He nodded. “That’s what I was going to tell you.”
She blinked several times. “When?”
“I was hoping to tell you before Grandpa got here, but he was stubborn about coming right from the airport.”
Grandpa lifted a shoulder. “I’m a man who knows what he wants.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? We emailed, like, three or four times.” She took a step away from him, and he felt the distance as if it were a mile. “Even after we’d met.”
“I didn’t know you,” he said softly as he brushed his fingers down her cheek. She didn’t flinch away, but she also didn’t lean into his touch. “I should have said something before now. I was trying to protect my grandpa. There are people who would use him to get to me.”
She nodded. “I can understand that.” She grabbed her right elbow with her left hand as she looked over her shoulder. “Maybe we should talk about this later, in private?”
“That is a great idea. I can get Grandpa settled at home and come back.”
She smiled softly. Not the radiant kind of smile that filled her face, but the kind that had hope. He’d take it. “Okay.”
“Okay.” He kissed her forehead and then turned to see three sets of eyes watching them. “We’re a thing,” he told them all.
Crystal giggled.
Grandma flapped a hand at him.
Grandpa rolled his eyes. “Get in the car.”
Asher winked at Brooklyn. “I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded. He wasn’t out of the doghouse, but this wasn’t too bad. If Grandpa won Julie’s heart again, he’d be forgiven in a heartbeat. But he couldn’t bank on that. He needed to tell Brooklyn how he felt and let her know how sorry he was. That might take a lot of kissing and hugging, but he was up for the job.
They piled into the car. Mrs. Morgan tapped her foot, waiting for an update.
Grandpa put his hand over his face. “Did I make a mess of that? I can’t believe I asked her out. A picnic? I’m not eighteen years old anymore.”
Asher patted his shoulder. “You came out fine. I’m the one who needs a dozen roses, stat.”
Mrs. Morgan had her phone out and was ordering flowers before he finished sighing.
“Listen, son.” Grandpa wagged a finger at him. “Women—good women—don’t come by every day. Don’t let this one go.”
“You don’t know her.” Asher bristled at being given love advice from a man who could barely walk into the building ten minutes ago.
“I don’t have to. I saw the way she looked at you—before she was mad. She’s special.”
Asher leaned forward, rubbing his palms together. He had questions, but the biggest one would help him know if his childhood had been a lie. “How does Grandma fit into all this?”
Grandpa smiled. “She was amazing. You need to know that I have never regretted marrying her.”
“But Julie …?”
“When I went off to war, I became a different man. Something happened inside of me. In order to do my duty, I had to cut off the softer parts of my soul and lock them away. When I got home, I was a mean old cuss. I couldn’t go back to Julie, not like that. She wouldn’t have recognized me. Your grandma was the one who opened my heart back up, and I gave it wholly to her.”
He copied Asher’s posture, rubbing his palms together. “When I saw that email from Brooklyn, it was like a candle lit in here.” He touched his chest. “For the first time in my life, I could look back on my time here and feel peace. You see, Julie had somehow become wrapped up with the war in my memories. But not anymore.”
Asher could understand that. Grandma had been gone for a while—taken too soon, really. And though he didn’t let on, Grandpa was lonely. He spent time by himself, walking the private beach at The Cove in Seattle, throwing sticks for his Labrador, and refusing invitations for dinner parties. If Julie got Grandpa out of the house and put a smile on his face, he could get behind that. “I’m happy for you, Grandpa.”
He grinned. “Me too, my boy. Me too.”
“The roses will be ready in a half hour at Lily and Rose just up the street.” Mrs. Morgan tucked her phone away. “And your flowers will be waiting tomorrow before your picnic, Mr. Ward.”
Grandpa pressed his palms together. “Thank you, you amazing woman, you.”
She smiled. “It’s nice having someone around who shows some appreciation.”
“Mrs. Morgan,” Asher gasped. “You know I’d be a mess without you.”
“I know. But I like to know you know it too.” She checked her to-do list on her phone. “And you’d better make sure that girl knows that you know you screwed up.”
“I will.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair. He’d make this right, no matter what. Brooklyn was too important to lose.
Chapter Twenty-One
Brooklyn
Brooklyn didn’t have the luxury of hovering near the front door and watching for Asher. She was on closing tonight.
The moment Asher’s car pulled away from the curb, Grandma melted into the chair in the window, fanning her face like she was dealing with a hot flash. “He’s still so handsome.”
Crystal agreed quickly. “I think those are all his teeth too.”
Grandma swatted at her, and Crystal danced out of her reach. “And now we can see why Asher reminded me of him so much,” Grandma added.
Brooklyn stayed behind the counter, doing the preclosing checklist even though they had an hour to go. She admitted to herself that if Asher aged as well as his grandfather, he’d be good-looking until the day he died. She could live with that. “I don’t like that he kept a secret from me. I don’t kiss men who lie.”
Grandma and Crystal turned as one, their eyes wide. “Oh. My. Gosh!” Crystal raised her eyes from her phone. “He’s a billionaire!”
