebusinesswoman she was. She wasn’t wearing her glasses right now, so her features weren’t so severe. Without them, she seemed younger, more vulnerable.
She had freckles.
His focus shifted to the speckles on her nose and he grinned. “I didn’t know you had freckles.”
Megan blinked a few times then looked away. “I think you hit your head a little harder than you’re admitting.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
She adjusted her hold on him and they took a few more steps to make it to his horse’s side. He reached for the saddle horn, but his boot missed the stirrup. Her hands came up as if to steady him, but she didn’t touch him. “I really don’t know if you should be getting on that horse right now.”
“I’m not dizzy anymore. But my head still aches like no other.” He shot a quick glance toward her. “I’m fine.”
“I don’t think so. Maybe we should call—”
“No,” he muttered firmly. “I’m not calling anyone.” Too many people were already worried about him. Or at least that was how it felt. His parents had pulled him aside and told him that his rivalry with Megan was childish. But they didn’t understand what was at stake.
“Well, at least let me walk with you. I don’t want you falling again.”
Daniel heaved a sigh and faced her fully. “Why are you even helping me? I started that rumor about you using additives. You have every right to hate me right now.”
She bit back a smile and looked away. He knew that look. That was the look of someone who had already retaliated.
“What did you do?” He wasn’t even mad. How could he be? This woman was proving she could hold her own in a fight. If anything, he should be proud to be called her adversary.
Megan peeked at him then lowered her gaze. “I might have started a rumor about you not following cleaning protocols.”
“Youwhat?” He dragged a hand down his face then winced as a fresh wave of pain rocked through his head. “That’s worse.”
“Iknow,” she muttered. “And I’m sorry.”
His brows creased. That was unexpected. He hadn’t thought she’d apologize for anything given what they were currently going through. “Yeah, I’m sorry, too.” They stood there, the cool breeze seemingly the only thing to dissipate their animosity.
Here, surrounded by nature, he could finally think clearly. There was something about being out here that helped him make sense of his life. He still didn’t have a solution to his struggling coffee shop problem.
Daniel glanced at her. “I suppose I shouldn’t spread rumors that you have cockroaches, huh?”
She gasped and her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!”
He chuckled. “It wouldn’t be any worse than you saying I’m not maintaining a clean shop.”
Her face flushed.
Another laugh escaped his chest but then he groaned from the effort of it. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it. I think we’ve gone a little too far. It’s one thing to run promotions. It’s a whole other issue when we try sabotaging the other.”
Megan continued to watch him. It wasn’t hard to see the suspicion she held for him. The way her gaze drilled into him unnerved him like no other.
Daniel took in a deep breath and exhaled. “This shop… it’s important.”
“And you don’t think my business is?” The frown returned. “I poured my life and soul into my place. But more than that, it’s been a dream of mine. When I was a little girl, I wanted a bookstore. I wanted a place for people to escape when they were having a hard day. And I’m not just going to change my business model because I’m stepping on a few toes.”
There was only one thing from her little speech that stuck with him.
Her dream.
He’d had a dream, once.
