Page 8

CHAPTER SEVEN

Cash

Sawyer and Ash walked into the resort lobby with a woman who appeared to be in her late forties. I did a double take when I saw all the bags they carried.

“You guys moving in together or something?” I asked, mostly joking, although their relationship was moving at warp speed.

Or maybe it just seemed that way because my love life was going nowhere.

“Ash’s mom needs a room,” Sawyer said. “I called Sky to make sure there were openings.”

“Oh. Sure.” I smiled politely at Ash’s mom. Deep furrows creased her brow, and she gnawed nervously at a fingernail.

“How many nights would you like to stay?”

“I’m not sure,” she said hesitantly. “Can we start with a week and go from there?”

“Sure thing.” I brought up the screen that would show me the open rooms. The phone rang while I navigated through screens. “Swallow’s Ne?—”

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Oh, hey, Skylar.”

“Is Ash here with his mom?”

I flicked a glance toward them. Ash was rubbing his mom’s back. Maybe she’d finally left that douche of a man Ash had called stepdad. “Mm-hmm.”

“Make sure they get the family rate.”

“Gotcha.”

“And, Cash?” Skylar said hesitantly. “I, um, wouldn’t normally repeat this, but I know how you feel about Declan, so I was just wondering if you’d heard that he’s thinking about selling the B&B?”

“No, I didn’t hear that.” My heart quickened. “Seriously? That man.” A sudden thought struck, making my throat tighten and my words go thin and wispy. “Do you think it’s because of me?”

Sawyer shifted forward, his gaze locked on me. No doubt I’d get plenty of questions later.

Skylar’s voice softened. “I wouldn’t assume that. Declan said that he’d gotten some interest in the B&B, and he was considering returning to his former profession. I know he shot you down, but I really doubt he’s running away from you.”

“No, you’re probably right. Okay. Thanks, Sky.” I replaced the receiver and forced a smile as I refocused on Ash’s mom. “Okay, I’ve got you a suite on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the lake. We’ve got an in-house dining room and bar, an outdoor pool bar, an upper-floor balcony bar.” I winked playfully. “I guess people really like to drink around here.”

She laughed, and Sawyer shot me a grateful smile. Good enough.

I finished checking her in, but my mind remained on that phone call with Skylar. I lasted exactly as long as my shift. As soon as I clocked out, I begged a ride from Hudson. He delivered me to the dock behind the Treehouse B&B, no questions asked.

I had questions, though. Plenty of them.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“About Declan selling?” Hudson said, proving he knew why I was charging over here. “Only that he was considering it. Is it a done deal?”

“It better not be,” I said grimly.

He raised an eyebrow. “You do know he can make his own choices?”

“Well, it’s a stupid choice,” I exclaimed. “I don’t understand this man.”

Hudson smiled sympathetically. “Not sure he understands you, either. Maybe that’s the problem?”

I clambered out of the boat ungracefully, nearly tripping when my toe hit a raised board. I stumbled a couple of steps forward, catching my balance before I could face-plant.

I turned toward Hudson, who was smirking at my performance. “Not a word.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

I whirled away. “Okay, I’m off to slay the stubborn dragon.”

“Cash,” Hudson called.

I paused, glancing back over my shoulder. “Yes?”

“Be careful. This is a delicate conversation to navigate. You understand?”

“Yep.”

“I’d like him to stay, but if he’s unhappy, we need to set him free.”

“Your pep talk is shit.”

Hudson grinned. “You needed to hear it. Good luck, man.”

I strode toward the B&B, the scent of Declan’s rose bushes perfuming the air. While I walked, I rehearsed what I could say that would change his mind. My track record for convincing the man of anything wasn’t so great. But I could find the right words, the perfect argument to illustrate that he belonged here, right?

That his B&B could co-exist with the resort—and he could co-exist with me —if we all worked together.

As luck would have it, a guest was stepping out just as I arrived. I slid past them through the open door.

The front desk was empty. Most of the guests were out to dinner at this hour. I veered left and peeked into the kitchen and dining room, but he wasn’t in either place.

Which meant he was probably in his private rooms. I walked down the short hall behind the dining area and rapped my knuckles on the blond wood door.

“Declan?” I called. “It’s Cash.”

Declan opened the door, dressed in his customary dress slacks and button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled to the forearms. It was a casual but sophisticated look that had always done it for me.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to talk to you,” I said, stepping forward.

Declan stood his ground, brow creased. “About what?”

“About this stupid plan to sell the B&B!”

I brushed past him into his living area without waiting for an invitation. Declan’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t stop me.

“You heard about that, huh?”

“It’s a small town.”

He smiled wryly. “And I told your boss today.”

