Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sheridan
Country music thumped across the whole block that was roped off for the street dance. Food and drink vendors lined one end, and picnic tables were set up between them and the cordoned-off dance area and stage.
Jasper had gotten food from three different food trucks and an ice-cold beer from the Reservoir Barrel stand. We’d shared a fry bread taco, and an empty tray of cheese curds was between us. To make sure we didn’t eat just fried food, we’d also gotten a stuffed baked potato to share.
I put my hand on my stomach. “I’m too full to dance.”
Much of the crowd around me was in jeans and cowboy boots.
The women were wearing the same with tight tops, short tops, off-the-shoulder blouses, or just sundresses.
A lot of skin was showing. Meanwhile, I looked ready for a grocery run in sandals and jean shorts.
The hemline of my shirt went past my waistband.
I was sorely underdressed and overdressed at the same time, but I was accepting a lot of things about myself.
Dressing how I wanted to dress would now be one of them.
I had my very own cowboy in his jeans and boots. His hat was on the picnic bench next to him.
“You might be full, but you’re not getting out of a dance.” He plopped his cowboy hat on his head. “There’s a slow song playing. We’ll warm up to that.”
“I have two left feet. Maybe even two right feet.”
He folded his hands on the table. “What has you so afraid of dancing?”
Being in his arms in public and looking absolutely blissed out. Looking clumsy when the slow song ended. More stifling anxiety. “I just don’t do it.”
“No. There’s something.”
Fine. I would tell him, and he’d take pity. He’d decide to never ask me out again. “I’m not a natural, and it frustrates partners. I had this high school boyfriend, and he had a girl best friend.”
He cocked a brow, anger simmering in his eyes. “I hate where this is going.”
“I don’t think they did anything. I mean, they’re married now, but that didn’t happen until our ten-year reunion.” I stacked our empty food trays. “But my senior year, I wanted to go to the dance they used to hold after the rodeo at the fairgrounds.”
“Yeah, I remember that.”
“He never asked, so I went with a couple of friends.” I hadn’t had many, and getting a night out with them had been so exciting. “Then I saw him there. With her. They were doing an amazing jitterbug, and it was like they’d been dancing together since they were toddlers.”
“That asshole.”
“He danced with me once. Never stopped to teach me a thing. I just fumbled out there, and he got frustrated.” Left me alone in the middle of a crowd of adults and peers.
“When I got upset with him for how insignificant it made me feel, he acted like a baby and dumped me. After that, I never went to many dances, and when I did…” I shrugged. “It just wasn’t fun.”
He rose and collected our empties. I was bereft, transported back to that time.
Alone. Wishing I could be at the resort where people came to me with questions when they couldn’t find my dad.
I was still that young girl, burying myself in work, trying to find something I was good at and finding it in the resort. Too bad I wasn’t finding more money.
Jasper’s shadow fell over me, and he held out a hand. “Madam, may I have this dance—and every other one tonight?”
“Every one?” It came out a whisper, and heat flooded my cheeks. Fear rose, but tenderness and affection almost overwhelmed me. He knew exactly what I needed to hear.
“You can step on my feet until midnight, and I won’t let you go. You’re staying in my arms.”
Music to my ears. I took his hand and rose.
He yanked me right into him. “Right here. Until you tell me to let you go.”
“What if I never say the words?”
“Then you’ll have to fall asleep on me.” He leaned down, shading me with his hat. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
I hoped it wouldn’t be the last. He clasped my hand and led me to the roped-off dance area in the middle of the closed street block.
Keeping to the outside, he discreetly talked me through a simple two-step, using both voice commands and steering me in his strong embrace.
It took several songs for me to get the hang of it, but he was patient. Then he twirled me.
It was my very own roller coaster ride. I landed right back in the circle of his arms, and I laughed, joyful and carefree. Another song started up, and we continued dancing. I did better than before.
When I finally nailed a few minutes without trying to take over and without tripping, I patted his shoulder. “I need some water and a bathroom break.”
“A porta-potty awaits.”
“Ooh, classy.”
“I’ll get us some waters.”
I used the blue bathroom. When I stepped out, rubbing sanitizer over my hands, my heart sank. Two women were chatting with Jasper. I didn’t recognize either of them.
He wasn’t laughing or joking with them. His gaze was on me, and that smile on his face was mine.
