Chapter 8
8
LIAM
T he tension in the tent was like nothing I’d ever seen. I sat in the corner with a group of women who hadn’t made the finals.
Some had men with them. Men from my logging crew. We gave each other a nod but didn’t speak. This wasn’t our day. We were here as observers.
“Third place goes to Macy!” the host, a woman named Victoria, announced.
There was no dramatic pause before saying that last word. The woman hosting this shindig didn’t seem to know how to draw out the suspense. I was fine with that, though. If we could rush the rest of these announcements, it would be best for everyone.
The third-place winner walked to the front of the room, shook each of the judges’ hands, then moved to the side, smiling, hands folded in front of her as she waited for the next name.
My eyes didn’t leave Willow from that point on. She stood in the front row, three finished desserts in front of her. I felt like the luckiest man alive that she’d be the woman I’d call my wife someday very soon. I’d have the best baker in the country living under my roof.
And yes, she was the best baker in the country. That was a fact in my eyes whether she won today or not.
I was willing Willow to win, even though there was nothing I could do to make it happen. But I couldn’t help remembering her talk about imagining something into life. I pictured her taking the prize, everyone applauding… What was it she called it? Manifesting? I didn’t believe in any of that stuff, but on the off chance it would help, I tried.
“Second place goes to Willow.”
Applause all around. I felt myself clapping, but it was like I was outside my body, watching. The disappointment was all too real.
Willow handled it far better than I would have. She walked to the front, a big smile on her face, and shook each of the judges’ hands, just as the third-place winner had done. Coming in second was definitely not what she wanted.
As the winner walked to the front, I couldn’t help but notice how gracious Willow was. She kept that smile on her face—not plastered, not fake. It looked genuine. She was either the best actress in this tent or she was genuinely happy for the woman with the long, dark hair who had won.
Willow had nothing to worry about, though. I meant what I said. If she couldn’t get a loan, I would fund her business. It would be the best investment I’d ever make. Even if all I got out of it was a tiny portion of the proceeds, this woman was going to be a huge success. I just knew it.
But I’d get far more than a portion of the proceeds. I was pretty sure I’d already won this woman’s heart. And she had won mine as well. She’d come here to win a competition, but what we’d both gained was a future. And that was winning, no matter how you looked at it.
I shook my head at my own cheesiness. What was wrong with me? I’d turned into a complete sap. But I didn’t mind. This was the best version of me I’d ever seen, and I’d done some pretty damn impressive stuff over the years—mostly during deployment.
I couldn’t wait to get to her, but I was blocked by other people. I had to wait for them to file out of the tent before I could move. But as soon as I was on my feet, I was moving in her direction, stepping patiently around the crowd unknowingly keeping us apart.
As we followed the line of people out of the tent, I said nothing, trying to find the right words. When she finally spoke, her voice pulled me from my thoughts.
“It doesn’t matter.”
I watched as a couple of pairs split off from the group and headed toward the parking lot. Then I looked over at her.
“It doesn’t?”
That was a statement, not a question. No, it didn’t matter whether Willow won or not. Her future was here, in Seduction Summit. I just hoped she saw that.
“I’m going to get a business loan and start my pastry shop right here. If it’s too expensive, I’ll open my store in Adairsville or in one of the small towns around this area. I’ll find a way to make it happen.”
“ We’ll find a way to make it happen,” I said.
It was a risky thing to say. She might have been offended that I wanted to help. If she wanted to do it on her own, I’d back off.
But instead, she looked over at me and smiled. “We’ll do it. Together.”
“You know what I could go for right now?” I asked.
“A mug cake in front of the fire?”
The memory of last night would stay with me forever. But hopefully, it wouldn’t just be a memory. We’d do it again and again and again. On the bed, on the kitchen counter—wherever.
“A glass of wine,” she said. “And a big plate of wings.”
“I think I know where we can get exactly that,” I said. “But don’t you have a dinner tonight?”
She shook her head. “Everything’s over. A bunch of people are meeting up in the lobby to go to Rosie’s Diner for dinner, but I can skip that. I have better things to do.”
I nodded. “You certainly do. In fact, do you think they’ll bring wine and beer with room service?”
Slowly, her mouth curved into a smile. “I like the way you think.”
I glanced back. No one was behind us. A few people still stood near the tent, but we’d moved quite a ways from there.
I pulled Willow toward me, feeling her warmth even through the heavy coats we both wore. “You were robbed. You were by far the best baker there. If they’d had you make your mug cake, they would have seen that.”
She laughed. “Yeah, that mug cake was definitely not my best work. Tonight, we’ll stop by the grocery store and I’ll grab the ingredients to make you the best apple pie you’ve ever had.”
“That can wait until tomorrow,” I said. “Tonight’s about a different kind of pleasure.”
“The best sex I’ve ever had?” she teased. “You’ve already given me that.”
“It was the only sex you’ve had so far,” I pointed out. “It just gets better from here.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Oh, it definitely is. Come on, and I’ll show you.”
But we didn’t move. Not yet. First, she rose on tiptoe and lifted her mouth to mine.
I couldn’t resist the offer of a kiss. And it was a kiss that warmed me all the way through.