Brooklyn dropped her rag on the floor with a splat. “What are you talking about?”
Crystal shoved her phone at Brooklyn. “I googled him—which we should have done ages ago. He’s a billionaire.”
Brooklyn scrolled through the articles. “That explains so much.” She thought back to the dinner, all the rich-people food. The way he didn’t freak out when he lost that expensive shoe in the lake. Of course, that was his fault for falling in, but still.
Crystal’s stared over her shoulder. “He’s been all over the world.”
Brooklyn stared at the images of Asher in Milan, Rome, Egypt. The man traveled.
She pulled the phone back. “And he’s got more money than—”
“I get it.” Brooklyn buried her face in her hands. “Why was he even kissing me?”
“Because you’re worth kissing.” Grandma stood up from the table. “No amount of money can give that man what you can. Don’t you ever let anyone tell you different.”
Brooklyn hugged herself, feeling all the warmer because she had Grandma on her side. “Thanks, Grams.”
Crystal nodded. “He likes you, Brookie.” She pulled out the nickname Brooklyn hadn’t heard since the first grade. “Besides, when you have that much money, it becomes meaningless. People are what matter.”
“Do you think so? Do you think Asher’s like that?” She held her breath, waiting for the answer her heart hinged on.
Grandma made her way behind the counter. “Would he have divvied up fudge here for an afternoon if he wasn’t?” She smacked Brooklyn on the backside.
Brooklyn jumped and danced away. “What was that for?”
“For breaking the ‘no making out in the shop’ rule.” Grandma’s eyes laughed.
Brooklyn’s mouth dropped open. “You know about that?”
“Know it? I saw it.”
Her face turned bright red.
Grandma hooted. “I tried to interrupt, but you two were tangled tight.”
“Oh my gosh.” She pressed her cold hands to her face. “Grams!”
“I’m letting it go this time—but if I catch ya at it again, I’m calling the cops.”
They all laug
hed. Sheriff Price would be more embarrassed than she and Asher would be.
Asher’s dark sedan drove past the window, probably on its way to the public parking lot. Brooklyn untied her apron. “I’m going to talk to him. We need to sort this out.”
Grandma exchanged a look with Crystal. “Don’t worry. We can close tonight.”
“Thank you!” Brooklyn called as she hurried out the door. She’d only known Asher was a billionaire for a few minutes, and already she thought of him differently. But he was still the same guy who had knocked her into the lake and limped up the steps in wet clothes. And she was in love with that guy.
She skipped down the street, and when his car came into view, her stomach did a flip. She could barely hold back from running to him. He got out of the car and their eyes met across the street, making the whole rest of the world fade away. She had to look back and forth three times to make sure there weren’t cars coming—her brain just wasn’t registering anything but Asher.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Asher
Asher had dropped off Grandpa and Mrs. Morgan and left his driver with them in case Grandpa wanted to pick up supplies for his big date. He drove the sedan into town, pushing the speed limit. He had no desire to get a speeding ticket. So far, the town loved him, and he wanted to keep it that way. A reputation as a rule breaker or an entitled rich guy would make it more difficult to work with people.
After running in to grab the roses, he drove down to the public parking lot and found a spot. Looking up the street, he saw Brooklyn stepping out of the fudge shop and heading his way. Her hair caught the sunlight and blazed with fire as she checked for traffic. His pulse accelerated. He was moments away from holding her in his arms, and he felt like he was going to jump out of his skin.
He reached in for the flowers when he heard his name called. Glancing through the passenger window, he saw Cap bent down, looking at him through the passenger window.
They both stood up so they could talk over the roof of the car. “Hi, Cap. How are things going?”
Cap frowned. “I just wanted to say how sorry I am about the Mountain Cove development.” He shook his balding head. “I had high hopes for what it would bring to Eureka Springs.”
“Hey.” Brooklyn stopped next to him, putting her hands on his arm. The contact was like a warm breeze coming off the waterfall. Her blue eyes were bright and full of hope, as well as a little reservation. He wanted nothing more than to clear all that away and tell her he loved her. But Cap’s words were like tar spread across the road. He had to get through it, no matter how sticky.
“Hey, yourself.” He winked at Brooklyn before turning back to Cap. “I’m sorry. I’m not quite understanding what you’re saying. It sounds like you’re telling me Mountain Cove isn’t going to happen.”
Cap shook his head. “It’s not. You don’t have enough water rights for as many houses as you have planned—not even close.”
He reeled. “Water rights? We own part of the lake.”
“Right, but that’s not fresh water.” He pulled a sheaf of paper out of a worn leather folder tucked under his arm. “We were moved over to a new system a couple decades back …” He passed the sheet over the top of the car.
Asher took it, the movement pulling his arm away from Brooklyn. He glanced at her, and her eyes had gone from reserved to fearful. Her face was pale. Concerned, he put his arm around her shoulder as he glanced over the sheet. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head.
“It was a good thing Brooklyn filed that inquiry, or the town would have been in a world of hurt.” Cap nodded her way. “Water shortages are no joke, and there’s no way to get more. She saved us all from a big mistake.”
