And there it was—pushy asshole. “I don’t mean to be rude, but no amount of money or job opportunities would make me want to sell my home—or my business. I’m sorry.”
“I hope you’ll take another look.” Beau stretched out his arm toward Trent. “It’s a good offer.”
“The answer will always be no.” Trent took his hand and shook it. “Have a nice evening.”
Beau returned to his table and hopefully, that was the last he’d hear from them regarding the sale of his home.
Juniper's laugh rang out from behind the bar, sharp and bright, cutting through the low murmur of conversation like a bell through static. She stood with her elbows planted on the scarred wood, leaning into an argument with Fallon, Buddy, and Sterling that had apparently been going on long enough to draw an audience.
"I'm just saying," Juniper, the owner of the pub, said, jabbing a finger at Buddy, "you don't mess with a name that's part of a town's history. Massey's means something."
Buddy Ballard, an Aegis Network operative and Fallon Reeves' boyfriend, lifted his beer, unimpressed. "Massey's means a criminal nobody wants to remember and a sign that's been repainted so many times you can't read it from the road."
"It's got character." Juniper crossed her arms.
"It's got termites." Sterling laughed at his own joke. For a confident, badass former CIA agent now employed by the Aegis Network, Sterling lost his ability to act like an intelligent man whenever he was around Juniper.
Sterling shifted against the bar. "I don't understand why you don't rename the place Juniper's Pub. You own it now. And it's a cool name. Fits in with the vibe around Calusa Cove."
"It is a good name." Buddy smiled. "Besides, some have already started calling it Juniper's."
"Especially Sterling," Fallon teased.
Trent didn't laugh. On another night, he would’ve. He’d lean against that bar, engrossed in conversation. But the notice sat in front of him like a summons, and the beer had gone sour in his stomach.
He watched the group from his corner, something tight and nameless sitting in his chest. The four of them looked easy together. Comfortable. Like people who hadn't spent the last three weeks learning how to breathe around a gaping hole in their life.
Fallon caught his eye across the room. Her smile was soft, but questioning. As if to say, Are you okay over there?
He lifted his bottle a half-inch and smiled.
She pursed her lips, which meant she was worried. However, she knew him well enough to know that if he were about to lose it, she'd be the first person he called. Fallon turned back to Juniper without pushing, and he was grateful.
However, he wasn’t thrilled about the reporter making her way through the maze of people and heading right for his table.
Stacey had a sweet smile and kind eyes, but nothing about Stacey was genuine. Everything about her was a mask, and she didn’t care about anyone but herself. It shouldn’t shock him that she hadn’t managed to find her ticket out of Calusa Cove. At first, she was all about her career. All about that big network job. Now, it was about finding a rich husband so she didn’t have to work anymore, and she could settle down and have children.
“Good evening, Trent.” Stacey leaned against the table, which pressed her breasts together. She tapped her finger on the notice. “Isn’t that exciting? I’ve heard such wonderful things about Sovereign Resources. They’re going to bring a lot of jobs to our community, and I heard that Congressman Dutton plans on making an appearance. I’m hoping to get an interview with him.”
“Good for you.” He folded the notice and shoved it in his back pocket. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m getting ready to head out.”
“You don’t sound too excited.”
“Because I’m not,” he said. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t have the time for this.”
“You get a pass because of all that you’ve been through.” She stood tall. “Take care of yourself.” She turned and disappeared into the crowd.
He pushed aside the warm beer and was reaching for his wallet when the door swung open, and in walked Dove.
She stood silhouetted in the doorway for half a breath, doing that thing she always did, scanning the room corner to corner before letting herself settle.
Dove spotted Buddy and Sterling first, lifted a hand in greeting. She wore form-fitting jeans, a dark tank top, and a killer smile. She was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. And she was smart and funny—everything he admired and almost everything he might want in a partner.
But she had an aversion to reptiles, and those were not only his bread and butter, they were also his passion.
Her gaze swept the back wall. She paused, smiled, and stood for a long moment without moving a muscle.
Trent had spent months telling himself the thing between them was over. Finished. Nothing more than a few dozen nights that didn't mean anything and a mutual agreement to walk away before it got complicated.
