“I’m sure your mother will keep you in line.”
Shrugging, she replied, “Maybe.”
Okay, he was done with small talk. Taking a step closer, he figured he needed to try to make things right. “Would you like to go to dinner tonight? We could go to Captain Bill’s or if you’re in the mood for Italian, we can go to Michael’s. Totally up to you.”
And then he held his breath nervously. He was completely expecting her to reject him and tell him it wasn’t a good idea, and he had no words to convince her otherwise. At least, none that were coming to him at the moment.
“I’d like that,” she said quietly. “Seven work for you?”
It was crazy, but he almost sagged to the ground in relief. “Yeah,” he said, hoping he sounded casual. “That’s good. I’ll pick you up…”
Shaking her head, she said, “I’ll just walk over to your place.” Looking over her shoulder and then back to him, she told him she needed to get back inside and would see him later. It killed him not to kiss her goodbye, but he felt like things were still on shaky ground and didn’t want to push his luck. “See you later.”
Back in his truck, Jake did his best to focus on where he was supposed to go now and what else he had to do because all he wanted to do was go home and get ready for their date.
“Ugh…I’m pathetic,” he grumbled as he drove down Main Street.
For the next several hours he did manage to focus on work–he checked on two additional job sites and then met with his lawyer and Richard McClellan to sign paperwork for the transfer of ownership of Coleman Construction. There were a lot of congratulations and handshakes, but when he stepped out onto the sidewalk after all was said and done, he felt oddly let down.
The feeling stayed with him the whole way home and through his shower once he got there. After he was dressed and waiting for Mallory, he couldn’t shake it. This was something he’d worked for his entire life–to own a business like Coleman should have him feeling ecstatic.
And that’s when it hit him.
This wasn’t really his business. It was Zeke’s.
He hadn’t started it from nothing and built it up–Zeke had.
He was the owner of a successful business by default.
Muttering a curse, he walked to the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer. The last thing he wanted was for his mood to put a damper on his night with Mallory. After all, he needed to put things back on track with them and if he was distracted and moody, chances were he wasn’t going to do much good.
Pushing open the back door, Jake stepped out onto the deck and walked out, leaning on the railing to stare at the Sound. It was beautiful out here–peaceful and relaxing and he forced himself to let some of the tension go.
Easier said than done.
Looking out at the water, he sighed. This was the life he wanted–to live and work in Magnolia and have it easier than his parents had. And now, thanks to Zeke, he would. However, now it made him feel like a fraud.
“Hey.”
He turned at the sound of Mallory’s voice. She was walking up the steps to his deck and had on a pale pink sundress and sandals. Just the sight of her took his breath away. Part of him was a little hesitant to go and kiss her like he normally would and instead he waited to see what she would do.
Stepping in close, she kissed him softly on the cheek and it made Jake feel like everything might just be all right.
“You were looking pretty fierce there,” she said softly, leaning on the railing beside him. “Everything okay?”
And because he needed someone to tell him whether or not he was crazy, he told her exactly what he’d been thinking about.
Mallory looked at him thoughtfully for a long moment. “You know that Pops didn’t technically start Coleman Construction, right?”
“What?” This was brand new information. How could Zeke not have mentioned it in all of their conversations?
“His grandfather–my great-great-great-grandfather–was the one to do it way back at the turn of the century,” she explained. “And with each generation, it has grown stronger and more successful.” Then she smiled at him. “Just like it will for you.”
“I don’t know, Mal…”
“Maybe it’s not the way you always dreamed it would happen for you. Maybe you thought you’d either start a company or buy one and take it over, but just because it didn’t happen that way doesn’t make this any less of an incredible thing for you! You’re the new owner because you’re the only one Pops trusted to take his company and make even more successful than he ever thought it could be.”
“You don’t know that,” he said shyly, but her words were definitely making him feel better.
“Yes, I do,” she countered. “I may have only spent summers here, but I spent enough of them sitting and talking with Pops that I can say with great certainty that he was pretty emphatic about who worked for him and who he trusted.” She reached over and took one of his hands in hers. “He trusted you and believed in you more than he ever did with anyone else. So if you’re having issues with this whole situation, the only thing I would suggest is kicking some major ass, taking the company to the next level and making Pops proud.”
And when it was put like that, Jake knew he was crazy to doubt himself. Most people would love to be in his position and to have what he had. He was foolish not to be thankful. Leaning over, he kissed Mallory on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Smiling, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in just a bit closer. “For always being willing to listen to me and talk to me.” He kissed her forehead. “And for being exactly what I need.”
She looked up at him with her big eyes and for the first time in days, he had hope for the future.
For them.
10
Why was she fighting this so much? Right now, she had the ability to have everything she ever said she wanted so why wasn’t she reaching out and grabbing it with both hands?
Leaving New York and her job to live in Magnolia Sound should be a no-brainer. Sure, Mallory loved her job, but most of her friends were married or had moved away so it wasn’t like she had a raging social life to keep her there. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamed of moving to North Carolina and living here. Now that she had the best reason in the world to do it, though, she was hesitating.
Again, why?
The practical side of Mallory reminded her of the fact that she had job security up in New York. She did the work of three people and was in demand. Giving that up and moving here to run a beachy decorating shop didn’t quite offer that same security. Mallory was the kind of person who thrived on having a good savings account, retirement account, and all that went with living within her means. To walk away from her 401(k)-providing job made her feel a little uneasy.
Sure she could leave the shop to run with a well-trained staff–one where they could handle the day-to-day operations. Then Mallory could stay up in New York and continue to work her full-time job. However, she’d have to come up with a plan where she’d come down and handle the bookkeeping, accounting, and ordering inventory once a month but…was that something she wanted to do? For starters, it would leave her no time to herself. She’d have to work extra hours every week so she could take the time off to come down here to see to the store. She knew that she’d be exhausted within a matter of months and somehow she didn’t think that’s what Pops intended for her.