Page 47 of Resting Beach Face
She smiled sadly. “You learned to blend into the background because you had to, and sometimes I think Aunt Millie just wanted you to bloom like one of her flowers, you know? I think she thought the B&B could do that for you.”
I scoffed. “Well, I think it’s safe to say that experiment failed. I’m not good with people, Mon.”
“I know,” she said. “So, do you have a buyer lined up already?”
I thought of the investor offer I still hadn’t formally declined. “I have one possibility, but I’m still exploring my options. A, uh, friend of mine convinced me to fix the place up. Try to find a buyer who’d run the B&B the way Aunt Millie would have wanted. I found this plan she drew up for the place. Remodels, additions, expansions. It’s a little idealistic, but I thought maybe we could bring some of her dream to life…”
Monroe’s gaze softened. “That’s really sweet, Declan. Aunt Millie would understand if the B&B life wasn’t for you. She wanted you to have it, but she never stipulated in the will what you did with it.”
“I can split the proceeds with you.”
“After running that place on your own for years? Putting in all that money and time? No. The Treehouse is yours.”
There was a rap on my door, then it edged open and Cash peeked inside. “Am I interrupting?”
I checked the time on the bottom display of my screen. Sure enough, I was supposed to meet Cash for a shopping trip to get our first round of supplies. We’d decided to start with basic repairs before moving on to more ambitious remodeling projects.
“Sorry,” I said. “Just chatting with my sister.”
“Ooh, another Sullivan.” Cash let himself in and crossed the room, crouching beside my chair to grin at Monroe. “Does Declan glower at you all the time, too?”
Monroe laughed. “Oh, I’ve got a whole childhood of glowers from this one.”
I sighed. “The abuse is unending.”
“I love his glowering,” Cash said, glancing sidelong at me. “It gives him so much character. Anyone can walk around smiling like an idiot.” He pointed to his own grin. “Just look at me.”
“Oh, I’m looking,” Monroe said archly. “My brother’s even looking, and thatneverhappens.”
My face flamed. “Monroe.”
“What? It’s true.”
“Really?” Cash only grinned wider. “I can work with that.”
I shook my head. “You’re undoing all my progress, Mon. I should say goodbye before you put any more ideas in his head.”
“The ideas are already there, Declan,” he said in a low voice.
He placed a hand on the back of my neck, squeezing gently, and tension bled away as if he’d injected me with a drug. What sort of magic was this?
Cash and Monroe kept up a running stream of chitchat, but I lost the ability to focus as Cash gently massaged my neck, casually touching me as if it wasn’t blowing all my circuits.
It wasn’t a sexual thing, but this gentle touch was undoing me all the same.
Just like when he’d hugged me last week, my walls dropped. I leaned in for more, craving the comfort and care and connection.
All things I told myself I didn’t need because they always came with strings. But Cash wasn’t asking for anything. He wasn’t trying to make a move on me.
The noise picked up on the video as the kids streamed back inside. Amelia and her older brother bounced into view.
“Hey, who’s that guy?” the boy asked.
Cash answered before I could. “I’m Declan’s friend, Cash. Who areyou?”
“I’m Jasper, his nephew!”
“And I’m Melia!”
