Page 48 of Pursued By My Grumpy Fiancé
“So, is this a thing every time you eat crab?” I take some crab meat and dip it into a small butter dish before popping it in my mouth.
“Mmmm. Oh my god.”
My previous question is forgotten as the flavor of perfectly roasted crab takes over my senses. I’ve never tasted something so amazing in my life.
“Good, right?” Hailey says, leaning back in her chair as she savors the flavor with me.
“Best food I’ve ever had, hands down.”
“Iseriouslycannotbelievehow incredible that crab was.”
“You really loved it, huh? You haven’t shut up about it since we left Fog Harbor,” Hailey says as she finishes up the row boat rental. The employee hands us two life jackets and points us to the row boat hut.
“Honestly, I think I had a spiritual awakening. Like, I went into that restaurant a completely different person than I am now,” I joke as we reach the small shack, and Hailey throws back her head in laughter.
“Alright, drama queen. Help me carry this boat.”
We each grab a side of the row boat and hoist it over our heads before placing it down on the edge of Stow Lake. I help Hailey put her life jacket on, then put on mine. She steps into the front of the boat, and I push the boat off the shore before getting in next to her. The boat wobbles for a moment and then steadies.
We slowly start paddling in tandem, working together in a steady groove. This lake is beautiful, with trees standing tall around the edges, shading the water from the hot San Francisco sun. Ducks and geese litter the pond, flitting away as we row the boat past them. It’s not long before we come up on a big stone bridge.
“This is absolutely gorgeous, Hailey.”
“Just wait. It gets better.” She shoots me a mesmerizing smile and I’m overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her.
“Come on! I want to show you the best part.”
Sighing, I lick my lips as I match Hailey’s rowing pace. Before long, we’ve rowed up onto a stunning waterfall wedged between rows of trees. Hailey shifts her oar in the boat and turns her attention to me. I follow her lead.
“So, what do you think?”
“I think it’s incredible, Hailey.”
She nods and stares at the waterfall for a moment before speaking again.
“Landon, did you want to take over the family business?”
She’s still looking at the waterfall.
“Well, that’s a good question. I guess I never thought about it, if I’m being candid.” The memory flashes through my mind. “Honestly, I was just doing what I felt was right, what I thought my dad might have wanted me to do. Not all of the board members would have run it the way my dad wanted to. I felt it was important to honor his memory by making sure that all of his hard work wasn’t undone.”
“That’s not really a yes or a no,” she comments, flashing me a gentle smile.
“I guess there’s not a direct way to answer it. It was never a matter of if I wanted to or not, but only of doing the right thing.”
“You know, I used to think you were just an annoying, pompous, selfish jerk. Just another rich billionaire who wanted to control everyone.”
“And now, you don’t think that?”
I raise my eyebrows at her. She wrinkles her nose mischievously.
“Well, now I know you’re just an annoying, pompous jerk.”
“Oh, so not selfish then?” I tease back.
“No way. A selfish man would have never paid for all of my mom’s hospital bills. Or taken me in when my landlord was a total scuzz. A selfish man wouldn’t be so concerned with disappointing his mother that he decides to hire a fake fiancée.”
I stare at her for a moment, absorbing what she’s saying.
