“It’s a lowball counteroffer … but I’ll take it.”
“Deal.” He put his hand out, and they shook on it. He held on, not wanting the sense of right and warmth that came from touching her to end. She didn’t pull away, and he took that as a good sign.
“When do you want to start?”
He tugged her and her board a little closer. “Right now.”
She jolted. “Now?”
“It’s your day off, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but—wait, how did you know that? Are you spying on me?”
He lifted a shoulder. “It’s good business to keep an eye on your rival.” He still hadn’t let go of her hand, and he used that moment to brush his thumb over her knuckles.
She gasped, and her cheeks blushed pink. He thrilled at her response and brushed her hand again. His eyes darted to her full and inviting lips. With the waterfall and the sunshine filtering in through the trees above, this would be the perfect place to kiss her.
She slowly pulled her hand away. “We should get going,” she ventured. Their boards drifted apart, and with the space, his head cleared. “We’ll take your car.” She turned her board and headed for his dock.
He sat there a moment, needing to gather himself. He’d almost kissed her. He should have done it. Should have taken the chance instead of hesitating.
If he got another chance, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Chapter Fifteen
Brooklyn
Brooklyn maneuvered her board next to the dock. She tapped the wood with her oar, getting a hollow sound. “You sure this thing is seaworthy?”
He chuckled, a sound that was both warm and scary at the same time. Scary because she liked the way it made her feel, all gooey and doe-eyed and clever. Like what she had to say was important enough to listen to. Not that the feeling was foreign. Grams and Crystal laughed at her sarcasm all the time. It was just … Asher was a harder nut to crack. Getting that chuckle was a prize.
“Trust me, I had a professional come out. I wasn’t about to get stuck in the middle of the lake again.”
She crawled onto the platform, wishing there was a more graceful way of getting there. Asher had a great view of her behind. She glanced over her shoulder and found him holding her board and looking at the tip, giving her some privacy. Well, that was gentlemanly of him. She couldn’t say that she would have done the same thing if the tables were reversed.
She pulled her board up and hung it on the lower rack before going back to steady Asher’s board for him. She had to lie on her tummy to get both hands on it.
He set his oar on the dock but stopped just before getting off. “You’re not going to dump me in, are you?”
She grinned wickedly. “Turnabout is fair play.”
He gripped the sides of his board dramatically, making her laugh.
“I promise I won’t toss you in—this time.”
“I’m not sure I trust you.” He eyed her, and she caught the glint in his eye, the one that made her stomach do somersaults.
“You absolutely should not.”
He laughed. “At least you’re honest about it.” With that, he moved fast to get off the board and onto the more stable dock. She held his board still for him and then helped him lift it out of the water.
“Thanks,” he said.
She brushed off her hands. “You mean for helping or for not dunking you?”
He stopped and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Both.”
The world around them blurred, and Brooklyn’s breath hitched.
He dropped his hand and walked away as if he hadn’t stopped the world spinning with a touch. Like it was totally normal for a man to tuck her hair behind her ear.
Except it wasn’t!
She had a lot of good, guy friends. Men she hung out with at the Fourth of July picnic, the zombie parade, and even the Barefoot Ball. She’d danced with them, eaten with them, and even fallen asleep in their cars. But not once had any of them tucked her hair off her face.
She sucked in much-needed air and made her eyes refocus.
They headed up the long staircase to the main level of the house. From the back, the home was four stories and absolutely stunning. Huge windows framed every room, giving them all a dazzling view of the lake and mountains. She stopped to take it all in.
Asher noticed she wasn’t on his heels and stopped, too. He looked up at the house and then back to her.
“I’ve never been this close before. I didn’t realize how beautiful it is. The stonework …” She trailed off as the thick wooden beams caught her attention. “Is that a stained-glass window?”
“It’s in the kitchen. The dinette is there. It’s quite beautiful in the mornings.”
“I’ll bet.” She let out a sigh. “I always paddle right past.”
He tapped his finger on the cleft in his chin. She was hypnotized watching him—wondering what it would feel like to trace her fingers over the dimple.
“We can take a tour—if you’d like.”
A tour? Of the mansion? She looked up at the imposing structure and shook her head. In truth, she could see herself loving a house like that: eating breakfast behind a stained-glass window; boarding on the lake every morning, weather permitting; and enjoying the peace of The Cove. If she could see all that, then she could understand why people would want to live here. And if she went that far, then she could even extend Asher some understanding, and then … then she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. “I may never leave, and then you’ll miss your first stop on the exclusive Brooklyn Triggs expedition through Eureka Springs.”
“Sounds official.”
“It is.” She took three steps and was above him. “It’s also the inaugural tour—so, you know, it’s kind of a big deal.” She batted her lashes and then spun back around and hurried up the rest of the stairs.
At the top, he led the way into the garage and flipped on a light. They climbed into his SUV rental. “Where to?”
She pressed her lips together as she thought. “I guess we’ll start at the very beginning.”
