"Annual Christmas party." I grin at her, leaning back in the booth. "You talked to your sister about me."
"What? No." Her face falls into a scowl.
"You did."
"Whatever. It was only because you're a demon after my building,notbecause you kissed me."
"Uh-huh." I chuckle, my eyes locked on her face as her cheeks turn pink, giving away the lie. She absolutely talked to her sister about that kiss, which means she didn't hate it.
"Stop talking," she grumbles, making me laugh.
I reach across the table, snagging her hand. "For the record, best goddamn kiss of my life." And then, because I don't want her getting the wrong idea and thinking I'm just kissing women all wily-nily, I add, "Just so we're clear, it's also the first one in a long time. You're the only thing I've wanted in longer than I can remember."
She rolls her eyes at me, but she can't hide the way her expression softens. "I guess it is true what they say."
"What's that?"
"The devil rarely roars. He smiles instead."
"You really think I'm the devil, huh?"
She shrugs one shoulder, opening her mouth like she's going to say something, only to stop when a waitress pops up at the table, smiling.
Lilah looks startled by her appearance and then worried. She immediately slouches in her seat, pulling her hand from mine like we just got busted fucking on top of the table.
"Hey, Lilah, honey." The waitress—a pretty woman not much older than me, with dark red hair and green eyes—places two menus down in front of us, her gaze flickering across me.
"Hey, Aunt Audrey. What are you doing here?"
Aunt Audrey?
"One of the girls called out sick, so I popped in to help cover for her for a few hours. I didn't expect to see you here before Sunday."
"Change of plans," Lilah murmurs.
"I see that." Her aunt grins at her and then holds a hand out to me. "I'm Audrey Goodson."
Well, shit. No wonder Lilah looks like she wants the floor to swallow her. Audrey is married to Eli Goodson, Oliver's father's twin brother. I'm guessing Lucy will know within hours that we were here. Lilah is probably having waking nightmares about Spanx and push-up bras right now.
"Lincoln Hanover. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Goodson," I say smoothly, shaking her hand.
"Hanover," Audrey murmurs, her expression ten degrees cooler than it was before I introduced myself. "Your company is working on the modernization project downtown, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Lilah's bookstore is downtown."
"Ah, yes, ma'am."
She stares at me for a long, silent moment. "Lilah is family as far as we're concerned. Her bookstore is quickly becoming an important part of this town. It'd be unfortunate if anyone tried to take it from her."
She doesn't come right out and threaten to make my life a living hell if the store closes because of me, but I hear thewarning, nonetheless. She's basically telling me to stay the fuck away from Lilah's store, or the Goodson family will make sure I regret it.
Fucking hell.
"It's a beautiful store," I murmur, trying not to piss her off. The last thing I want to do is start a war with her husband and the rest of the Goodson family. They have influence in this town that I will never have. If anyone can kill this project, it'll be them. "And she's an incredible woman."
"Her father agrees," Audrey says, still staring at me like she's trying to laser her warning into my brain.
