Chapter 15 #2
“I figured,” I say, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “I didn’t think she was rude at all. Honestly, she was kind of funny.”
Matt’s frown deepens. “You figured that she was autistic?”
“Yeah. She was very blunt, and when she got excited, her hands flapped a little. Both are pretty typical signs, though I didn’t want to assume.”
He exhales a quiet oh , then goes silent, like his brain is still catching up.
“Anyway,” I say as I backtrack to my car. “I’ll leave you to your morning. Enjoy breakfast, and I’ll see you at Cooper’s this afternoon, right?”
He swallows, his eyes finally coming back into focus. “Yes. And Zoey?”
I pause with my hand on the car door. “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
My heart gives a small, unexpected thud. “Of course.”
There’s a weight to those two words, as if the simple thanks is for more than just the breakfast.
“Have you secured it yet?”
“I’m working on it, Dad,” I say, trying my best to keep my tone even. “I’ve hit a few bumps in the road, but nothing I can’t fix.”
“Ah.”
The single syllable hangs heavy in the air. No rant, no questions. Just that quiet, clipped sound. My grip on the phone tightens. My father has never yelled at me in his life. He doesn’t need to. His silence is so much worse.
“It won’t be a problem,” I try.
The effort is pointless, really. He’s already made up his mind about how poorly he thinks I’m handling this problem. And there’s no way I’ll tell him that I’m handling said problem by fake dating the town’s most eligible bachelor to earn the favor of the locals.
I swallow the nervous laughter that bubbles up in my throat.
Jesus, what would he think of me if he knew? He wouldn’t recognize me, that’s for sure. I don’t even recognize myself. It’s been a week, and so far, I’ve been humiliated and screamed at. I cried and discovered that life can actually have meaning outside of work if you make time for it.
What a weird concept, right?
“Though the locals seem to hold a grudge against you,” I continue. “What the hell happened when the deal fell through?”
“We weren’t a good fit, that’s all.” His tone is dismissive, condescending.
“Too many unhappy voices. It wasn’t good for business, so we went somewhere we were wanted.
But that has nothing to do with now, princess.
The board meeting is in less than two months.
You have to give me something before then. ”
“I will,” I say, throat tight.
Oscar hums on the other end of the line. “This company is my life’s work and your legacy, princess. Don’t force them to look for an outside hire.”
Before I can respond, the three tones signaling that he’s disconnected the call ring in my ear.
I sigh. He’s brought this up twice before, and I’m starting to think he’s not bluffing. Though this time around, my stomach didn’t sink. And that dreadful pang in my chest that reminds me I’m failing my father and all he’s worked so hard for doesn’t come.
I spend the rest of the morning sending emails and confirming the speakers at our upcoming annual cocktail party, and at two p.m., I close my laptop.
It’s strange. And exhilarating, really. Who am I, finishing work this early on a Saturday?
Getting ready to leave, I slip into my new favorite pair of leggings, high socks, leg warmers, and an oversized shirt. When I snag my purse from where it’s tipped on its side, something falls out and hits the floor with a thud.
I scoop up the book Lola gave me. I’d forgotten all about it. I tuck it back in, pick up the change of clothes I set out for tonight, and head out.
When I get to Cooper’s microbrewery, I park next to Matt’s truck in the driveway.
The facility looks a lot like a farm, with a massive wooden warehouse and a silo that probably stores grain for the beer.
It’s dripping with the typical rustic charm you’d expect from a small town like Pine Falls. Tourists must eat this up.
Through my windshield, I spot Matt and a clean-shaven man with a backward hat carrying a heavy-looking board.
I climb out, and as I close the car door, Matt turns, and a wide smile settles on his face. “You came!” he shouts.
I frown. Of course I came. Did he doubt that I would?
Tugging at the strap of my bag, I flash him a grin.
My pulse quickens as I cross the gravel driveway, a little flustered by the smile he so easily broke into at the sight of me. “Need a hand with that?” I ask, nodding toward the board.
Matt tsks, the grin still firmly in place. “Nah, we’re good. We’ve already moved two others. At least we’re getting our arm workout in.”
My attention drifts to his biceps, taut with the effort. He’s only wearing a T-shirt, a light sheen of sweat coating his skin, despite the crisp afternoon temperature.
I don’t know how long I stare or if there’s a puddle of drool at my feet, but when my gaze shifts back to his face, Matt’s grin widens with smug satisfaction.
Busted.
