Page 24 of You, Me, and Forever

I reached for my glass and took another sip. “It’s going to take some time to get this place up and running, but if you’d like to run the kitchen here, I’ve sampled enough over the last few days to know that we’d be lucky to have you.”

“I appreciate that, Myles. I’ve got to think about right now and keep the lights on at home, you know?” He chuckled. “But I’ll keep that in mind when you open the doors.”

“Well, I’ll come find you if not. You’re talented. I see why everyone in town wants to eat here,” I said.

“You sound like my daughter. Did she ask you to come in here and stroke my ego before you head home for the night?” He smirked.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m fairly certain your daughter despises me.”

I’d continued finding reasons to text her over the last week, since I’d come to enjoy getting under her skin.

It was so easy to do.

He laughed. “Yeah, you didn’t have much of a chance with her after you bought the Seaside Inn. She’s a sentimental one, and this place means a lot to her. So, you were enemy number one before you even arrived.”

“Yet you don’t seem to hate me?”

He took the last sip of his chardonnay and set his glass down. “My daughter is as loyal as they come. She cares about this town, about this place, about Howard and Lydia, about the locals—about me.” He shrugged. “She’s just got a heart that’s too big for her own body. I don’t believe the sale of the inn is personal, so I’m not offended by it. It’s just business. But my girl doesn’t look at it that way.”

Just hearing this man speak about his daughter made it very clear how much he adored her.

I couldn’t imagine my father speaking about me this way.

“You two are close?”

“It’s always been me and her against the world, I guess. But she’ll be all right when all is said and done. How about you? Are you enjoying Blushing, or are you missing the city?”

“Well, I like it here more than I thought I would. Probably because I’m eating well.” I chuckled, and his head tipped back with a laugh. “But I do think this hotel is going to be good for the town. Provide a lot of new jobs and opportunities for the locals, and a place to stay for the tourists.”

“I’m sure you’re right. And most of the people in town are excited about the new place. Just give Montana some time. She’ll come around,” he said as my phone vibrated with a text from his daughter.

Speak of the devil.

Howard stepped into the kitchen and asked Daniel about a shipment that was supposed to come in today, and I pushed to my feet and thanked him for the chat. I glanced down at my phone.

Honey Badger: I will be at the inn early in the morning to measure for the dance floor. I would appreciate if you would stay out of my hair.

Me: Interesting that you had to text me to ask me not to bother you. I think you miss me.

Honey Badger: In your dreams. I just don’t want to be harassed every time I arrive there.

Like I said. I’m enjoying getting under her skin.

Me: I can’t make any promises.

Honey Badger:

Me:

I didn’t know if it was because she’d texted me first, or if it was because I knew I’d irritated her once again, but I walked out of the inn with a big smile on my face.

And tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

Chapter SevenMontana

“This looks amazing, Dad,” I said three weeks later as my father plated the samples of the appetizers for Jesse and Susannah’s wedding. They’d already selected the menu, but my father was a perfectionist when it came to food presentation, and he wanted to prepare some samples for me.

“Yeah? Wait till you taste them,” he said as I picked up the bite-size piece of watermelon wrapped in mint and feta and popped it in my mouth.

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