Page 16 of Pin-up Girl

This conversation was about to go downhill. “Aubrey excels at what she does.”

“I hope you don’t find out otherwise, you seem like a nice young man. Aubrey is willful and outspoken. She’s ignored a real career in favor of her little harlot shop, and she doesn’t even have a man to show for it.”

Aubrey was talented and smart and driven by different goals than so many people. And this conversation was pissing me off. “I mean no disrespect, Mrs. Lantrey, but I won’t listen to you talk about my fiancée that way.”

Donna’s face went pale, and her brows pinched. “I beg your pardon?”

“I didn’t expect to meet you this way. May we start over? Mrs. Lantrey, I’m Brodie Watson and I’m engaged to your granddaughter, Aubrey. Pleasure to meet you.” I couldn’t force the kindness into my voice this time.

Her smile returned, but it wasn’t so bright. “I see. What line of work did you say you were in?”

We spent the rest of the flight discussing the marketing bullet points of high-end fabrics. That I’d started the business. That I led it—I left out the bit about the board required sabbatical—and that it was a multi-billion-dollar, international powerhouse.

She seemed impressed.

I was bothered that it took a bank account like mine to win approval for Aubrey.

This was going to be an interesting situation to explain when we got to town. Especially because the only polite thing for me to do, when I realized she was going to call an Uber, was to offer to drive her to town in my rental.

That was another hour and a half of awkward conversation.

As we reached town, I tried to be subtle about looking around, as if it hadn’t been nearly twenty years since I was last here. Growing up, I thought this place would be stuck in time forever.

And a new ache bloomed in my chest at the distant sight of an abandoned warehouse on the other edge of town. It was still there. Probably still empty. Clint used to escape there and dance when we were in high school, and I’d tag along and watch.

Clint. A name I hadn’t considered beyond checking up, in ages. Now that I was looking at Haddarville again, the last couple decades vanished, and I missed him again as if I’d just broken up with him yesterday.

I needed to not linger in those memories. Not much had changed about the town, but it was enough that I could see Haddarville finally moving into the future. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

“Let me drop you at the hotel, so you can freshen up and check in,” I said.

Donna shook her head. “I’m not staying in that place. We’ll go to Aubrey’s, and Sylvie can bring me to my hotel once we’ve all met.”

Lovely.

I parked in one of the spots in front of the vintage clothing store, opened Donna’s door for her, and we headed inside.

Aubrey was at the register. She was still the girl I’d known back when, but mature. Stunning. Her blond hair was pulled into a style I couldn’t name if my life depended on it, and her sleeveless top showed off a stunning collection of tattoos. Those were new.

Fuck, she was beautiful.

She looked up, and her gaze passed over me. Her brow furrowed when she saw Donna. “Grandma. I didn’t expect you here so soon.”

“I needed to get here before you dug your claws into your sister.”

Any doubts about what I told Donna evaporated at her snide tone.

Before anyone could say anything else, I said, “Hey, Peach, I missed you” and strode toward Aubrey.

Her eyes grew wide. I reached her before she could say anything, and I cupped her face between my palms. I leaned in and hovered my mouth over her ear. “Play along, and I promise I’ll explain,” I whispered.

I pressed my mouth to hers, swallowing any response aside from a gasp.

Her lips were soft and warm, and she yielded after only the briefest moment of hesitation. The way she kissed back drove straight to my cock, along with memories of every intimate moment we’d shared.

She even smelled faintly like peaches, and fuck if that was just too much temptation.

Donna coughed and cleared her throat. “The two of you are in public.”

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