Page 38 of Burn Falls

Valencia’s azure eyes widened. “Really?”

“My father always told me that I would get it one day and well …” I paused and took another deep breath. “My mother can’t run it, and since he always trusted me, she just wants to sign the papers over and be done with it.”

“Be done with your father’s legacy?”

“It’s not like that. It will still be in the family and carry the family name, but she doesn’t want to deal with running a business and everything else.”

“I understand. So what does that mean?”

I smiled tightly. “It means I’m moving back here.”

“When?” Valencia asked with a frown.

“Well, I was thinking I’d return to Seattle on Sunday as planned and then give my two-week notice at the bank on Monday.” She was silent for a moment, and before she could say a word, I saw Betha and Alastair approaching. “Al and Beth don’t know. Let’s just have a fun night, and we can talk about it more tomorrow.”

V nodded as my brother and sister placed our margaritas in front of us. I hadn’t meant to tell V the news just yet, but given she was excited about the future, I had to tell her that it was changing.

Everythingwas changing.

Both Alastair and Betha saw some old friends from high school, so they left V and me to ourselves while they hung out with their friends. I didn’t mind. We were laughing, drinking, and having a great time just like we always had when we were together. As I checked my phone to see what time it was, I heard Valencia suck in a breath.

“Hotties at twelve o’clock.”

I glanced the way she was looking and sucked in my own breath. I hadn’t seen Draven for a few days, and yet, it seemed longer. He wasn’t in his white doctor coat and dress shirt and tie. He had on a black sweater that hugged every muscle known to man. No coat or jacket to shield him from the cold weather outside. Just—him.

“Oh my God. That’s my father’s … I mean, was my father’s doctor.”

“The one you were telling me about when I first got here?”

I nodded as I watched Draven and his friend Athan walk up to the bar and catch the bartender’s gaze.

“Which guy?”

“The one in the black sweater.”

“Who’s the other hottie?” V asked.

“His friend Athan.”

“Why didn’t you tell me he had a hot friend?”

My head snapped toward her, and I furrowed my brow. “Because I barely met the guy, and it was Draven I eye fucked every moment I could.”

“You can keep Draven. Athan is more my hunk of meat.”

I chuckled. “There’s no keeping anyone. I haven’t even heard from him since the night before you came here.”

“I’m sure it’s because he knows you’re dealing with a lot and wanted to give you time to be with your family.”

She was probably right, or I’d gotten all the signals wrong, but even though I was drunk the night he talked to me at the bar, I faintly remembered something about bending me over the barstool and having his way with me. Or I dreamed it, which I probably did because dreams like to fuck with your mind and reveal your deepest and darkest fears and secrets.

As if Draven knew we were speaking about him, he turned his head and looked directly at me in the crowded bar and smirked. I could no longer hear the music playing, the people chatting, or the clinking of bottles behind the bar. It was him and me in my world of darkness, and he was like my shining star.

I smiled back, and V muttered, “Oh shit.”

Before I knew it, Draven and Athan were walking toward us. “Calla.” Just my name on his lips again was enough to get me to squirm in my seat.

How much tequila was in these margaritas?