Page 25 of Take This Heart (Windy Harbor #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY

SHARPEN THAT BLADE

MILO

It’s a hard day. A struggle to concentrate, a battle to get out of my head…I’m still pissed at Goldie, but I’m just as pissed with myself.

Her words—“I’m still not sure whether or not I can trust you”—rattle in my head like a loose screw.

Hell, I can be the first to admit that she makes me a loose screw.

But out of everything she said, her lack of trust where I’m concerned is the blade that sharpens more every minute I’m away from her.

Because I get it.

After what happened between her and that scum of an ex, Wes, she deserves to be treated with so much care. And even though I don’t think it’s exactly fair that she holds the fact that I’m a Granger against me, I understand it. Where I messed up was in not being honest with her.

That’s all on me.

Then there’s the awful reality that her dad is struggling with cancer, she’s already lost her mom, and even though she seems happy with what she’s doing in Windy Harbor, she gave up a good life in Minneapolis to help fulfill her dad’s dreams.

If I was dealing with half of what she is, I wouldn’t handle it as gracefully as she has.

After stomping over the property and staring way too long at the lake, getting some work done and staring more at the lake, I’m not as angry anymore. I’m just…restless. She’s burrowed under my skin, and every time I tell myself to back off, my heart ignores me.

If I want her—and fuck all, I think I have to admit to myself that I really do—then why am I stalling? My career has always come first and I’ve avoided complicated relationships for a long time, but it’s too late for all the normal excuses.

Goldie cannot be denied. Even when she’s not saying a word, her presence demands to be heard. When she’s trying to hide behind her bluster, her vulnerability and strength demand to be seen.

God help me, I don’t know what to do with all these fucking feelings.

That night, when I’m back at the apartment over Kitty-Corner Cafe, I call my mom. She answers on the first ring.

“Hey, son. How are you?”

“I’m…okay.” I let out a long sigh.

“That answer didn’t convince me! What’s going on?”

“I care about Goldie Whitman. More than I saw coming.” I run my hand through my hair, tugging it as I groan. “I think I’m falling for her, Mom.”

Her laugh is shaky. “Wow, Milo. This is…” Her voice cracks and sounds teary when she says her next words. “I’m so happy for you, son. But why do you sound so troubled?”

“Because I keep messing it up. She’s been hurt before.

She doesn’t trust me because I wasn’t honest about being a Granger.

And we are like a match being struck around dry hay—if there’s a way to spark, we do.

Sometimes it’s a dumpster fire and sometimes it’s…

” The vision of her head falling back as she chanted my name last night comes back and I have to sit down and take a deep breath before I continue.

“Sometimes it’s like that time we went to Disneyland when I was five and I saw fireworks for the first time.

It’s magical and explosive and wonderful. ”

“Oh, Milo,” she whispers. “Then you have to win her heart. Feelings like this don’t come around very often. I know you’ve never talked about someone like this. You can’t just ignore these feelings.”

“I don’t want to anymore, but…I’m not sure she’s ready. I don’t know…I just don’t know.”

“What can I do to help, honey?”

“What if…could I bring her over for dinner? Show her that we’re not the villains here. If I can even convince her to talk to me again. She’s kind of…really mad at me right now.”

“Of course! I’d love to meet her. If she’s won my Milo over, she must be so special.”

“She is. She really is.”

“I’m so happy for you.” She’s for sure crying now and I smile despite feeling like a train wreck.

“Well, I haven’t exactly won her over. We can’t make it a solid week without being at each other’s throats.”

Mom laughs. “Acceptance is half the battle. Sounds like you’re just now admitting to yourself how you feel and she’s still fighting it. I bet if she knew how you felt, it’d go a long way in her admitting it too.”

“If she feels the same way. That’s a big if.”

“Oh, stop. You’re Milo Lombardi. You and your father are the best-looking men in the whole wide world. I know—I’ve traveled a lot.”

I laugh. “Yeah, you’re not biased in the slightest.”

“I’m not. All my friends agree with me. Most of them wouldn’t hesitate to go all cougar on you, and their daughters would fight to take their place.”

I shudder. “I didn’t need that mental picture. Esther and Desiree better keep their distance.”

She laughs. “I had to give them a detailed report on your whereabouts just the other day.”

“No,” I groan, laughing.

“It’s true. So, when are we doing this dinner? How about this weekend? Friday night? Weren’t you planning to come into town then anyway?”

“Yeah. I’ll see if I can talk her into it and keep you posted.”

“I’m so excited.” She sounds giddy. “But…do you think she’ll like us? Me, specifically?”

I stand up and start pacing again. “I think she won’t be able to help but like you.”

“I hope so.”

“Love you, Mom. Tell Dad I love him too.”

“Okay. He loves you too. He’s right here and saying it.”

I laugh. “See you both soon.”

When we hang up, my fingers hesitate, but then I don’t overthink it…I call Goldie.

She answers on the fourth ring, her voice guarded. “Hello?”

I swallow, shifting on my feet. “Hey. I don’t like the way we left things earlier.”

She exhales. “I don’t either.”

“Would you have dinner with me on Friday night?”

There’s a long pause. “Dinner?” she says slowly.

“With my parents,” I add, the words rushing out. “I want you to meet them. I want them to meet you.”

There’s another pause—longer this time. I can almost hear her processing, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Milo…”

“I know it’s a big ask,” I cut in. “But I’d love to take you to their place.”

“They’re in Lake Minnetonka, aren’t they?”

“Yeah…it’d be more like a weekend trip. Leave Friday after lunch and come back on Saturday.”

“What makes you think we can get along for that long?”

I laugh. “I’m not sure we can, but I’d like to try. I know we’re capable of having great moments together. Unforgettable moments.”

I hear her quick intake of breath and wish I was standing in front of her.

“You’re sure they want to meet me?” she asks softly. “Your mom’s a Granger…Bruce’s sister…”

“Yeah.”

“So she probably doesn’t love my family too much.”

I wince even though she can’t see me. “She thinks the feud is stupid, if that helps. And honestly, she’s more worried about whether you’ll like her.”

Goldie is silent again, and just when I think she’s about to tell me no, she says, “Okay. I’ll go with you.”

“Good.” I exhale with relief and grin like an idiot. “How about I pick you up at one on Friday?”

“That works,” she says, still cautious.

“Thank you,” I tell her. “I promise we’ll have fun. My parents are warm and welcoming, and we can either stay at their house or go back to my penthouse. I, uh…there’s a guest suite at both places, so you’ll have plenty of…space.”

I run my hand over my face, silently cursing this awkwardness. It’s foreign to me and I fucking hate it. I prefer control by far, but that went out the window the day Goldie came into my life.