Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Hayden
My guilt over making Cara go through the motions of small talk when she’d probably rather plunge the nail file into my heart is significant, and the way my pulse is still racing from the two of us being in the same room doesn’t help.
As soon as I walked through the door, I realized that no amount of anticipating this moment could have prepared me for seeing Cara Gamble again.
The lush brown hair—a few shades lighter than her chocolate eyes—that I’d loved to run my fingers through is pulled up in a ponytail.
She’s curvier now, and my hands twitch with a need to skim over her hips.
She’s aged, of course—we both have—but she’s still one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.
And I’m pretty sure if I was on fire, she would pour a glass of water and then slowly drink it right in front of me.
But neither making Cara like me nor Penny’s unnecessary canine pedicure are the reason I’m here. It’s time to focus on my end goal.
“I come back now and then to see my mom. And Aaron, Hope and the kids,” I say. And as awkward as it’s going to be, I know this is my opening. “Every time I drive by your house, it breaks my heart a little.”
She stills for a few seconds and then resumes filing. “My mother told me you want to buy the house.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
Considering the offer I made was for more than the property’s worth and doesn’t require inspections it would undoubtedly fail, I’m not sure it matters.
“I have a soft spot for those big, old New England houses—especially the ones that haven’t been converted into apartments—and seeing the most beautiful house in Sumac Falls fall into disrepair is sad. ”
Her cheeks flush, but there’s really no way to dance around the subject. And it’s not her fault her ancestors just assumed future generations would have enough money to maintain the property. She finishes with Penny’s paw and I have to move as she slides the stool to the dog’s other side.
“I’d love to restore it,” I tell her. “But our families haven’t exactly been friends over the years, so I’m anticipating some resistance from Gin.”
She snorts. “So much understatement in one sentence.”
Aaron was right, then. Gin might sell, but she sure as shit ain’t going to sell it to me. “Since you live there, too, I thought maybe you would be…an ally, I guess.”
“And you thought inventing a reason to come into my place of business so you can bring it up while I’m working would help your case?”
“You’re filing my dog’s nails.”
She pauses and without letting go of Penny’s paw, gives me a look that drops my core temp five degrees. “Insulting my profession is an interesting way to go here.”
“I apologize. What I was trying to convey was my certainty that you can file and talk at the same time, and also I didn’t really an invent a reason since you’re actually doing it.”
She turns her attention back to Penny’s nails, and I resist the urge to fill the silence that stretches on.
“There has to be more to it than wanting to restore an old house,” she finally says. “You know the history between our families, and even if I could finally convince my mom to sell it, there’s almost no chance it would be to a Reilly.”
There’s a lot to unpack there. There is more to it than wanting to restore an old house, but I have no intention of sharing that motivation with Cara. And almost no chance isn’t the same as no chance at all.
But most importantly, there are those two very telling words—finally convince—that snag my attention. Cara actively wants Gin to sell the house, and she has to know mine will be the best offer they can get.
“Did Gin give you the specifics of my offer?”
“Nope. She probably didn’t think the details mattered since she’s never going to consider it.”
“Never?”
“Even if you weren’t a Reilly, she won’t let it go to anybody outside of the family.”
Right. Because it’s the Gamble house. It’s quickly becoming the Gamble ruins, but apparently that doesn’t matter to Gin. “Let me take you to dinner.”
The file stops, but Cara doesn’t look up. “Absolutely not. No.”
It’s hard to work with a hard, unequivocal no. There’s not a lot of wiggle room there. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try. I’ve been told I can be very persuasive when I want something.
“We can go separately and meet in the city. Your choice of restaurant, and it’ll be my treat for taking the time to hear me out.”
“Still no.” She stands and gives Penny a good fingertip rub, all the way down her back. “I think we’re done here since her nails were immaculate when you came in.”
She unhooks Penny from the overhead lead and clips her leash back to the harness. I expect my dog to turn her head in my direction, but instead she licks the back of Cara’s hand. When Cara leans down and plants a kiss on top of Penny’s head, I have to look away.
Once she’s set Penny on the floor, she gives me the total and then runs my card. Even though she did charge me double, I add a generous tip. I’m always thankful when Penelope has a good experience with a service provider.
“Please think about dinner,” I say, knowing I won’t get a yes right now, but maybe I can plant the seeds. “We can get out of this town and talk about how my offer is not only in the best interest of the house, but maybe you and your mom, too.”
“I use my cell for the shop, so I have your number in my phone. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.” Then, after making a kissing sound at Penny and giving her a final scratch under the chin, Cara gives me the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. “Have a nice day.”