Asher dropped his arm from her. “You filed the inquiry?”
She nodded.
They stared at one another, Asher’s brain running circles around what had just happened. “Why?” He furrowed his brow.
“Because I—” She gave Cap a short smile. “Can we get a moment alone?”
He jerked as if just realizing that there was more going on here than water rights. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I’ll just—my car …”
“Thank you for your help,” Asher added. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, and if I ever get back this way, we’ll do lunch.”
Cap smiled easily. “Great.”
Asher turned all his attention on Brooklyn.
She folded her arms across her chest. “What do you mean, if you ever get back this way? I thought you were staying. I thought—” She bit her lip. “I thought you were staying.”
He knew what she’d been about to say, what she’d cut off with that nibble on her lip. She thought they had a future together—here. She thought he would relocate and live in town and they’d date and get married and make beautiful babies together. He knew that’s what she thought, because it was what he thought too. And the irony of it all burned like hot iron.
“I thought you wanted me to stay,” he fired back.
“I do,” she said quietly.
He held up the paper. “This says different. Why didn’t you tell me you filed an inquiry?”
“I forgot about it.”
Anger built. Everything he’d worked for—gone! “You forgot!” His voice rose, and a crow flew out of the lot and into the trees.
“It was impulsive and—” Cap drove out of the lot, and her eyes followed his car. “Maybe I can undo this.”
“You can’t.” He wadded up the paper and threw it into his open car. “You should have told me. I might have been able to do something before it went this far, but the results are final.” He slammed his fist onto the top of the car. “I should have been watching my back instead of …” He threw his other hand toward her.
Her mouth fell open, and a moment later her hip cocked out. “You’re one to talk. You’ve been lying to me this whole time.” She threw her hand at him in the same dismissive manner.
He narrowed his eyes. “I was trying to protect my grandfather.”
“So it’s okay to kiss me, just not let me meet the family?” She stepped forward, her eyes sharp. “I may not be a billionaire, but I make an honest living, and I have a heritage I can be proud of. If that’s not good enough for you, then you’re a playboy rich snob who doesn’t deserve me or this town.” With a flick of her hair, she spun and marched toward the Sweet Shoppe.
Asher glared at her back. Since when was it ever about money with her? “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” he called.
She ignored him.
He dropped into the driver’s seat, the smell of fresh roses mocking him. He grabbed them and tossed them out the door, wadding the plastic wrapping up and shoving it into the back seat. He started the car and made his way out of town. But going to The Cove wasn’t going to get rid of Brooklyn. She was everywhere he looked in this town.
He told his digital assistant to call Mrs. Morgan.
“Yes?”
“Figure out how to get us out of Arkansas—and fast.”
Ever the calm one, she simply asked, “Where are we going?”
“Back to Seattle.” He needed to talk to Adam, to explain the water situation and why all his improvements to the land, and the money dumped into this investment, had been wasted.
“And how long will we be staying?”
“Indefinitely.”
“I’ll see to it.” She clicked off.
Asher’s stomach twisted at the thought of leaving, and his heart squeezed painfully. He gritted his teeth and steeled himself against the pain. He’d felt awful after breaking up with Carrie, but he’d also had this overwhelming sense of being free.
He waited for that to happen, for the weight of being with someone to lift.
But no relief came.
He set his jaw. He could get over Brooklyn.
And he would never set foot in Arkansas again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brooklyn
“Come on, Cap, there must be s
omething we can do.” Brooklyn clasped her hands in front of her and pleaded with her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Brooklyn. But there’s no more water shares for him to buy. They were sold to the locals when they were first issued.”
Brooklyn stared at the map of the Mountain Cove hanging on the wall of his office. Next to it was a chart of estimated property taxes. When she’d walked into city hall, Carlie had glared at her over her coffee mug and made a snide remark about taking away her raise. She had a few more people give her dirty looks on the way to Cap’s office. Apparently, she’d ruined more than Asher’s plans. The city council, the mayor, and other officers had been making budgets, their eyes alight with possibilities that hadn’t previously existed for Eureka Springs—including remodeling the elementary school.
She felt really bad about that one.
Hanging her head, she made her way out of the building and up to the Sweet Shoppe. Crystal manned the counter, scrolling through texts on her phone. They weren’t busy this Wednesday morning. The whole town felt empty—but maybe that had more to do with not seeing Asher than it did with tourism, or the lack of it, on weekdays.
Crystal lowered her phone. “How’d it go?”
“Horrible.” She marched straight back to the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “I’m making fudge.”
She gathered a saucepan and ingredients, replaying her argument with Asher in her head. She hadn’t meant to get so angry, but when he’d dismissed their time together, dismissed her as secondary to his work, she’d been offended and hurt. Mostly hurt. He meant more to her than all of that. And if he’d asked her to travel with him for his job, she would have done it, as long as they spent summers in Eureka Springs. It was a good compromise, one that would have worked for them.
Her Billionaire Mistake (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 1) Page 14
