Page 119 of The Promise Of You

After he lets himself out, I pull Chloe on my lap, inhaling her sweet scent. “There’s a bunch of outdoor furniture stored somewhere at the farm. Why don’t you take a look next time and take what you like for here?”

“Wh-why? It was just something I said. Didn’t mean anything.”

My hand goes up her thigh. “Would mean a lot to me.”

She’s quick to put her cup on the floor and turns to straddle me, her eyes searching mine, an unspoken question between us.

“I’d like you to.” I want her to put her mark on my space, just like I inked a clover above my heart. I want her all around me.

Her soft mouth closes on mine, her tongue taking possession of what’s hers.

Picking her up with ease, I carry her to the bedroom.

She’s wiping herself down after our shower, when her phone rings. She wraps herself in a towel and grabs it from the kitchen counter. “Hi, Aunt Dawn.”

I duck into the bedroom to get dressed. When I come back out, she’s worrying her bottom lip. “Sure, I’ll ask around. I can do that. Bye.”

She looks defeated.

“What’s going on?”

“My aunt is in a hurry to sell. She says it’s been over a month, which it has, and she’s contacted some brokers. I tried to tell her that we’d be in a better position with a healthier P&L, but… anyway, long story short, she’s asking if I could get some estimates for a rehab of the place.”

“She wants to put money in the place before selling? That makes no sense.”

Chloe shakes her head. “She saw the place during the fair, and like everyone else, she’s not impressed. She’s got it in her head that if we have an estimate for renovations, with sexy renderings, it might entice a buyer. Give them a better sense of what’s feasible. And I’ve told her the lease is up for renewal… but it’s like she doesn’t get it. There’s nothing to sell, really. Not yet at least.”

I close the space between us and wrap my arms around her middle. “She should trust you to bring it back in the black. I’m sorry she’s—”

“She doesn’t understand how it works. It doesn’t really matter in the end. It’s an awesome location, there’s no reason for it not to succeed. I’ll just do what she asks. And at some point I’ll talk to the landlord about a new lease, I guess,” she adds with a smile. “But that’s not in my hands, and if she doesn’t understand that, then so be it.”

I kiss the tip of her nose. “I think he’d be open to that discussion.” The question on the tip of my tongue is, And then what? Will Chloe leave Emerald Creek? Go back to a corporate job?

I can’t even think about that. “For an estimate on renovations, you could ask Thalia and Lucas. I heard they’re in between projects at the resort.” Thalia and Lucas are newcomers in town, and they run an architectural design and construction company.

“That’s a great idea. I’ll ask Autumn to put us in touch.” As she moves to the bedroom to get dressed, she mumbles, “I really wanted to be the one to make that restaurant awesome.”

And that kills me more than not knowing where she’ll be next. I hate for her to not be recognized for her work.

Later that day, once Chloe is at the restaurant and I’m at the bar, I catch Haley during a quiet time. “You still thinking about the brewery?”“Brewery?”

“Or winery. Was it a winery? I thought you wanted to brew blueberries.”

“Oh. You’ve been paying attention.”

“Sorry, I’ve had other things on my mind.”

“Oh yeah. I know. What do you want to know about The Fermentory?”

“Fermentory? That’s what you’re calling it?” It’s a pretty cool name, but I’m not going to tell her that. “Are you sure about that?”

She puts a fist on her hip. “That other thing you have on your mind?”

What is she talking about now?

“That was her idea,” Haley says. “And it’s an awesome idea.”

I pretend like I don’t understand.

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