“That thing?”
Uncle Cosmo and Aunt Loretta exchanged glances.
“Yeah, you know. The business thing.”
Leo’s gaze flicked coolly from her to his family. “Uncle Cosmo, I’ve got the pasta sauce simmering. Can you check it?”
“Sure,” Uncle Cosmo said. “Sure thing, Leo.”
“I’ll help you,” Aunt Loretta said, scurrying after him.
Leo nodded toward the back door, then grabbed a bright blue folder off the counter. “Want to talk outside?”
Tessa nodded, stepping outside. In the little space between the two buildings, a blue vintage Corvette sat practically sparkling from the coats of wax Leo must regularly apply. His pride and joy, as everyone around town knew.
Fast cars, beautiful women. A bold plan that could lead them both to complete disaster. But at least Leo didn’t hide who he was like Sam had. Tessa had thought he’d been faithful and committed, only to find he’d been neither.
Tessa couldn’t help noticing the crumbling pavement, weeds taking advantage of the cracks. “Did you bring me back here because this is a great place to hide a body?”
Leo blushed. From embarrassment? Or because he really was planning on doing away with her? She hoped the former. “It’s…an underutilized space.”
Yes, it certainly was. She bit her tongue to not say that out loud.
“Once I get my dad on board, I’m going to turn this into an outdoor patio,” he said, looking around. “It’s going to be gorgeous.”
“Great,” she said. Old Tessa, the Tessa of yesterday, would have injected a whole lot of sarcasm into that word.
New Tessa was too nervous. And also, she realized, Leo was allowed to have his own vision. His own dreams. She respected that, even if she disliked the rest of him. And she wouldn’t mock him.
He didn’t seem to notice her mind wandering. “The patio is phase one of my reconstruction plan.”
Always with the plans. “What’s phase two?”
“I want to use that space between the buildings to expand the restaurant. Once I get people to start coming again, that is.”
“Yes. About that. Attracting customers.” She swallowed hard, forcing herself to set her sights on that little shop in her mind with black and white tile floors and a pink chandelier.
If she could just focus on that, she might get through this.
As he thoughtfully scratched the stubble on his cheek, his dark eyes seemed to peer deep inside of her. “The last time we spoke, I believe you were saying something about balls and vultures.”
“I was…hasty.”
He folded his big arms. “That right?”
She stabbed the air. “Just for the record, I’m not agreeing to this because you threatened me. I’m agreeing because I believe, as wild as it is, that your plan just might have a chance of working.”
And it was the only chance she had.
“But you are agreeing.” He tapped his chest, like he was mock-touched. “I’m glad you have so much faith in me.”
“Oh, I don’t have faith in you, and I also don’t trust you. But I’ll do what needs to be done. For our families.”
“You sound like you’re about to sacrifice yourself on the pyre.”
She extended her hands. “This is as good as it gets. I don’t do perky, and I don’t do chipper. Take it or leave it.”
He frowned. “Take or leave what, exactly?”
He seemed to want her to say it out loud, probably so he could feel victorious. Well, fine. “Me.” She sighed heavily. “I’ll marry you, Leo. I’ll be your wife.”
…
If those words sounded strange, forced out through gritted teeth, the ones Leo was about to utter next weren’t any less shocking.
“Look.” Leo waved the bright blue folder he held, the hallmark of Blossom Glen’s biggest (well, only) realty office. “I have an appointment in fifteen minutes with a realtor. Why don’t you join me? We could discuss the terms of our arrangement.”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “With a realtor?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, with each other. I’m buying a house.”
“You’re buying a house?” She sounded surprised. “That’s a pretty permanent decision.”
He tried to shrug nonchalantly. “Call me an optimist. Maybe you could give me some input.” She looked wary, so he added, “Yeah. I mean, you’ll be living there too.”
“I live in a one-bedroom apartment above the garage of a very old Queen Anne. I don’t know anything about buying a house.”
“Well, you’ve lived in one, right?” He grinned. “That counts. Plus, I’m looking for something that has the potential to have a great kitchen one day. You can appreciate that.” He didn’t know why he’d offered for her to come with him. As a peace offering? He guessed it was just his nature to be positive. To start off on the right foot.
That is, if he could bear her quips, one-liners, and all the other ways she planned to torture him.
He walked over to his convertible and tossed the folder into the back seat.
Her eyes strayed to his Nassau Blue car and then back to him before she followed.
The top was down on this perfect day. “I think I’ve got an extra ball cap in the glove box if you don’t want to get your hair mussed.” Maybe she was that kind of woman; he didn’t know his future wife at all.
She tossed him a frown over her shoulder as she headed to the car. “Isn’t the point of having the top down to feel the wind in your hair?”
Oh. Okay, so she wasn’t worried about her hair after all. That was kind of refreshing.
She was walking around the car, examining it carefully from every angle. In fact, she seemed to have forgotten all about his appointment. What on earth was she doing?
But at least she looked like she was going to get in the car—maybe. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her before she could change her mind.
“Is this a ’65 or a ’66?” she asked after he got in himself and closed his door. She smoothed her hand over the white leather seats and the polished wooden dashboard. The interior smelled faintly of wax and lemon oil, which she seemed to appreciate as she took a big whiff. “Beautiful teak steering wheel. Nice seats.” She fingered the shiny silver gear shift. “Original gear shift.”
She was enraptured by his car. Worse, she seemed to know all about it—also shocking. But also, he had to admit, hot.