“Excuse me, ladies,” he said without looking at them. He held up the water and grinned at me. “I’ve got the drink of dance champions.”
I took a water from him, and the women moved on. One’s dress barely covered her ass, and the other had painted-on jeans. Both were beautiful. “You had some company?”
“They saw me teaching you and were trying to get some lessons.”
“Is that what they call it nowadays?” I chugged my water. I would learn to dance for this man just because he treated me more special than any ex ever had.
“If it works with you, that’s what I’m calling it. Wanna”—he waggled his brows—“dance?”
I was a little sweaty, but his words warmed me even more. “That’s third-date territory.”
He groaned and took the water cup from me, tossing it in the garbage by the bathrooms. “You mean I’ve gotta wait again? I didn’t think this dating thing through.”
I chuckled, but something he said stuck with me. “Again? You were waiting before?”
He swung me into his arms. “Since I first saw you.”
“The whole point of our meeting was that I didn’t see you, and I crashed into you.”
His crooked grin wormed its way further into my heart. “It doesn’t matter. I would’ve seen you. I might’ve even hit on you.”
“But my mom intervened.”
His lips stayed quirked. “Smart woman.”
Once we were back in the area with the scattering of other couples left at the dance, he whirled me into his hold. I did better, falling in step with him. My comfort level was increasing, and just plain being in his arms resonated deep into my bones.
“Want to go to Purple Petal with me tomorrow night?” he murmured in my ear.
“Rushing the second date?” All I cared about was that he asked me out again. The sex was great, but this dating business? It was more.
“I’m an impatient man around you. Whaddya say?”
“I have to work a double at the front desk. I figured I’d be around all day, and I’d been absent for so long while we were cleaning up the house. I’m hoping to catch up on some scheduling and go through the numbers for hiring and the events.”
“You don’t have to explain, boss. I’ll be around and ready when you are.”
“Thank you.”
I relaxed in his arms. Muscle memory helped with the steps, and the song was slow enough I didn’t have to concentrate. Jasper was the perfect partner. He was patient, and if I stumbled, he might give me an encouraging smile, but he didn’t otherwise highlight my error.
Date-Night Jasper was even more alluring than Handyman Jasper or Hookup Jasper.
How was he single?
Because he wanted to be. Yet he’d asked me out. And he’d inquired about another date. Did I let the opportunity slip by?
No. Not at all. “Tuesday.”
The brim of his hat shaded the pleased look in his eyes like it was just for me. “It’s a date.”
Jasper
Sheridan sat across from me in a booth at Purple Petal, studying her menu.
The last two and a half days had gone by at a snail’s pace.
Sheridan had been busy at the resort, filling in at the front desk.
Then Landon had needed a day off, so both she and I had pitched in to get the rooms cleaned.
I hadn’t been able to talk to her in a capacity other than work, and it wasn’t even like before, when I’d had her to myself while we knocked out a project.
I’d been craving more time with her, and it was becoming a constant feeling. I couldn’t shake the need I had around her—to consume her, and it wasn’t just about getting her naked and under me.
I really fucking liked this girl.
We were only on our second date. I hadn’t thought this through.
Before I had officially asked her out, this night would’ve ended up with me inside her.
It would’ve been just sex. But now? I would honor the third-date rule.
She had to see that what was between us wasn’t as arbitrary as that.
I could handle the need for release, the craving to hear her moans. It’d be worth it.
“What are you getting?” she asked.
“Beef tips. I’d get surf and turf, but the resort really does do that the best.”
She beamed. “We’re so lucky to have Paola.”
“A trained chef who wants the freedom to do her own thing.”
“And her own thing includes lots of butter.” She pushed the menu aside. “I’ll get the tips too.”
She folded her hands and let her gaze wander around the rustic restaurant. She wore something a little dressier than what she normally did. Her shorts were a hair shorter than usual, and the shirt clung to her curves. The hint of cleavage drove me wild.
One more date, and I could have her again.
A shadow passed over her face, but it was gone just as quickly.
“What?” I asked.
“Hmm?”
“There’s something going on in that sharp mind of yours. Want to talk about it?”
She fiddled with the paper ring that had been around her silverware. “No, I don’t want to talk about it.” She dropped her shoulders and put the paper down. “I’ve been having some reality checks.”