I winced. “Don’t blame Sky. He was just being a good friend to me.”

Declan waved a hand. “It’s not a secret, anyway. I just called Sky for some advice on how to deal with developers.”

“Developers?” My brow creased. “You’re not selling to someone who wants to run the B&B?”

“They want to put in condos. It’ll be good for Swallow Cove to have more housing. Good for people like you, Cash. I know there aren’t enough affordable places to live.”

There were a lot of reasons I stayed at home. That seemed like the least significant one. He wasn’t entirely wrong, but he also wasn’t entirely right.

“You really think lakefront condos are going to be affordable?” I asked with a snort. “No. It’ll just be one more place for wealthy summer residents to stay. The rest of us will be exactly where we are now.”

Declan’s face tightened. “You don’t know that.”

“Maybe not. But do you really know what you’re getting into?”

He frowned. “Well, that’s why I talked to Skylar. I’m not just going into this blindly, Cash. I’m in negotiations. I won’t sign anything until I’m satisfied with the terms.”

If he hadn’t signed a deal, it wasn’t too late to undo this.

“Don’t sell,” I blurted.

“Cash…”

“Please,” I said quickly. “We can find a way for the B&B and the resort to both succeed. We’ll funnel overflow bookings to you or maybe we can coordinate events. I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”

“That’s not why I’m selling. The resort is bringing more people to Swallow Cove, not less. My business isn’t suffering.”

Oh, shit. It was because of me then.

I swallowed hard. “Okay. So I’ve been too flirty and forward. I’ll back off and leave you alone, okay? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just… I like you. But I’ll keep my distance, I promise. Just stay. ”

He drew in a sharp breath. “Oh, Cash, no. It’s not because of you. You’re one of the brightest spots in Swallow Cove.”

I took a step closer, heart thundering. “Then why do you always push me away?”

“It’s complicated.”

I looked into his eyes, and there was nothing complicated there. I could see want and longing and so much loneliness.

“I want you to kiss me, then.”

His eyes flew wide. “What? Why?”

“You want to. I can tell. What’s stopping you?”

“So many things…”

I stepped forward into his space, careful not to touch him. Careful not to lean in and close the gap. But my eyes locked onto his, and there was a magnetic pull between us.

One I was certain he could feel, too.

I waved a hand between us. “Obviously, there is something here. Between you and me.”

“There can’t be.”

“There already is.”

He shook his head, but his eyes didn’t leave mine.

“One kiss, Declan. What’s the harm? You’re leaving anyway, right? You’re selling this place and leaving town, so why not?”

He huffed a laugh. “You’re relentless, you know that?”

“I’m persistent,” I said. “Within reason. I won’t harass you. If you say no right now, then it’s no. But?—”

Declan leaned in suddenly, lips warm on mine.

It took me by surprise. I never expected him to give in. I grasped his shoulder, leaning into the kiss. Declan cupped my face, this thumb stroking along my cheekbone.

It was so fucking gentle I wanted to cry.

It’s a goodbye kiss.

I tensed, heart tumbling, and Declan pulled back. “Was that okay?”

“Yeah,” I rasped. “Better than okay.”

He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Hardly better than okay.”

“You want more?” I asked, leaning in. “You caught me by surprise, but I’m more than ready to blow your mind.”

Declan put his hand to my chest with a small chuckle. “No. That was exactly what I wanted.”

I paused, confused. “Okay.”

“I don’t want the same things you do,” he said gently. “That kiss was…perfect.”

“Then why did you say it wasn’t better than okay?”

“For you ,” he stressed. “It was just okay for you.”

“Wrong,” I said. “The only thing I’d change about it is making it our first kiss instead of our last.”

He tilted his head. “It wouldn’t be enough, though. Not for long.”

I nibbled my bottom lip, the suspicion that Poppy was right growing in my mind. “You’re ace?”

“I haven’t really labeled it,” Declan said. “I suppose I might fall somewhere on that spectrum.”

I nodded. “So kissing but no sex?”

“I, uh…didn’t say that. It’s not really that cut-and-dried.”

“I can work with that.”

“No, you can’t,” Declan said. “Trust me. I’ve tried it with other guys.”

“Not with me.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re so much worse.”

Ouch. I took a step back. “Okay, then.”

“Not as a person,” Declan said quickly. “Just…you’re more.” He waved a hand to encompass all of me. “You get around a lot.”

“Not lately,” I muttered.

“You have needs, Cash, and I don’t know that I could ever fulfill them. It’s just a bad idea.”

I bit down on the urge to argue with him. He might be right, after all. I’d fucked around a lot since losing my virginity. This past year was the first dry spell I’d ever had. I’d willingly forgone sex because I wanted a healthier relationship with it.

