Page 47 of Falling For You

I stood and walked over to the balcony doors and opened them wide. Stepping into the fresh air, I let out a heavy sigh and sat, letting the crisp air nip at my knuckles.

The fading light of the late afternoon cast a warm glow over Buttercup Lake. The beauty was a sight pulled from a painting. The deciduous leaves transformed into a brilliant mosaic of fiery reds, golden yellows, and burnt oranges. The water on the lake shimmered as the sunlight set on the horizon, with the shadows dancing their last ripples before the snow came this season.

That was why I picked this location.

The beauty of it all.

The small-town charm.

I shook my head and glanced toward the tip of the lake where the main heart of town rested. The sidewalks bustled with leaf peepers, couples, and families. It was the perfect destination in the heart of Wisconsin.

I rubbed my palms over my head and groaned in frustration.

There was too much riding on this deal to turn back now, but Violet wouldn’t see any of this when she found out what I was doing here.

Everything pointed to the jerk I tended to be.

But I liked her. I enjoyed spending time with her. I felt things with her that I’d never felt before.

Yet, I was the man who threatened to take everything away from not only her but her family as well.

At this very moment, Violet was probably whipping up something incredible for the guests of Honey Leaf Lodge while daydreaming about the plans she’d made for her food blog. I imagined her humming away like she did even when she did something simple like making coffee.

It was the fact that I remembered those little things that bothered me.

I never intended to get close to Violet, and I wasn’t exactly close yet, but something was starting between us.

A tiny seed of interest that just needed a little bit more care before it grew into something neither of us could control. That kiss told me everything I needed to know. She felt everything I felt.

My hands slid to the armrests, and I shook my head, looking at one of the kayaks floating by. It wouldn’t be long before the lake was frozen over, and there’d be ice-fishing huts dotting the area.

What had started as a simple business trip had quickly spiraled into something far more complicated and unruly. Last year, I flew in to eye the land just outside of town, planning to build a large resort to fill the gap of the growing tourist town.

No emotions.

Just plans.

The resort would dwarf the hotel I was staying in now, but it would probably swallow up Honey Leaf Lodge.

As deals went, it should have been pretty tidy. It had been a year in the making, working with officials and laying the groundwork to make the transition with Vern’s property easy. The sooner we could start building, the less hassle we’d get from the locals.

But nothing about this project was easy now.

All I could think about was Violet and her family.

Honey Leaf Lodge.

Sure, I’d joked with my brother about running them out of business or buying up the place at a discount when they felt desperate enough, but none of that was funny then or now. It made me feel creepy, yet I couldn’t say a word.

Plus, it wasn’t like Violet and I were officially seeing one another. We’d just bumped into each other at some opportune times, shared a meal or two…

I rubbed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

I’d never been great at lying to myself.

Violet had no idea that the very thing she and her family were pouring their hearts and souls into was about to face a massive competitor.

And that competitor was me.

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