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The mere sound of her voice loosens a few knots in my muscles. I walk over to her, finding her curled up in a blanket, a book in her hand. The sight knocks the wind out of me, and the absolute truth hits me with full force. This is her home. Nowhere else. I need her to realize that.

I swallow the rising tide of my emotions, not ready to dump them on her yet. My gaze drifts to the fireplace. I lift an eyebrow. “You lit a fire?”

She shrugs absently. “Cozier with a book.”

I come closer, bracing a hand on the back of the couch, and lean over her, placing a kiss on her forehead. “How was your morning?”

“It was nice,” she says, a rosy hue tinting her cheeks. She straightens from her lounging position and puts the book on the coffee table. “I walked along the lake for a bit. Oh, and I took a bath in your bedroom when I came back. I hope you don’t mind. I’ve been dying to try it out since you showed it to me yesterday.”

I’ve seen her naked. I’ve seen her come on my tongue. And yet the images of her alone in my bedroom with nothing covering her but warm water and soap set off a chain of chemical reactions in my system that flows straight down to my crotch.

“Not at all.”

Charlee looks at me more intently and frowns. “What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing.”

She pulls on my elbow and forces me to sit down across from her. I drape my arm over her middle. “I can see it on your face, Oli.” She pokes the spot between my eyebrows. “Just here, and . . .” Her fingers skim my cheeks and caress the corner of my mouth. “Right here. I can tell, you know. You’re my favorite book, and reading you is ridiculously easy. Especially when your mouth droops like that.”

I twist my head and nibble her finger. She shrieks and pulls it away, giggling.

“I stopped to see Lola for a while at the bookstore, then I went to Rob’s office. The mayor,” I add in case she forgot.

“Oh, sounds very official.”

“Not really. Rob has known my family for a while and, well . . .” God, where do I start? What can I say that won’t riddle her with guilt or make her run away? “Remember the guy you punched at the bar when you arrived? Remember what I told you about him?”

She nods, her brows scrunching. “That he was a real estate mogul, and you hated his guts because he wanted to turn Pine Falls into Lake Tahoe 2.0?”

I smile. “Precisely. One of the buildings he’s been eyeing for a while now is what used to be Jerry’s.”

Her frown deepens. “You’re selling it?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Quite the opposite. I wanted to buy it back.”

“I think you’ve lost me here. Didn’t the building go to you once . . . you know . . .?”

“Once my grandparents passed away?” I finish for her. “Yes, it did. But it was also severely damaged in the fire. The insurance money covered the repairs, but I didn’t have a job at the time, didn’t have anybody to provide for me either. Suddenly, I was on my own, with no family, no income, and a whole building that wasn’t in great shape to take care of. So I struck a deal with Rob. Unofficially.”

I should have been cleverer. Should have made him sign a contract or something. Not hope that the man who went fishing with my grandpa more times than I can count would have my best interest at heart. What’s the point of having a higher-than-average intellect if I let my grief and despair make my choices?

“We agreed that the town would buy the building from me so I could use the money to provide for myself. I left a sum to Rob to cover the taxes, any needed repairs, and building maintenance. The restaurant was classified as some sort of landmark, and when I was able, I’d buy it back. I had this whole plan of renovating the building and filling it with pieces I’ve made myself, hiring a chef to whom I could teach the family recipes . . .”

My throat tightens, but I fight the sharp burn in my eyes. Charlee must sense it, because she runs her hand up my arm that cages her against me. “You can do it,” she pushes softly.

My fingers close around hers, willing her strength to spread through me. “I’ve had some money set aside since, but not enough to close the deal. Especially because each year, I’ve used some of it to pay whatever I could in costs that the city was forking out. A few months ago, Oscar made Rob an indecent offer. Because Jerry’s borders a lake with a lot of nature around, there’s a lot of potential to expand for tourism. Rob saw an opportunity and has been pressing me to meet my end of the bargain we made.”

“And you have nothing to back up what he told you five years ago . . .” she whispers. “What an asshole.”

I shake my head. “No, Rob’s not an asshole, but I see how you’d think that. He’s been trying to help me out for years. I was the one who failed to get it back in time. I can’t blame the guy for wanting to move on.”

My heart starts to gallop in my chest at the thought of what comes next. The why behind my visit to his office today. I was so close. I turn the words over in my head, rearranging them, flipping and twisting until I can find the perfect order that won’t make her bolt.

“I might have told him recently that I’d come through with enough money soon, and I asked him to give me a month. Which he accepted.” I scan her face, but I see nothing but patience and her full attention. I exhale a sharp breath. Out with it. “That was before this whole MNL debacle. The money from the docuseries would have given me enough for a down payment, but since it’s up in the air now, and I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever see the money . . . With no guarantees, Rob refused to give me more time. He’s selling to Oscar.”

Her jaw goes slack. “Did you lose your last chance to buy your grandparents’ restaurant because of me?” Her voice goes up two octaves on the last word.

Well, she went there fast.