“Wow,” Justine said, her eyes lighting up now. “That’s exciting. I’m so happy for you. I wouldloveit if I found out I had half-siblings somewhere.”
How true that must be, he mused, seeing that her aging granddad was all she had left.
“Yes, I’m fortunate. In fact, they have family cabin in Big Bear Lake. They’ve invited me to meet them out there for Thanksgiving.”
Justine shook her head in wonder. “That’s…it probably feels like a dream.”
He nodded, feeling the truth of it in the warmth pooling over his heart. It feltexactlylikethat. He guessed only someone with a past like she’d had could appreciate just how dreamlike it would feel. He held her gaze for a blink, enjoying the unique sense of connection.
Justine smiled and ate another mushroom.“These are amazing,” she said with a moan.
Burke smiled at the way she closed her eyes as she chewed, seeming to savor the taste. He speared a sauce-covered mushroom for himself and ate it, forcing himself to slow down. He closed his eyes momentarily, noting how the tiny crystals of salt enhanced the savory sweet flavor as it melted against his tongue.
“You’re right,” he said. “They’re delicious.”
Justine dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “So, tell me about your mom.”
An image of his mother floated to mind. “She was very independent, almost to a fault. She was the CEO of a large corporation until the day she could no longer work—that was a hard thing for her, as you can imagine.”
He moved to a few personal things next. Traits that made him long to have her back in his life. “She dressed nice no matter the occasion. She loved vinyl records—had this killer collection that she passed onto me, mostly classic rock. And um…” He grinned. “She refused to cook. We had a personal chef Monday throughThursday, then we ate out or ordered in over the weekend.
“But, there wasoneexception to her no baking rule. A very important one. Every fall, she loved to bake my grandmother’s flaky apple pie.”
“Was she good at it?”
Burke could nearly taste the tangy filling now. “Excellent.She wassogood at it that, for a while there, I thought she was hiding some secret talent—that perhaps she was a good cook after all, but a few kitchen mishaps proved me wrong.”
“My grandmother was good at making pie too,” Justine said. “I wish I’d have spent more time with her in the kitchen, learning her secrets. I suck at pie-making,” she admitted with a grin.
Burke looked over her face, admiring the appearance of that dimple in her cheek. “WellI,unlike you, donotsuck at pie-making.”
Justine’s eyes went wide. “Youcan bake pies?”
“Just apple,” he stipulated. “But it’s thebestapple pie you’ll ever taste. Hands down.” He leaned over the table and shielded his mouth with the back of his hand. “There’s a secret method to creating those thin, flaky layers that make the crust melt in your mouth.” He could see Mom hovered over the mixing bowl now, smearing her flour-dusted hands on her apron, eyes sparkling with delight. It was the closest the woman came to experiencing true, domestic joy.
“What a neat memory that is,” Justine said. “It’s good that you have those to hold onto the rest of your life.”
“Yes, it is.” He cleared his throat. “Well, now we’ve both shared our sad stories, haven’t we?”
There was that dimple again. “I guess so. Thanks for sharing yours with me. I like that you’re pursuing a life with your half-siblings. That’s brave, and I’m sure it wasn’t easy at first. I’d be scared that none of them would want me,” she added with a laugh.
Yes, there was that.
“Anyway,” she said, biting on her lower lip. “It’s inspiring to see what others overcome in life, don’t you think?”
He held her gaze as a fresh wave of admiration ran through him. “Definitely.”
They worked on the appetizers a bit more, the quiet night a comfort as their conversation replayed in his head. Justine was easy to talk to. Easy to like. And perhaps…easy to fall for as well. He’d be surprised if at least half the men in town hadn’t already pursued her.
“You mentioned when we first met that you were buying land nearby,” she said. “Is that right?”
Careful, Burke.“Nottooclose by,” he said. “I finished closing a deal before I flew out, and now…now I’m just looking for the next one. Online, not in town.”There.That was all true. Sure, the property he’d purchased priorwasin Piney Falls, but there was no need to add that detail. Especially if her reaction would be anything like Foster warned it might be. Besides, it would likely be a very long time before it sold.
“So when you’re reselling the land you buy,” she said. “Do you take into consideration what the buyer might build?”
Oh no. This was hitting a little close to home. Burke tipped his head. “Somewhat.” He reached for his glass, scrambling for a way to move beyond the topic.
“Let’s just say that someone bought land in Piney Falls. Or even just outside of it. If someone came in and threatened to build this massive factory that could pollute the area within miles around it, would you stop that from happening?”
