Page 28 of Resisting Temptation

I take one of the pastries from the kitchen table and tear it in two, leaning against the kitchen counter. “I so badly want to buy it. Imagine what I could do if that place was mine. All the ideas I’ve had over the years I could bring to life.” I shove the fresh pastry in my mouth and moan. I needed sustenance, and thisbuttery croissant is to die for. “Good choice, girls,” I say holding up the pastry.

“How much do you need for the deposit?” Emerson asks, her business brain ticking over the idea already.

“I’m thinking about twenty for what she’s asking,” I say, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on me. This is huge for me, but if not now, then when? I don’t have any other responsibilities, so why not throw all I have at a business I know will work? “I still need to visit the bank and see if they’ll give me the loan, but Beckett thinks I have a good chance since the business is already turning a decent profit, and we don’t have any competition,” I explain, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

“How much have you got?” Emerson asks, her brow furrowing with concern.

“About seventeen in the bank saved for a rainy day.”

“So, you’re close. Could your dad help you out?” Gisele asks, her voice tinged with hopefulness, but I couldn’t bring myself to entertain the idea.

None of them know how bad my relationship is with my father; it would kill this town to know what kind of a man he really is. I haven’t seen him since Emerson’s daddy’s funeral, for good reason. “Not likely, I already know what he would say.If you took that internship in Paris your mother set up for you, your life would be so different. You would have a decent paying job, a house of your own. Blah, blah, blah. Something to that effect, anyway.”

Gisele looks horrified. But her father’s not much different from what she’s told me. “Harsh.”

“Nothing I ever did was good enough for him, so why would this idea of mine be any different?” I sigh, wishing I had a normal family.

“What about Parker? He would help you out,” asks Mae hopeful.

“Yeah, maybe. I know this sounds silly, but I want to be able to do it by myself. Parker has helped me out so many times before. This time I want to be able to stand on my own two feet.”

“I get it. Well, if we think of anything, we will let you know.”

The front door opens and in strolls Brody with Noah by his side. I freeze, not sure what to do. It was bad enough when we were in the same room before he made me see stars. Now it’s downright impossible. My heart kicks up a beat as he passes me, taking a chair beside Emerson, turning it around the wrong way and spreading his legs as he sits back down casually.

Brody kisses Gisele then throws Sunday’s paper down in the center of the table. “This time it’s good news. Well, mostly.” He looks back at me with a fierce glare that tells me I have done something else to piss him off. But I’m used to it with Brody. There is no love lost between us. He thinks I get his little sister and now his girlfriend into trouble. He should know they both have minds of their own.

“Noah, no way, you’re running for mayor!” Mae exclaims, reading over the article on the front page. I glance over her shoulder to find an image of both Beckett and Noah on the front page of The Bay newspaper with the headingYour next mayor? You decide. I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Would have been nice of Beckett to let me know this was all getting announced today, so I could have prepared myself.

“I’m so excited for you.” Gisele hugs him warmly. And I know I shouldn’t be so catty, Gisele is super nice to everyone, but I hate how close the two of them are.

He smiles proudly, that cocky grin that reaches his damn dimples. “I wasn’t expecting it to be front page news, but yeah, the mayor’s office twisted my arm. Couldn’t hurt to throw my hat in the ring.” He takes off his cap and runs a hand throughhis hair. His smile lights up his face, and my heart melts a little because he’s just so dang gorgeous. And for a second, I get a little lost staring at him.

“This is perfect for you. Everyone in this town already adores you, you’re a shoo-in,” Emerson congratulates him.

I scoff at Emerson’s comment. Everyone’s gaze is directed toward me. “What? Not everyone thinks the sun shines out his ass,” I grumble, knowing the girls are going to be pissed when they realize I’m on the opposition’s team. But this is Noah’s fault, not mine.

Noah stands and closes the gap between us, meeting my gaze with an intensity I can’t handle in my fragile state. “And I guess that’s why you’ve sided with Beckett Prescott,” he says, unimpressed. The warmth he held for me this morning is nowhere to be seen.

Part of me loves that I have gotten under his skin. A smile tugs at my lips as he looks me over intensely. “Someone has to make sure you don’t win,” I sass back, folding my arms protectively across my chest.

His anger builds as he becomes increasingly furious with me for joining camp Beckett. Well, good. This is war, buddy, and it’s easier if he hates me back. “Can I talk to you out the back for a second?” he says through clenched teeth.

“Paisley, no, you can’t work with him.” Emerson sounds disturbed at the thought, but I can’t take my eyes away from Noah.

“This is why she had dinner with him,” Mae says to her, finally understanding.

“Make it fast,” I snap back, my attention still on Noah. I’ll deal with the girls later.

Noah makes his way out through the kitchen, and I follow him, closing the back door so the others can’t hear our conversation.He turns to me. “Do you really hate me so much that you’re going to side with the fucking Prescotts?”

I shrug, unaffected by his anger toward me. “Why? Everyone makes them out to be so terrible, but what’s the worst they have done?”

His eyes go wide. “What haven’t they done? They spent the best part of last year trying to ruin the Alexander family business, for a start. Emerson is one of your best friends. Do you really want to hurt her just to get back at me?”

“That wasn’t the Prescotts, that was Annabele Grace Turner and whoever was leaking intel from the hotel,” I correct him, a little smugger than I should be about it. I hate that Annabele and the paper just as much as they all do.

“They let it happen,” he seethes, more furious than he’s ever been with me. I’ve really hit a nerve siding with Beckett. This idea was genius.

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