Page 29 of The Jilted Lovers Club
“Like a rock.” He grins. “That couch is way comfier than it looks.”
I’m not sure what to do with myself in this moment. Do I take my coffee and retreat to my room? Or do I stay out here, sipping slowly while sneaking shameless glances?
Before I can overthink it, Lottie’s muffled cries sound from her room.
“Right on time,” Ashton says with a laugh, setting his coffee down and heading toward her door.
I watch him walk away—and oh my god, he has the nicest ass. Two perfectly sculpted mounds that make me want to squeeze, maybe take a bite out of, if I’m being honest with myself.
I’m still recovering from that revelation when my phone rings.
Alexander.
I sigh, staring at the screen before answering.
“How’s everything going?” he asks. “Is the store ready to be staged?”
“Not quite,” I say with a small laugh.
Ashton re-emerges, carrying a sleepy Lottie in his arms. She’s wrapped in a blanket, clutching a stuffed elephant, curled up against his bare chest like she belongs there. And I melt. There’s something so impossibly sexy about seeing a strong, muscular man being completely soft with his kid. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I inhale sharply, forcing myself to focus.
“I ordered just about everything we need from the small shops around town,” I say.
Alexander sucks in a breath. “I don’t know about that,” he says. “We want Timeless to stand out, to be the place where tourists gravitate. This is a new brand, Jordy. We’re not trying to blend in with the local mom-and-pop vibe.”
I stiffen, then glance at Ashton who is scrolling his phone while Lottie snuggles against him. The scene is so peaceful, so easy—the exact opposite of the frustration brewing inside me.
I pick up my coffee and head to my room, shutting the door behind me.
“You told me you trusted my vision,” I say tightly. “That I should move fast and make decisions on my own. That’s what I remember from our conversation last week.”
“We had ideas last week,” he counters. “Luxury. Elegance. Not whatever you’re currently cooking up.”
“You don’t even know what I have planned.” My voice is rising. “And as far as I can tell, you haven’t even been to this town, so you have no idea what it’s actually like.”
Alexander sighs. “Sweetheart, I grew up in that town.”
I freeze. “What?”
“It was a long time ago,” he admits. “My family doesn’t live there anymore. But yeah, I lived there until eighth grade. And I’m telling you—if it hasn’t changed in twenty years, it should. We can be the force that brings Lahoma into the modern era.”
My chest tightens. I don’t want to be that force. I don’t want to rip this town apart just to turn it into another generic tourist trap.
“Maybe I’m not the right person for this,” I say finally.
“Honey, no. Youarethe right person.”
“Then why are you dismissing everything I’m telling you?”
Silence.
Then, a long sigh. “You’re right.” A pause. “But can you at least incorporate some twenty-first century design? Something that leans more toward luxury than barnyard?”
A slow smile spreads across my face.
“I can do that,” I promise. “But you’ll have to keep an open mind. I think you’re really going to love this.”
