Chapter Twelve
Owen
Seeing the hope in her eyes nearly killed me when we started working on her blog. Not because I didn’t believe in it and her, but because I knew I had selfish reasons for wanting her blog to take off.
And quickly.
Today had been a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing her get into it with the llama, followed by tumbling headfirst into the water trough, was straight out of a rom-com, but then the kiss…
That came out of nowhere. I didn’t know what came over me, but I wanted to protectand feel her simultaneously. How she looked at me made my heart squeeze in a way Inever felt before. I’d permanently sealed that part of my life off. Relationships took time, and I had very little of it.
Before I arrived here, I’d carved out almost three weeks to spend time and be available to anyone at the county or village who needed me.
I had a team of investors who wanted constant updates, and it just seemed easier to be on the ground than flying around and working on my other projects.
But it also gave me something I hadn’t had in years.
Free time.
Apart from spending a few days in Wyoming near Christmas, I spent most of my time jetting from city to city, tearing buildings down and putting new ones up. Other times, I’d be persuading potential partners to invest in either my visions or those of my other partners.
Either way, the one thing I couldn’t do was fall for the womenwe might put out of business.
I sat on the edge of the bed, looked out at Buttercup Lake, and sighed.
No, it was worse than that. The entire family was part of the Honey Leaf Lodge.
Last Christmas, one of my brothers asked if I’d feel bad about putting a family business at risk of closing, and my answer had been a quick no.
I might have even laughed about it. I didn’t remember.
Nothing mattered to me except closing deals, watching my ideas take shape, and moving on to the next project.
But last Christmas, I hadn’t met Violet yet.
I stood and walked over to the balcony doors and opened them wide. Stepping into the fresh air, I let out a heavy sigh and sat, letting the crisp air nip at my knuckles.
The fading light of the late afternoon cast a warm glow over Buttercup Lake. The beauty was a sight pulled from a painting. The deciduous leaves transformed into a brilliant mosaic of fiery reds, golden yellows, and burnt oranges. The water on the lake shimmered as the sunlight set on the horizon, with the shadows dancing their last ripples before the snow came this season.
That was why I picked this location.
The beauty of it all.
The small-town charm.
I shook my head and glanced toward the tip of the lake where the main heart of town rested. The sidewalks bustled with leaf peepers, couples, and families. It was the perfect destination in the heart of Wisconsin.
I rubbed my palms over my head and groaned in frustration.
There was too much riding on this deal to turn back now, but Violet wouldn’t see any of this when she found out what I was doing here.
Everything pointed to the jerk I tended to be.
But I liked her. I enjoyed spending time with her. I felt things with her that I’d never felt before.
Yet, I was the man who threatened to take everything away from not only her but her family as well.
At this very moment, Violet was probably whipping up something incredible for the guests of Honey Leaf Lodge while daydreaming about the plans she’d made for her food blog. I imagined her humming away like she did even when she did something simple like making coffee.
It was the fact that I remembered those little things that bothered me.
I never intended to get close to Violet, and I wasn’t exactly close yet, but something was starting between us.
A tiny seed of interest that just needed a little bit more care before it grew into something neither of us could control. That kiss told me everything I needed to know. She felt everything I felt.
My hands slid to the armrests, and I shook my head, looking at one of the kayaks floating by. It wouldn’t be long before the lake was frozen over, and there’d be ice-fishing huts dotting the area.
What had started as a simple business trip had quickly spiraled into something far more complicated and unruly. Last year, I flew in to eye the land just outside of town, planning to build a large resort to fill the gap of the growing tourist town.
No emotions.
Just plans.
The resort would dwarf the hotel I was staying in now, but it would probably swallow up Honey Leaf Lodge.
As deals went, it should have been pretty tidy. It had been a year in the making, working with officials and laying the groundwork to make the transition with Vern’s property easy. The sooner we could start building, the less hassle we’d get from the locals.
But nothing about this project was easy now.
All I could think about was Violet and her family.
Honey Leaf Lodge.
Sure, I’d joked with my brother about running them out of business or buying up the place at a discount when they felt desperate enough, but none of that was funny then or now. It made me feel creepy, yet I couldn’t say a word.
Plus, it wasn’t like Violet and I were officially seeing one another. We’d just bumped into each other at some opportune times, shared a meal or two…
I rubbed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
I’d never been great at lying to myself.
Violet had no idea that the very thing she and her family were pouring their hearts and souls into was about to face a massive competitor.
And that competitor was me.
I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated by the man I’d turned into.
Why couldn’t I just tell her?
Violet was the kind of person who’d understand this passion project of mine. She knew what it was like to do something you loved.
Well, that was this project for me.
