“Better be careful walking with me, the town will believe I’m corrupting you by dinner time. Especially since my type seems to be older, powerful men.”
That peaks my interest. Especially how blatantly she throws it out there. “I’m not worried about my reputation. You shouldn’t be either.”
“Mmm.” She rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe I’m back here. Again. I hate this town.”
And what exactly brought her back? I put my hand to my chest in mock offense. “You wound me.”
Those dark eyes flash up to me again. Is that a little spark of humor I’m catching?
“Yeah. Sorry not sorry. I know it’s your town and all.”
“It’s not just mine.”
“You own most of it, so it’s pretty much yours.”
“It was yours once, too.” Her parents have lived here their entire lives, so she must have grown up here as well.
Drew frowns. “Yeah. Pinebrook’s Princess. So good and pure that I couldn’t possibly be human. It’s suffocating you know. But maybe, you don’t. You’re a dude. A rich dude at that. You don’t have to be pure and perfect and everything everyone wants you to be.”
Her arms cross, and she turns back toward the in-progress Christmas pageantry. Red swathes her cheeks, and I like that on her all the more.
Who is this woman?
I mean, I’m remembering snippets of her now: Pinebrook Princess.
A sports star, the little girl who sat on the biggest parade float with flour on her cheeks and a gap-toothed smile.
Sweet. Innocent…the complete opposite of the woman standing in front of me.
“You’re right. That’s not something I have to worry about,” I say. Drew peeks over her shoulder at me, cheeks still pink, but the color is fading. “You shouldn’t have to either.”
When she turns back to me, it feels like a victory. Her pursed lips draw my gaze to her mouth.
Trouble. She’s absolute trouble. The best kind.
My hand finds the small of her back as we walk again, and I enjoy the way she lets me lead her.
I steer her toward the new food stand set up at the end of the square.
The woman who used to work in my dad’s kitchens when he operated the Lodge, Kathy, always wanted to own a small place with her kids, and she has that now.
I put up the capital for the equipment to get her started. Not a difficult decision since that woman can cook.
“This is new.”
“Yes. A lot of new things in town since you were last here, I suspect.”
The side glance she gives me pulls out another one of my smiles. “Yeah, I guess that happens. So, did you finally take over the reins for Daddy Lancaster?”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Daddy Lancaster?”
“What? I don’t know his name.” Her eyes glitter at me with mirth. My attraction to her blooms full force.
“Daniel. Daniel Lancaster. And yes, I’ve taken over.” It was an easy transition. Dad was ready to retire and enjoy his wealth somewhere in Colorado.
Her brows lift as she hums softly. My focus homes in on her mouth again.
She scans the menu, face serious, young, pretty.