“That’s a very good place to start.”
She tipped her head and smirked at him for the Sound of Music reference. He surprised her with that one. She couldn’t picture him hanging out with the Von Trapp Family Singers, but then again, he had a sister. “Naomi’s great, by the way.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. She came in the shop, and we had a chat. I like her.”
His whole face softened with sibling fondness. “It was just the two of us growing up. We’re close, but we don’t get to see one another very often. She told me to buy a house here and she’d come to see me more.”
Brooklyn turned to face him. “Would you? Live here?”
He shook his head. “I just built a new home in Seattle. I’m only here long enough to get the job done.”
She bit her cheek to keep back her snarky comment about him ruining her town and then running off. Today was about showing him all the wonderful things about her city. Rudeness wasn’t going to win her any points.
They passed the Sweet Shoppe. “Do you want to go change?” He glanced down at her board shorts.
Oh yeah, Grandma would love it if she showed up with this guy in tow. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
They found a parking space right across from the park on Main in front of the ghost tour building. The shop was all locked up, and Mollie was at one of her day jobs. As much as she loved giving the ghost tours, they didn’t quite pay the bills.
“That’s where we’re going.” She pointed to the green archway and unbuckled, jumping out before Asher had a chance to open her door. He gave her a look that said he didn’t like it, but he didn’t say anything.
They made their way across the street and climbed the cement stairs. In the center of the plaza was an iron fountain painted forest green, and behind that was a circular iron railing over a locked grate.
“This is it.” She waved her arm over the grate.
&nb
sp; His eyebrows lifted. “A sewer?”
She laughed. “No. This is where it all began. Thousands of years ago, a Native American princess was born without sight. It’s said that she came here and washed in the springs and was healed. From that time on, the valley was considered sacred ground.”
“Wow.” He leaned over the railing to get a better look in the hole. The plaza had been built up to stop flooding, so the spot where the water came up from the ground was about eight feet below where they stood. “What does sacred ground mean, exactly?” He took out his phone and snapped pictures.
“Well, there’s no fighting on sacred ground. Even if you are at war with another tribe, you had to call a truce when you entered the valley. Everyone was welcome.”
He gave her a pointed look.
“What? I never once aimed a spear or an arrow your direction.”
He snorted, letting her know he didn’t quite agree with her claim to innocence. “What happened if you did engage in battle?” He leaned towards her.
She moistened her lips. Her mouth had gone dry at his nearness. “You and your tribe were banned from the springs for eternity.”
“That’s a long time.” He snapped a few more pictures of the plaza.
He was looking at the place like a tourist, not a local. The point of this tour was to show him the city like she saw it. What could she say? “I think the spirit of that rule is still here. We gather our share of misfits and outcasts and happily take them in.”
He stopped looking at the world through his phone and met her gaze. “Except land developers.”
“Everyone has their limits,” she countered. He chuckled again, and she threw herself into the sound as if it were a pile of feathers. “It’s also been rumored that this is the Fountain of Youth Ponce de León claimed to have found in his travels.”
He glanced at the arch, his eyes tracing the words “Balm of Life.” “Do you believe that?”
She smiled easily. “We do have a large number of octogenarians running around town.”
“Why is it blocked off?” He grabbed the railing and tugged. “What if I want to live forever?”
She sighed. “A while back, the government tested the water and claimed they found pollutants. They moved us over to their water supply.”
“And made you guys pay for it, I’ll bet.”
She shoved his arm. “You’re familiar with Uncle Sam’s ways.” She took his hand off the railing and tugged. “Come on, we’re headed for stop two.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “There’s no dilly-dallying on this tour.”
She was in a predicament now. Taking his hand had been natural, but now that she had it, she wasn’t sure if she should hold on or find a way to casually let go.
He solved the problem for her by lacing their fingers together.
Her cheeks flushed. She looked up from under her lashes. It was too bad he was a heartless land-grabber, because she kinda liked him.
Chapter Sixteen
Asher
Asher wasn’t sure what had possessed him to get a tighter hold on Brooklyn’s hand, but it probably had something to do with the tingles shooting up his arm.
That, or he was having a stroke.
Which was also a possibility, considering his erratic heartbeat. Being close to Brooklyn was affecting him in ways he hadn’t felt in a long time. When she’d grabbed his hand to pull him along, his chest expanded and it was like he could breathe for the first time.
He didn’t want to let go.
They went down Main Street and turned right at the funnel cake stand, going up a set of well-made and well-maintained stairs with yellow safety paint on the treads. They stopped at the landing, about halfway up.
“So, this is stop two on our grand tour.” Brooklyn flipped her hair out of her face and grinned up at him. From her smile, he would have thought they were looking at the lost tomb of an ancient pharaoh. He glanced around, wondering what he was missing.
Over the railing to their left was a large cave opening and a well-worn path, but there didn’t seem to be a way to get there from where they stood. Above them, another fifteen-plus stairs up, was a private residence.