Or it had been.
I shook my head, realizing I really did suck at lying to myself.
There wouldn’t be a single thing about this that would make Violet happy.
They were destined to lose everything.
But I’d lose everything if I told her.
My investors would lose even more.
A faint tap sounded on my door, and I stood, glancing at the time. I hadn’t ordered room service yet, but maybe it was the extra towels I’d requested.
I walked through the room and opened the door to see Violet. Her smile washed over me with a warmth I couldn’t explain, and it only made me feel worse.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I asked, tilting my head.
She’d changed out of the green sweater and jeans from earlier and wore black leggings and an orange sweatshirt. Violet looked sensational with her dark hair and big brown eyes.
“I wanted to come by to say thank you.” She whipped out a basket from behind her and shoved it toward me. “Blueberry muffins for the morning and a slice of chocolate decadence for dessert tonight.”
I looked in the basket, and my heart sank. I honestly was an awful person.
“Wow, Violet. You didn’t have to do this. Pulling you out of the trough wasn’t that big of a deal.”
She snickered, and the sound melted me. “It wasn’t just that. You’ve given me that little oomph I needed to focus on my blog. You said things I needed to hear, and I can’t thank you enough.”
I shook my head, feeling my chest tighten. “Honestly, Violet. You knew all that stuff, it was…”
Violet clutched my hand and squeezed it. “And I’m taking you out to dinner tonight. I’ve got reservations downstairs.”
Her eyes sparkled as she waited for my reply.
“Well, I won’t let you buy me dinner, but I’d love to go out with you tonight.”
“Fine.” She eyed me carefully. “Everything okay?”
I nodded, pushing my worry aside, but it came roaring back as I stepped into my room and put the basket on the counter.
As I spun around, Violet appeared behind me.
“You seem kind of distant,” she said softly, backing up. “We don’t have to go out if you don’t want to. I just thought…”
I smiled and stepped closer. “No, I want to. I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
Those words crushed me.
“I’ve just got some business things to sort out,” I said, trying to keep my tone upbeat.
The words felt like glue in my mouth as I looked into her beautiful brown eyes, seeing the excitement and hope swelling inside her.
“Well, you helped me a ton this afternoon, so I’m all ears. I’m totally game if you need to bounce anything off me.” Her smile only widened with a wispy flirtation.
I stepped forward as my chest tightened.
Of course, Violet would say that—because she was good inside.
Because she was decent and cared, and that only made me feel worse about the entire situation.
I was not a good guy, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
Reaching for her hand, I squeezed it gently and nodded. “I know, and you have no idea how much I wish I could.”
“Is it about why you’re here?” Her tone softened as her gaze fell to my lips.
My fingers skimmed her cheek, and she cocked her head. “Are we about to do a repeat?”
I smiled, feeling the tension slowly leave my body as she closed the gap between us. “The kiss?”
She didn’t answer.
Looking into my eyes, Violet traced my jaw with her fingers. “I’ve been doing some thinking.”
“About your business?” I asked, feeling heat roll through my body.
Violet shook her head. “About the next few weeks.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “What have you come up with?”
She let out a deep breath. “That I think things are meant to be. You know, you coming to our small, out-of-the-way town for business and somehow running into me and giving me that extra boost of confidence I needed.”
I brushed some loose strands from her face. “Maybe.”
The air between us nearly crackled.
“And what if there’s something more to it?” She caught my hand in hers and stood on her toes. Before I could let my mind take control, her lips found mine.
Her mouth felt electric even though her kiss started soft and gentle. The sweetness of her lips became intoxicating as her arms looped around my neck.
Every part of my body responded to her, and I realized that no matter what I told myself, I was falling for her. I didn’t want to plunge into this building attraction but resisting was hard.
I mean, she was absolutely stunning. Her personality coated me like candy, and all I could think about was spending more time with her. One moment, she was sweet, and the next, feisty.
A slight hum buzzed along her lips as our kisses continued. She parted her lips, welcoming me as my hands slid along her back, resting on her hips as she ground her body against me.
The intensity building between us only drove me to want more of her.
Violet’s kiss slowed, and she broke her lips from mine. Fluttering her eyes open, she looked as deliriously happy as I felt.
This was how things were supposed to be, how things should feel when someone didn’t close themselves off.
But why did it happen with Violet?
And how could I end it before it could begin?
“Ready for dinner before things get out of control?” she said with a wink.
Violet’s hand fit perfectly in mine, but I felt the weight of my secret pulling us both down.
I was falling for Violet—hard. But I was also the one who could destroy everything she was working for, everything her family held dear.
And I couldn’t tell her why I was actually in Buttercup Lake.
Not yet.
Maybe never.