God blessed me with a flat-ish tummy and C-cup breasts—but curvy hips and a plump rump, too. Forever the midsize girl, no matter what I tried.
“Jessa, I’ve never heard you sound this way. Usually, you exude confidence. You don’t need to shrink from being yourself for anyone. Especially for a man. And Griffin likes you, trust me; otherwise, he wouldn’t give you the time of day. Don’t think that I haven’t seen the way he talks with you at the bar.”
“It’s easy there. I’m in my element, not as exposed.”
“I only want to see you find someone special. You work so hard for your family. It’s your turn to be taken care of, don’t you think?”
“Just because your friends are all married now, doesn’t make me your next target,” I chortled.
“Why not? You know Keaton thrives on tinkering with custom brews for special occasions, especially weddings. You’re pretty much his right arm in the business at Hops. He’d love to make a brew for your wedding day.”
I cast my eyes again at the bar, where the two bartenders worked nonstop to keep drinks in the hands of this elite crowd. I should give all this up and join them.
“Yeah. We’ll call it the Pitiful Cinderella Pilsner. Only I doubt there’ll ever be a Prince Charming coming my way.”
“Hm. Don’t look now. But I think Charming is finding his way to you. Talk to you later.” She strolled off with a wave to Griffin, leaving me standing there very exposed.
“Hey, stranger,” I managed to light up, nerves and all, with no bar between us for the very first time.
“I thought that was you,” he said, voice smooth. “Halfway through dinner, Theo needed the water closet—”Of coursehe’d call it that. “—and I saw you. The woman with all the best spirits in Holly Creek.”
“Technically, I just mix the drinks. Keaton owns the alcohol.”
“Butyouserve it with a smile and a great attitude. That counts more than most people think.” His eyes flashed an autumn-hued dream at me, putting me in a daze once again.
Then, his son burst back in. “Dad! Paris helped me catch a frog. Want to see?”
He held it aloft. The ladies by Holden screamed. I covered my mouth and snickered—mud and frogs never scared a Cole girl. My sisters and I loved getting dirty and playing outside in the country as we grew up. That was what we did as a poor family from the other side of town. Our entertainment was the great outdoors.
“Theo,” Griffin warned, “get that thing out of here, please.”
But before he could take a step, the frog jumped out of his hands, to the horror of the shrieking women. I moved quickly, chased it down, and caught it.
“Here, hun. Cup your hands,” I instructed. Theo did, and I put the little frog inside, closing his hands around it. I winked at him. “Better take it to the lake where it’ll have a nice long life and not scare these pretty people.”
Paris, in her junior bridesmaid’s gown but her typical scuffed and dusty cowboy boots, rushed in apologetically and yanked Theo away, and waved hi to her dad as she ducked out of the tent. Richard followed out after his daughter, probably to seethe frog up close and personal now that he was a billionaire-turned-hobby farmer.
I sheepishly glanced at Griffin, worried I’d turned off a man of his status.
He grinned from ear to ear. “Good save. Quick reflexes. Impressive.”
“There are some benefits to being a country girl. So that’s your son?” I asked, brushing my hands in case any frog germs remained.
“Yep. That’s Theo. All nine years of boyhood wonder and never-ending energy.” He scratched his darkly shaded jawline, although usually he appeared clean-shaven—both looks on him equally attractive. “Wish I had his stamina.”
I almost swallowed my tongue because thoughts of Griffin’s stamina weren’t what I needed right now.
“You’re not exactly an old man. You must have plenty.” I admired the veins in his neck, and the way the buttoned shirt just skimmed his broad chest without being too tight.
“Never had any complaints.” His mouth twitched.
This was the way things had been between us from the start. We balanced on a live wire of flirting—every word a spark. Until Rex called from across the tent.
“Griffin!” He waved him over to a group of men around him.
He sighed. “He’s been wanting to introduce me to these new investors for the Evergreen Lake project.”
“Go on. Close your deal or whatever it is you men do. I’ll go wash frog germs off my hands.”