“Wow,” he teased. “You know how to show a guy a good time.”
She smacked his arm with her free hand and giggled. “Stop, or I won’t tell you why this made my top two places to go in Eureka Springs.”
He leaned forward and said, “Do tell,” as if he were asking for the latest gossip.
She glanced at him, a bit unsure. He gave her hand a squeeze, hoping she would trust him with whatever it was that she was holding back.
She took in a breath and then quickly said, “What I love about this spot is the ghost.”
“The what now?” He leaned closer. He must have heard her wrong. “I thought you said ghost.”
She nodded shyly. Apparently, this wasn’t something she talked about. “I know you went on the ghost tour and heard all of Mollie’s stories. Well, all the ones she can fit into an hour. There are so many more.”
He thought back to the other night, about the stories of ghosts talking to visitors at the hotels and wandering the catacombs at night. Typical hoodoo and voodoo stories that went well with a campfire and s’mores, but nothing to give any credence to. “You don’t believe all that stuff, do you?”
“Weeeell.” She drew the word out at the same time she took her hand from his. “Grandma Julie has a theory about that.”
He felt the loss of her hand in his as if a part of him had gone missing. He hadn’t meant to alienate her with his skepticism, but it seemed he’d done just that. “Go on.” He leaned one arm against the railing because it brought him closer to her. She didn’t move away, so he counted that a win.
“Grandma thinks that areas where lots of people died thinned the veil between this world and heaven.”
“Lots of death?”
“Gettysburg is a great example. People who didn’t believe in an afterlife speak in whispers there, because even they can sense the lingering spirits of those who have died. Eureka Springs has seen her fair share of death, so naturally, the veil is thinner here, and people who have died and maybe have unfinished business or feel a tie to this place can come back—for short periods.”
“I’m picturing a bridal veil.” He reached his hand out and groped at the air around him. “Something tangible.”
She twisted her lips. “Perhaps from the other side it is. We can’t see it. But you can feel it when it’s thin. It’s almost sacred.” She whispered the last part. Her eyes dropped to the boards at their feet and then lifted to him again. “You don’t believe me, do you?”
He paused before answering, and a memory flooded his thoughts with such clarity it was like he was there again. “My grandma died in a hospital. I remember the monitors beeping crazy and the nurse and doctor running around. I was holding her hand. And then suddenly, it all went quiet.” He met her gaze. “That moment when she died—it was sacred. That’s the perfect word to describe it.”
She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. There was a connection between them, like their souls had found a common link. He’d never had a moment of complete understanding of or from another person before. It was almost too strong to stay in.
Brooklyn was the first to break eye contact. She turned and stared at the other side of the landing. “Like all old towns, we have our tragedies and even darkness. While the springs healed many who came here looking for miracles, there were many more who never left this place.”
A sense of being watched crept up his neck. He looked over his shoulder. “In the cave?” he asked quietly.
“No.” She gently turned his chin. “Right here.” She nodded to the other side of the landing.
He stared hard but didn’t see anyone.
“No one knows his name. I call him Alfred. He was a Civil War soldier who lost his leg in battle. Many people have seen him. He stands here in full uniform. He’s even spoken to some tourists and locals
.”
“But not you?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never made his acquaintance. But I used to come sit here, in this corner, when I was upset and missing my mom. And I felt like someone understood me.”
“Why do you think he haunts this place?”
She leaned into his shoulder. With his arm on the railing, it was easy to wrap it around her side and tuck her to him. She didn’t protest. Maybe she felt alone again. Maybe she wanted to be close to him. He wasn’t sure of the reason, but he wasn’t going to complain about it. “I think he’s waiting for his wife to come. People say he wears a simple gold ring and he’s always kind. I think he has a good heart.”
“That’s a beautiful thought—that love lasts longer than life.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. He couldn’t help himself; it kept escaping, and he just wanted to touch her.
“Some loves are too big for this world.”
He looked deeply into her eyes and found that she had the capacity to love like that—to love longer than life allowed. He instantly wondered if he did too. He glanced at her mouth, wondering if he could taste that kind of love on her lips.
The world around them slowed down. A sense of being in their own space filled him. “It’s different here,” he murmured.
She leaned in.
Three kids screamed and ran down the stairs, bumping the two of them together. “Oof!” He wrapped her up and absorbed the impact as they bumped the railing. He’d feel that tomorrow.
“I’m so sorry.” She brushed her hands down the sides of his face and then down his arms. “Are you okay?”
“I’m great.” He tugged her tighter, reveling in the feel of her body flush with his, her curves fitting against him so perfectly.
Her hands rested on his arms, not quite holding him close but not pushing him away either. He didn’t want her to push him away. She was amazing, strong—the things she’d lived through, the childhood she’d survived … Just … “Wow,” he whispered.
She blushed and ducked her head.
He prayed he wasn’t pushing her too far, too fast, as he hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face, brushing his lips across hers.
Her Billionaire Mistake (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 1) Page 10
