Page 26 of Can't Fight the Moonlight

"It's charming. It feels like a small town, but there's actually quite a bit of business here. More than I would have expected."

She paused as they stopped at a corner. "Do you feel like taking a walk down to the lake? It's less than a mile, and there's a lovely park to go through on the way."

Alarm bells went off in his head at her suggestion. Taking a walk in the moonlight with this beautiful woman seemed a little dangerous, but her inviting smile made it impossible for him to say no. "Sure," he said. "I haven't actually seen the lake up close yet. And to be honest, I'm not sure what I'll do back in my room with no electronics."

"You could always read. We have a great selection of books in the library."

"And in my room."

"Which were all handpicked for you."

He raised a brow. "Seriously? How would you know what I like to read?"

"I asked your grandparents when they booked your room. They said you used to be into spy thrillers. They weren't sure if you read for pleasure anymore, but that you might be tempted to pick up a book with a fast-paced, techno-thriller plot, so that's what I put in your room."

He was incredibly impressed by her attention to detail. "I can't believe you give such personal attention to a small detail like what book to put next to someone's bed."

"It's all part of the Firefly Inn experience. I want you to feel so comfortable that you never want to leave."

"I'm beginning to see why my grandparents love your inn so much."

"They're becoming two of my best customers," she said with a laugh. "Oh, and the book I picked out for you came out two months ago, and the author was someone my mother found in the slush pile. She works for a literary agent in Denver. She told me about the book the second she read it. She said it was amazing and that she thought it would be a bestseller. Luckily, the agent she works for agreed, and managed to get the author a good deal. I'm not sure it has hit any lists, but she's still very proud of her find. She's always looking for the diamond in the rough, but she doesn't find them that often."

"That sounds like a fun job, if you like to read."

"Which she does."

"What does your father do?"

"He's a tax accountant. He's very much about the numbers and things adding up. I do not take after him, unfortunately, but I have other skills."

"Does he help you with your financials?"

"No. I have an accountant here in town. However, my parents are two of my investors, so I will have to show them the books for this year when they're finalized, which will be soon, and possibly depressing. So, let's not talk about that. Tell me about your parents. Your grandparents mentioned that there was some tension in the family, but they didn't seem inclined to explain."

"That's an understatement," he said dryly.

"Are they together?"

"Oh, yeah, they're together. They've always been their best selves with each other and probably their worst selves with the rest of us."

"Do you have any siblings?"

The question shouldn't have caught him off guard, but it did. "My grandmother didn't tell you about Sean?"

"No. Who's Sean?"

"He's my half brother. My mom had Sean when she was seventeen. One of those accidental one-night stand kind of pregnancies. When Sean was five, she married my father, and I came along a year later."

"Were you and your brother close?"

"Very close. There was six years between us, but he was my big brother from the first second he held me. At least that's what my parents told me. And I certainly don't remember a time when he wasn't there for me." He paused. "Actually, that's not true. There did come a time, but it was years later. Do you mind if we don't talk about Sean?"

"Of course not. Sorry if I was prying."

He shrugged. "It's fine. You said you used to vacation here with your grandparents. Are they still here?"

"Sadly, no. They both passed on—my grandfather about ten years ago, and my grandmother five years ago. I wish she could have seen me buy the inn. We used to walk by it when I'd visit, and I'd tell her one day it was going to be mine. Sometimes, I can hardly believe it is mine." Lizzie cleared her throat. "I think my nana would be happy that I ended up here. She loved Whisper Lake, and so do I."

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