At this point, I’m not even being subtle about it, so I don’t bother hiding the flush creeping into my cheeks.
“Give us a second to put this down, and I’ll be right over.”
He and the man I assume is Cooper haul the board to the building and set it on two sawhorses with a thud , sending dirt flying around them.
Matt dusts off his hands on his pants, then walks to me.
“Hi,” he says as he steps up close. He leans in and drops a sweaty kiss on my cheek, lingering there a bit too long. For theatrics, I’m sure. “I’m glad you came,” he adds, like he’s genuinely happy that I came. For him.
I don’t understand why he’s surprised enough to mention it twice when the whole point of this charade is to get in the town’s good graces.
Behind him, his friend clears his throat.
“Right.” Matt laughs, moving out of the way. “Coop, this is Zoey Delacroix. Zoey, this is Cooper Darfield.”
Cooper holds out his hand and smiles, his eyes creasing at the corners. “Hey, Zoey. I heard you made quite the first impression.”
“Unfortunately.” Cringing, I shake his hand. “You weren’t there?”
“Oh no, those kinds of meetings are not for me. I like the folks here, but not all at once.” He shudders, as if the mere thought is terrifying.
Matt leans in so close that the heat rolling off him warms my skin. “He’s a bit of a hermit.”
“I heard that.” Cooper gathers two chairs in each arm and carries them inside.
I shoot Matt a glare. “I thought we were supposed to convince people with influence .”
“Who do you think people turn to when they want a drink? Who do you think listens to them talk about their problems and can easily offer his opinion in return?” He nods in Cooper’s direction, who is bent over, picking up a drill off the floor.
“Plus…” Matt adds, his lips grazing the lobe of my ear.
A treacherous shiver shoots straight to my core, and I curse myself for being so weak. Then, his voice drops, rough and smoky, and the sound rolls down my spine like the drag of his finger. “He’s a good friend.”
My breath quickens, but I shake off the haze of lust that’s fallen over me and step away. I need distance. Space. Or I’ll spend the whole afternoon looking like a horny idiot.
“You didn’t miss much,” I say to Cooper when he returns, forcing my focus on him. “Except a lot of name-calling and finger-pointing.”
“And yet you’ve managed to bag this one,” he says, hiking his thumb toward Matt, who swats him lightly. “He’s been talking my ear off about you all morning.”
“Has he, now?” My heart flips, but I keep my expression steady and smirk.
“Okay, okay, we’ve got work to do,” Matt cuts in, looping an arm around my shoulders and bringing me to his side.
My body relaxes, like a marshmallow melting over a campfire.
Being pressed up against a sweaty dude like this should make me want to run to the nearest shower, and yet… I don’t want to move. Worse. I like it . Discreetly, I lay my palm to my forehead. No, no fever. I’m not delirious.
“I’m not very good with manual labor.” I study the faded wood of the barn, the boards and chairs. This is a recipe for splinters, bloodied fingers, and chipped nails. “Do you really need my help? I can confidently say I’ll be more of a nuisance than anything.”
Matt chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. “I’ll make sure you don’t hurt yourself.”
I pout.
Yes, I’m fully aware that I’m acting like a brat, but I couldn’t care less. Some people love to get their hands dirty. I am not one of those people. I am the complete opposite of those people.
“What happens if I don’t do it?”
He tsks. “Then you miss out on the reward. We’re testing a few new beers before we serve them tonight, and Cooper’s got a special batch brewing for us as a thank-you for helping. But we can’t try it out until we’re done setting up.”
He nods to the chairs spread throughout the space and the sawhorses waiting for their boards.
“Okay, now you’ve got me interested,” I say, following him inside. “But I’m gonna need a pair of gloves.”
The space is huge—open and airy, with a long wooden counter lined with bottles and barrels on the far end. The air is thick with the smell of hops and malt, making me want to sit at the bar and crack open an IPA instead of carrying chairs and tables all afternoon.
“Here.” Cooper holds out a pair of bright yellow gloves.
I stare at them, keeping my arms crossed over my chest. They look like they’ve gone through the shredder and haven’t been washed in years.
“I’d do a better job at cheering you guys on, I swear.”
I glance at Matt, who watches me with gleeful amusement and nods to the gloves. “Put them on.”
Reluctantly, I take them from Cooper and slide them on. I don’t know how much protection they’ll offer, but I guess it’s better than nothing. Unless I contract an infectious disease from them and die.