But could I be happy in a long-term relationship that limited how much sex I had? I wanted to say yes. Right now, after going without sex for months, I wanted to think I could handle it.

I just didn’t know, though. I’d never know if Declan didn’t give me a chance. But it wasn’t fair to ask him for that. If I couldn’t keep my word, I’d only hurt him, as other guys had clearly hurt him before.

“I think I understand,” I said. “You could have told me sooner.”

Declan shifted, averting his eyes. “It’s not something that’s comfortable to talk about for me.”

“I’m sorry.” I reached for his arm. “Can I, uh, give you a hug?”

He smiled dryly. “I’m fine.”

“I’m not.”

His eyes softened. “Okay. Then, yes, you may.”

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him to me. For once, I wasn’t thinking about a man’s body pressed to mine for sexual reasons. I was just taking comfort—hopefully giving it too—as my eyes slipped shut.

Declan stood still for a long minute, just tolerating the hug. But then he brought one arm around me, his hand landing on the nape of my neck and squeezing.

“Why are you really leaving?” I asked softly.

Declan drew away, leaving my arms too empty and my chest too cold.

“The B&B life has never been right for me,” he said, sounding regretful. “I don’t mesh well with people.”

“That’s it?”

He chuckled. “I’m not sure you understand just how bad I am at all this.” He waved a hand around to encompass the B&B as a whole. “People leave reviews about my grumpy attitude and my resting bitch face.”

“You’re an adorable grump, and I like your bitchy face.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re apparently the only one who does.”

I bit down on a flirty comment. I’d just gotten Declan to open up about why he kept me at arm’s length. I didn’t want to give him more reason to shut me out.

Hudson’s words came back to me.

If he’s unhappy, we need to let him go.

Damn, but it sucked when someone acted wise and then they were right.

“I guess you’ve made up your mind, huh? You’re not happy here.”

“This B&B meant everything to my Aunt Millie. I have some very fond memories of summers spent here. I wanted it to be different, too. I’ve really tried, but…” He shook his head. “It’s not the right fit.”

“Okay, but why are you letting someone come in and tear it down? You could sell it to someone who’d keep it going. This place is so cool, Declan. It has so much potential.”

“Potential,” he said with a twist of his lips. “But it would take a lot of work to reach it. The buildings are deteriorating. The Roost is uninhabitable. The Tree Hut has the plumbing problem. Even this building is becoming a money pit. I had to close off the deck on the second floor for safety reasons. I’ve got two rooms I’m not booking because they’ve taken water damage from a leak in the roof.”

“So it needs a few repairs,” I said. “That’s not impossible.”

“A few.” Declan chuckled, but it sounded sad. “My aunt had such dreams for this place. She drew up a renovation plan, but she died before she could ever implement it.”

That was sad. If only there was a way?—

I clasped Declan’s arms as a thought hit. “This is your chance.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can fix this place up. Honor your Aunt Millie’s memory by turning it into the B&B she envisioned.”

“But…” He shook his head. “Even if I did that, nothing would change, Cash. This place isn’t right for me.”

My chest ached, but I knew Hudson was right. If I cared about Declan’s happiness, I couldn’t persuade him to stay for my sake. Especially since I couldn’t offer him any assurances that I would be the man who’d love him for who he was, no strings. Even if I could, I doubt he’d believe me.

I had only one card left to play that would be right for everyone involved. That would give me at least a little more time to figure out what Declan and I could or couldn’t have—and which would give us both closure to move on if he left as planned.

“Fix up the B&B and sell it to someone who will treat it right,” I said. “You can leave knowing your aunt’s home is in good hands.”

He looked torn. “That’s a big job.”

“I know, but you don’t need one. I’ll help you. I’ve done a ton of odd jobs. I’m pretty handy.”

“I’m well aware,” he said dryly.

That surprised a laugh out of me. “I said handy, not handsy.” I wiggled my brows. “Though I can certainly be both.”

Declan’s brows drew together. “But why would you want to do that, Cash? You’ve already got a job, and even if I can find a buyer?—”

“You will find one,” I said, enthused. “It’s a beautiful B&B on lakefront property.”

He pursed his lips. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“I try.” I raised an eyebrow. “What do you say, Declan? You can give this place, your aunt’s pride and joy, a fighting chance to go on.”

“Damn it,” he muttered. “I was all set to run for the hills and then you show up.”

I resisted the urge to fist pump. “Is that a yes?”

He sighed. “You know it is.”

I bit my lip, hit by the simultaneous urges to cheer and kiss the stuffing out of Declan.

I couldn’t fight a shit-eating grin. “You won’t regret this.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” he said, but his lips quirked toward a semblance of a smile. “But I’d regret not trying more.”