Page 6 of Tempting Me (The Asher Family #3)

CHAPTER FIVE

SHAY

I’m going to puke.

I can feel it. It’s right there, ready to creep up my throat. My skin feels clammy, and it’s so freaking hot out here.

Shit.

I can’t believe I’m really going to do this. I’m going to hire Luca Asher to remodel The Marina. If my family could only see me now, they would be so disappointed.

But I’m desperate and his work is good. I just don’t know how to make this work without anyone seeing us, but I’ll find a way. I have to.

I sit down on the bench and then I stand up and then I sit down again, my hands twisted together as I look left and right, making sure there’s no one in sight.

Where is he?

I know I was a little vague in my note, but he surely knew it came from me.

I sit back down on the bench and look out over the water .

I picked this spot because in a moment when I’m feeling so unsure of what’s going to happen next, this view calms me.

I let out a breath.

If somewhere deep down—deep, deep down—Luca is still the Luca I knew years ago, he’s going to say yes because, as he mentioned last summer when I hired the other company, he knows this place.

He knows the memories I want to keep alive, and he knows the vision I have to make it what it once was.

His brain is scarily similar to mine. That’s what drew me to him all those years ago.

It’s just that no one can find out about this, and I can’t stress this enough.

If I don’t get The Marina back up and running, I could lose it. If my family finds out I hired Luca, I could lose it.

That’s the part I don’t know if Luca is going to agree to.

What’s the saying? Play with fire and you’ll get burned.

Yep. That’s me. I’m basically walking around with the gasoline clenched in my hand and a match in the other, waiting for someone to bump into me.

“I think I finally see why this is your favorite spot around the lake.”

I startle at Luca’s voice, standing quickly and spinning around to face him.

My gaze jerks to his instantly, then he breaks eye contact to take me in, his eyes traveling down and back up my body so slowly that I feel naked.

When those blue eyes meet mine again, I can see that he has questions for me. I expected it.

“Why is that?” I ask.

“Because this view is like a sedative. The entire drive here, I was building up a fight in my head with you because that’s what we do, but then I got out of my truck and saw this”— he gestures to where the sun barely peeks out from behind the lake and mountains as it goes down for the night—“and the anger just disappeared.”

I have to fight back the smile on my lips. His assumption is perfect.

But I don’t smile. Right now, I can’t show any signs that Luca Asher holds the cards.

“How can you plan a fight with someone if you don’t even know what they want from you?” I ask, and instantly he points a finger at me.

“Because I knew you wanted something from me, and my brain can’t figure out one single reason why you think I'd give you anything.”

“Because you love that marina just as much as I do,” I snap and then sit with a huff.

The lake sand is soft, so I don’t hear him as he walks up to me, but I can feel it. So when he sits down next to me and lets out a breath, I know I have only one chance to get this right.

“The Marina isn’t doing well, and I thought hiring someone to help me fix it up and rebuild it to what it once was would be the answer, and I still think it is. I just …”

“They quit on you.”

I nod.

“Why?”

I shrug.

“Shay.”

I hate that after all these years, he can still tell when I’m keeping something from him.

“He was taking his time and I need it done. I needed him to work faster. It shouldn’t take this long.”

“That’s what you get for hiring out of state. ”

“Don’t start this.”

“No, I will start it. I want to know why you hired them over me, because it sure as hell isn’t because of my work.

You know damn well that I’m great at what I do, and you wouldn't be here right now telling me about this if you weren’t planning to hire me.

So why now? My guess is desperation, but I’ll let you tell me the truth. ”

“Can’t you just be happy that I didn’t hire someone else again?”

“Not a chance. Tell me why.”

“Because.”

“Because why?”

“Because I don't trust you! And my family would be furious with me if I put the fate of this place into your hands.”

I toss my own hands up as if to say, are you happy now?

Luca jerks his head back, his heated stare locked on me. His jaw clenches as he takes a deep breath, but those eyes, even as they darken, never leave mine.

Why is it that whenever Luca looks at me, I feel like he’s seeing more than just what’s on the surface? It’s like he’s trying to see deeper. Like he’s trying to know my every thought.

As I wait with bated breath for him to say something in response to my outburst, a breeze sweeps over us, sending goosebumps over my arms and legs. I shiver, and my nipples harden. And clearly, Luca knows it, too, because he looks down.

It’s only for a split moment before he stands and starts to walk off.

I’d be mad that he was so bluntly checking out my breasts just now, but I really do need his help, and if I let him leave, I won’t have the chance to ask him again. Let alone the nerve.

“Where are you going?” I ask, standing to follow.

“Home.”

“Why?”

“Because this was stupid. I don’t know why I even entertained this idea tonight.”

“No. Wait. Please, Luca, I need your help.”

He spins quickly and takes two long strides until he’s right in my face.

