Chapter 22
Reese
“Well, don’t you two look cozy.”
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath. What I did not need right now was my Uncle Randy catching me in a lip-lock with our potential investor.
“What?” Clay asked, his voice as low as mine.
“One of my uncles is here.” I sucked in a breath, hoping it wouldn’t be as bad as I feared, and turned.
It was worse. Not only did my Uncle Randy stand there, but Aunt Martha and Uncle Art did too. Because of course they did.
“Hi,” I said, with way too much enthusiasm. “Fancy seeing all of you in town.”
“Guess you weren’t expecting your little rendezvous to be found out. Too busy doing…” Uncle Randy motioned his arm up and down. “…this to come by the brewery, I take it.”
“Randy, be nice. Mr. Montgomery…” My aunt extended her hand, which Clay grasped like the gentleman he was. “Martha Mackenzie. My husband, Arthur,” she added, nodding to her left, before pointing to her right, “and my nephew, Randy.”
“Clayton, please.” He looked between my aunt and uncle. “Martha and Arthur?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice I hadn’t heard often. Which was good because it did weird things to my stomach and inappropriate things to my girl parts.
“It was fate,” Uncle Art chimed in with a chuckle and a squeeze around my aunt’s shoulders. “Couldn’t pick another woman after our names matched so well. Most everyone in the family and around the Falls calls us Mart and Art, so feel free to do the same.”
Somehow, I didn’t think Clayton would be joining the nickname brigade any time soon.
“Thank you for the offer, Arthur.”
Knew it.
Clay turned to Uncle Randy. “I believe Reese was waiting for your sons to return so I could meet all of you together. Your beer is excellent, by the way. Logan offered me some the other night.”
Ahh, the way to my uncle’s heart was through compliments.
As put out as he was, I couldn’t help but notice the way he pulled his shoulders back and his chest puffed out.
“Thanks.” I could practically see the wheels turning in Uncle Randy’s head as he glanced from Clay to me and back again.
“So, I guess by the looks of it you’re going to make us an offer.
I mean, you do look close and all, so I guess Reese got you to agree.
” He paused for a second. “Somehow.” The way he stared at how close Clay and I were standing made his meaning perfectly clear.
“Hey,” I hissed.
Clay stiffened beside me. I couldn’t imagine his professionalism was challenged all that often, so I wasn’t surprised he would take offense. Turning, I was shocked to see a flush start to take over his features.
“Do not talk about Reese like that.” His voice was like steel, unflappable and serious.
“What?” I murmured, not expecting him to be mad on my account. I could do that well enough on my own.
“I wasn’t,” Uncle Randy stammered.
“You were.” The words hung in the air as Clay stared him down.
“But you won’t again. Reese has been nothing but professional.
” I snorted, which drew everyone’s attention.
Looking at me, Clay’s mouth tipped up showcasing that stupid dimple.
“Okay, maybe that’s not entirely accurate.
Reese has been Reese, which seems to be a mixture of sarcasm, heart, and tenacity.
” With a wink, he returned his attention to my family.
“The investment I hope my company can make here is entirely professional. Anything else is between Reese and myself.”
I stood there stunned. I don’t know what I was expecting him to say, but this was not it. It was practically declaration of…well, of something. But what something? Hell if I knew. The man confused me more often than not.
“Of course it is, Mr. Montgomery,” Aunt Martha cut in as she winked at me. “The important thing is to not turn a blind eye to surprising developments. Those can be the most worthwhile.”
I wasn’t sure I liked the path this little conversation was headed down.
“Clayton please, Martha.” After a glance my way, he turned back to my aunt. “I am beginning to see the allure of surprises.”
Dammit. When he said things like that it was really hard to remember it was a one and done thing with the man.
So one and done, plus a kiss in the street?
It wasn’t my fault he really was too sexy for his own good.
I was trying to stay away, though I had to admit I wasn’t doing a great job of it. Because you don’t want to.
“Reese?” I started as Aunt Martha’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Sorry. My mind wandered.” Down roads that were dangerous, but no one needed to know that. “Did you say something?”
“Yes, can I just borrow you for a minute.” She pointed a little farther down the street. “Just a quick chat.”
Now was when I’d hear it. She probably didn’t want to chastise me in front of Uncle Randy and Clay. Not that I wanted to be chastised at all, but if I had to be, privacy was preferable.
“Of course,” I answered before leaning closer to Clay and whispered so only he could hear, “Behave with my family.”
The sexiest grin kicked up the corners of his lips, and I wanted to drag them down to mine.
He turned his head, his mouth brushing against the shell of my ear and sent a shiver down my spine.
One I hope my relatives didn’t see. “The only Henley I want to misbehave with is you, and I can’t wait to do it again.
” Moisture flooded my panties and it took everything in my power to not grab his hand and drag him back to my apartment.
This man was lethal to my sanity and my underwear.
Clay straightened to his full height and turned to my uncle. “So, Randall, tell me about starting the brewery.”
“Oh Reeeesseeee,” Aunt Martha sing-songed from down the street.
I picked up my pace and caught up with her. “Is everything okay, Aunt Mart?”
She waggled her brows. “Your Clay is very handsome, dear.” We both looked back at the men, and there was no way to deny he cut an impressive figure.
There was something about him, whether in a full suit or semi-suited as he was now or completely dressed down that exuded power and sex and money.
It was a potent combination. Especially the sex part.
At least for me. “Ever showed me pictures, but he’s even better in person.
I completely understand why you decided to have a little ‘fun’—” She paused to add air-quotes. “—with him.”
My mouth dropped open. “Aunt Martha,” I gasped. First, my cousin was a dead woman. Second, I seriously did not have my aunt being on board with my decision to have a fling with Clay on my radar.
“What? I’m older, not dead.” I actually blushed when she looked at me waiting for an answer. One that I didn’t really have. “Anyway, I think it’s wonderful. You deserve something fun and to be happy.”
Aunt Martha had always been like another grandparent to me, but since Grams and Gramps left us, I’d relied on her more than I could ever adequately thank her for.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I blurted out.
“There’s something about him I don’t know how to resist. I don’t think I even want to try, but it’s stupid.
It’s beyond stupid. It’s dangerous because I’m putting us all at risk.
” Not to mention myself and my dumb heart, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Everything I’m trying to do for us is riding on this, on seeing if I can get us help through Clay’s company and what am I doing? The worst thing possible.”
Aunt Martha reached out and took my hand. “Attraction is not the worst possible thing.” She lifted her other hand and cupped my cheek. “Falling for a man isn’t the end of the world, even if it’s unexpected. You can’t predict who you’re going to fall in love with.”
“I’m not in love.” The words rushed out of my mouth.
The look my aunt gave me told me she doubted my words. Hell, even I doubted them.
“All I’m saying is that the twists and turns of life take us by surprise, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t follow them.
Sometimes the thing we always wanted comes to us out of the blue, in a way or a package we were never expecting.
” Holding both my hands in her grasp, she looked me square in the eye before giving a quick tilt of her head toward Clay.
“You have to remember you’re living your life for you, Reese.
Not for us. Not for your grandparents. Not for Henley Falls.
For you. Remember that.” With a squeeze to my hands, she stepped back and started to turn away, then she stopped.
“I have something for you from your grandfather. I think you’re almost ready for it. ”
“Wh—”
“I don’t think it’s time yet, but now I know what he meant.”
I wanted to know what it was. What could she possibly have from Gramps that wasn’t already divided out among all of us.
Before I could ask again, she left me standing there and walked back to the men.
When she touched Clay’s arm and he turned his full attention down to her, something in my chest caught.
I may not know what I was doing, but suddenly doing it felt right.