There was only one thing that would be on her mind as the date for a possible and probable sale of Grandma Annie’s land approached. “REG?”
She nodded. “I’ve had to ask myself how much I want this and why I’m so afraid to fail.”
“You don’t want to let anyone down.”
“But what if I am?” She dropped the paper ring she’d folded into a small square.
“What if I’m failing them by trying to hold on to the resort?
REG has the funds. There’s more than one person in charge.
” She huffed. “That has to be a benefit. What if they’re able to pay the staff more? Offer better benefits?”
“You’re doing just fine.”
“I’m struggling. Bishop’s Landing is struggling. If your aunt does decide to sell and considers me, I could finance the resort, but then… debt and payments. It’s scary.” She stared out the window. “You know that pretzel place?”
Her change of subject caught me off guard. “Pretzel place?”
“The one that started in some small town not far away from here? She sold to Hershey’s for over a billion.”
“Shit.” Dismay filled my gut, robbing me of my appetite. If the server came by, I’d probably just order water. Was the money proving too tempting? The irony of Aunt Linda possibly holding on to the property while Sheridan sold instead broke my heart. “Yeah, I think I recall hearing about that.”
“I know Bishop’s Landing isn’t worth a billion, but what if I put it up for sale?
What if…” She licked her bottom lip. Conflict raged in her eyes.
She didn’t like the idea, but she was so determined to do right by everyone that she was growing more resolved with each minute.
“What if I sell with some sort of contingency clause that they give the staff a year before making changes or closing the resort? It’d give the employees time to find something else or maybe even stay. ”
An exhale trickled out of me. She could do that. With REG looking for exactly that resort, she could pocket enough money to set herself up for years. She could start her own, smaller business, one that wasn’t unwieldy or that didn’t need a million updates.
“You could go anywhere.” The words tasted sour. I should be encouraging her to do what was best for her. I should be thrilled that she could go from a money drain to a windfall. REG would make it rain Benjamins and gobble this place up.
“I could go anywhere.” Was I imagining her wooden tone?
The server came by, and we ordered. My hunger hadn’t returned, but I asked for the beef tips, and I’d chew on each one even if it was dust in my mouth. Sheridan didn’t need to deal with my shit while she was working through her own plans.
She could do anything and go anywhere. Technically, I could too.
I wasn’t in that different of a place than her.
Would she move on and leave me behind, thinking I was just coasting through life?
I could wait for the third date. Maybe I’d get a fourth.
We’d have sex. And then she’d keep planning her future—one that didn’t include me.
I could start by showing her that I was the guy she wanted. That I could do more than coast. “Jensen suggested I hang my own handyman shingle in town.”
Surprise lifted her brows. “You’re starting your own business?”
“Thinking about it.” I hadn’t seriously considered it until now, but if she thought of me as more, as real partner potential, I would.
“Oh.” She let out a melancholy laugh. “I guess if I sell, I don’t have to worry about affording a full-time maintenance person.”
“You’ve been paying for a full-time maintenance person.” The pay wasn’t the best, but I had a lot of flexibility and a relaxed work environment. Those were two things I didn’t take lightly.
“You aren’t getting benefits. I wouldn’t have let you accept that, but I was desperate.”
“The biggest benefit is you. Besides, there’s nothing I like more than desperate women.”
She laughed, the lightness back in her eyes. “And for a while, we were compatible, but I may very well be desperate again soon.”
“We’re more than compatible. I’m waiting for one more date to remind you.”
“I’ll wait for then to tell you I’m basically homeless.” Her laugh fell flat.
“The office is a roof over your head.” I considered the way she shut down again when she made that joke. “It’s bothering you?”
“It is. The staff is so accepting, but I’m sleeping on a cot.
” She shrugged. “I’m living out of a suitcase, and while that’s not much different than what I was doing in my mom’s place, it seems like a downgrade.
” More shadows flickered in her gaze. “It’s what made me start questioning what I’m doing. ”
“But you weren’t before.”
“Before I was trying to prove something—to Constance, to my brothers, to my ex, who, trust me, does not care and probably can’t remember my full name.”
Sheridan Frances Bishop. “You finally realized that you don’t have to prove anything to yourself?”
“I have to take care of the employees, and I’m no longer sure I’m the best one for the job.”
So the decision wasn’t about her. She wanted to do right by everyone else.
I wanted to be the one to do right by her.