Page 61 of More than Fiction (Misty Springs #1)
Corbin
I sat on the jet Monday morning , anxious to return to Misty Springs.
I had an exhausting weekend, starting Friday with a four-hour-long dinner at the Governor’s mansion—ninety of those minutes spent deflecting Cindy’s not-so-subtle advances.
She dangled the promise of new information regarding my company like bait, but it became clear she had nothing of value.
I wanted to tell her off in front of the crowd—to cut ties and make it clear I wanted nothing to do with her—professionally or personally. But she wasn’t even worth the effort of making a scene.
My leg bounced with restless energy as nerves tightened in my chest at the thought of seeing Sophia again.
Another impromptu trip back to Misty Springs, another one that felt mandatory—an invisible tug pulling me by my insides—back to the middle of the country.
My heart twisted when I thought back to that moment on my desk—the way everything had crystallized between us.
I was certain we both felt it. That whatever had been building between us wasn’t just attraction—it was something bigger.
Something neither of us could keep denying.
I couldn’t find the right words, the right way to tell her. The path we could walk together was riddled with landmines and potholes, but I wanted to walk it—with her.
But when I returned to my office, something in her eyes had shifted .
And her voice—cool, composed—framed this thing between us like it was nothing. Like she flipped some switch and turned us off.
That moment gutted me.
I was deep in thought, sipping a maple bourbon cappuccino that was not nearly as good as Lana’s, when Davis marched onto the jet.
“Morning,” he said briskly, sliding into the seat across from me.
“This is a surprise,” I remarked, setting my cup down and putting my defenses up.
“I heard you were heading back to the wild Midwest. I thought I’d hitch a ride and finally check out the financial viability of the Misty Springs branch. Plus, the board has been interested to see what’s been keeping our COO so occupied .”
His words triggered an alarm inside me, but I kept my composure.
There have been quiet rumblings about the board’s unease with Buzz’s leadership, but nothing overt was reported in the meeting notes—notes I’ve only been skimming lately because my trips to Misty Springs have caused me to miss those meetings.
But Davis could’ve assessed the financial viability of the branch from his corner office.
Hell, I’m sure he already had.
And I’m sure he found the numbers were promising, stronger than expected.
There was no reason to question the branch’s performance—unless he was questioning mine .
“Fair enough.” I schooled my expression into polite neutrality. “I suppose it’s always best to see things in person.”
“Exactly,” he said, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
He picked up his phone and began scrolling through it, but I could feel every time his eyes flicked toward me.
Measuring. Calculating.
Whether he was coming as an objective observer or if he was gathering reconnaissance for the board, I was going to make sure it fit my narrative.
I shot Andi a quick heads-up text as the plane lifted off the ground.
** *
Once we arrived, I led Davis through the office, introducing him to Susan and Andi.
We were early. No sign of Ned or Sophia yet.
I left Davis in an unclaimed office and stepped into my own to make a few calls. When I emerged about fifteen minutes later, I spotted Davis in a corner near the proofing room, speaking quietly with Ned.
The sight gave me pause, and I instinctively retreated into my office, watching them from just inside the doorway.
Ned wasn’t exactly the type to draw Davis’s attention, yet there they were—heads bent together in deep conversation.
The sharp clink of ceramic broke through the low hum of the office. I glanced over as Sophia reached for a mug near the coffee station.
Davis turned, too.
His attention peeled away from Ned. Without hesitation, he moved—cutting across the room with that casual confidence that always rubbed me the wrong way.
Straight to Sophia.
His body eclipsed my view of her, his back facing me, leaving me unable to read either one of their faces. I couldn’t hear a word he said to her—just the faint rumbling of his low voice.
What was he saying?
Was he pressing her for intel on me?
Could Ned have said something about what he saw—or thought he saw—between Sophia and me in the proofing room?
Or was he just flirting? That smug, easy way he had—too casual, too damn confident.
Davis had a talent for turning charm into opportunity. I’d never seen a woman turn him down.
Then she laughed.
Short. Light. Easy.
Something in my jaw locked.
I had no idea what he'd said to earn that laugh—and I didn’t like that he’d earned one from her at all.
I stalked over to them, suddenly in the mood for coffee myself.
As I drew closer, my eyes landed on Sophia nodding at something Davis said through a sip of her coffee. Her smile was polite, but I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes as they darted toward me.
I wished I knew what that look meant. I hated that I didn’t.
Davis noticed my approach, his voice trailing off mid-sentence—like someone had pressed mute. He didn’t rush to greet me, didn’t offer a word to fill the silence—just watched me approach with that unreadable expression of his.
It was a Davis tactic I knew too well, but was still falling for—how to wield silence like a weapon. It was the kind of move designed to rattle people.
Let them imagine the worst. Let them fill in the blanks.
“Corbin,” Davis said finally, his tone laced with irritation as if I was somehow intruding. “Show me the first floor? You have space for a tenant there, right?”
Before I could respond, he added to Sophia, “Thanks for the chat. Always good to hear things from someone who knows where the pressure points are.”
Pressure points?
She gave a slight nod.
“Come with me,” I said to Davis, my voice level, stepping toward the door as heat rose beneath my collar.
Davis had a talent for getting under people’s skin—especially mine. My rational brain knew he wasn’t getting near Sophia. The no-relationship policy would topple him just as easily as it would me.
But that didn’t matter.
What bothered me—really bothered me—was the realization that her heart was still available, that someone else could reach for it and grab it.
And even though it wouldn’t be Davis. It also wouldn’t be me.
Davis followed me to the first floor, our footsteps echoing across the empty space before he broke the silence. “Look, Corbin, I want to be frank with you.”
Here we go.
“Word is, you’re on thin ice with the board. Your continued absence isn’t doing you any favors.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, a fake attempt at consoling me. “It doesn’t look good.”
My muscles tensed under his touch. “Kind of hard to be present when I’m exiled here to babysit Buzz’s pet project. ”
“That’s the thing,” Davis continued, dropping his hand and sliding it into his pocket. “The board isn’t a fan of this project —or your grandfather—right now.”
I snorted. “Buzz appointed the board. If they’re unhappy, he can deal with it. Or fire them.”
“Not that you’ve been around at meetings to find out, but the board has been shifting. These days, more members are being voted in without your grandfather’s vetting than with it.”
His words landed heavily, but I kept my tone light. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Just looking out for you. That’s why I wanted to come here—to ensure we could speak face-to-face. You’re so rarely in New York these days,” he said, his teeth gleaming in a smile that was all show—predator-level polite.
Davis and I both craved power—it was one of the few things we had in common. As we climbed through the ranks at Buescher Enterprises, he’d never held his punches regarding my family name.
Was he trying to stake a claim to my seat?
I couldn’t shake the unease settling in my chest. I always knew to trust my instincts, and they told me Davis wasn’t here to warn me about the board.
He was looking for something.
And whatever it was, I had a sinking feeling it wasn’t anything good.