“You just said that you didn't trust me and your family would be furious. Those two things are a recipe for disaster. Everyone would see me at The Marina and know I’m working with you. I think you forget how small this town is and how everyone knows more than they should about the people who live here. Your family might be across the world right now, but someone would tell them.”

“I know. I know. But you wanted me to tell you why I didn’t hire you first, and I did. Now you're mad because I told you the truth. That’s not fair.”

He huffs out a breath.

“And—” I swallow the lump in my throat, then force the next piece out. He’s going to hate it. “You’d only be working at night so no one could see you.”

“Ha!” He erupts into a wicked laugh. “Now I know why you wanted to meet me at this time. So you wouldn't be seen with me. Unreal.”

He turns for his truck again.

“Luca, I’m begging you. Please help me finish The Marina. Please. That place is my home .”

Like before, he stops. This time though, he doesn't turn around. He rests his hands on his hips and drops his chin to his chest.

I take one more step, but I don’t speak.

Slowly, he looks over his shoulder.

“Please,” I beg one more time before he can turn me down again.

“I …”

“I’ll do anything you want. Name your price. Do you want me to get you more work in town? I’d find a way to slip your name into conversation.”

“I don't need your help with work.”

“I’ll clean your house.”

He closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“I’ll … I’ll … what do you like?” I ask with a small laugh. “I’m serious, Luca.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Shay. I’m sorry.”

“Wait, I … I’ll set you up with someone.”

I don’t know where that came from or why I thought it was a good idea to say out loud, but it’s out before I can stop it.

“I don’t need your help getting a date,” he snaps.

Fair enough.

“Okay. I just figured with your brothers falling in love and whatnot, you'd be ready to do that, too, and if there is someone you are interested in, I could help maybe.”

Oh. My. God. Shay. Stop. Talking.

Set the only man you ever had feelings for up on a date? Come on. Those feelings might be different now, but I’m not an idiot. Then again, this was my idea, so maybe I am.

“But you're right.” I wave a hand to signal that we can both forget it. “You don’t?— ”

“Grace,” he says quickly.

Grace?

“What about her?”

“You can help me with Grace. Given our family histories, she’s never given me the time of day, but she seems …”

“Not your type,” I blurt out because clearly I love to sabotage myself.

“You don’t know my type.”

“I know hers.”

“And I’m not it?”

“No.”

His glare cuts off my laugh.

“I could be, but she barely speaks to me because your family has probably poisoned her mind all these years.”

“Yes, Luca, we just sit around the dinner table every Monday night, passing garlic bread and sharing how much we hate you.”

He points his finger at me, and I don't know what it is about the gesture, but I want to smack him and tell him to stop.

“That right there is why, even if we did agree to this, it wouldn't work. I’m leaving.”

“No, no, no.” I run in front of him. “I’m sorry. Okay. You’re right. Grace’s image of you might be a little skewed because of me and my brother, so my answer is yes. I’ll help set you up with Grace.”

“No, that's not what I want. I can get a date myself. What I need from you is for you to say nice things about me so she can form her own opinion of me. A better one. Not the Parker family’s opinion, okay? Got it? I’ll do the rest.”

I nod over and over .

He’s saying yes, and all I have to do is say nice things about him to my best friend. Easy. Done.

“But make sure it’s things she would like, not stupid stuff like his hair was nice today and he smells so good I want to lick his body.”

I snort, and it earns me another glare.

“No stupid comments about how pretty you look. Got it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t. See you tomorrow night. Wait until after eight before you show up, and don’t bring a trailer.”

“How do you expect me to get anything done if I don’t have supplies?”

“Tomorrow will be more of a let's make a plan moving forward kind of night.”

“Let's just do that now.”

“No. Tomorrow,” I say and head for my car.

“I think I know why the other guy quit.”

The urge to flip him my middle finger consumes me, but he just agreed to help me, so I do the next best thing. Kill him with kindness.

I turn and give him my best smile.

“See you tomorrow.”

I unlock my car and grab the handle to open the door.

“No, don’t be all sweet with me now. I don’t want fake Shay. I want?—”

I shut the door and wave at him through the front window, having no idea what more he said.

His hands fly up into the air, and then he shakes his head and gets in his truck.

I wait for him to pull away, and as soon as he does, it’s like I can finally breathe .

With my head leaned back against the headrest, I close my eyes.

This is good. It’s good. The Marina will be in good hands because Luca is good at his job.

This is going to work.

When I open my eyes, my gaze drifts to where Lovers Lodge sits about two miles down the lake. It’s so big that I can see the lights that showcase the structure's character.

Tell Grace nice things about Luca. That’s it.

That seems easy enough, right?

But what if I say nice things and she really does deem him her type and then he asks her out and she falls for him and I have to watch my best friend and the only boy I’ve ever loved be happily in love?

Ugh. I hate how that doesn't sit well with me.

And it’s not that I still like Luca. I can’t like Luca. It would be pointless.

Which is exactly why I don’t.

Like him.

Nope.

Not me.