Page 14 of Unforgettable

“Well, it will be so good to have you here, Jamison,” she says.

I can’t keep the sigh from escaping. It didn’t even take him an hour to win Grinny over. And it just gets worse.

“Has anyone told you that our Scarlett was the one who got the resort operating in the black again? She came up with the two nights, third night free idea before that was really a thing, like it is everywhere now, and once that happened, we were able to start contributing to the shelters in town and in the surrounding area. Who knows? You might find out that the two of you make afineteam.”

My face feels feverish around her first sentence, but by the time she’s wrapping it up witha fine team, I’d kill for a full-body ice bath. Maybe I could just step outside, strip, and lie down in the snow, see if that cools me off at all.

It doesn’t help that Jamison’s eyes have never once left mine. He is studying me like I am his science project and he’ll be testing on me later.

When he says, “I have no doubt you’re right about that,” his voice all swoony rasp, I have to hold onto the edge of the desk. I’m sure it’s just my imagination, but it’s almost as if I can see the memories of our night together playing across his mind the way they are mine.

Somehow I manage to say, “See why I take her everywhere?”

Grinny waves me off. “She hates it when I brag on her, but I can’t help it. You’ll understand when you’re grandparents one day.”

Jamison loosens his tie a little more, pulling his shirt away from his neck like he needs air.

Grinny clasps her hands together and Jamison’s eyes slowly drift back to her. It helps me breathe a little better to have a break from his gaze. “I’ll let you two get back to it, but I have an idea,” Grinny says, beaming, and Jamison can’t help it, he melts like butter.

It’s the Grinny Effect.

He gives her a full-wattage smile back and her shoulders straighten in that way she gets when she’s on a mission. I find myself gripping the desk again.

Heaven help us.

“I know the baton has already been passed over to you, but to seal the deal, I’d love to have you over for a little dinner party. What do you say?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” he says, glancing at me like he thinks I might shut the whole thing down.

And I would, but Grinny turns that beam on me, and what can I say? I’ve never been able to resist the Grinny Effect. I rarely even try anymore, and I really can’t now, when she hasn’t looked this happy since Granddad died.

“Perfect,” she says. “Does next Friday night work?”

Jamison nods like he’s about to say yes, still under her spell.

“The cocktail hour with local business owners is Friday night from 5-7:30,” I remind him.

“Right. How could I forget?” he says, running his hand over his jaw. The cocktail hour was his idea and a damn good one, even I have to admit that. He turns to Grinny. “What time do you prefer to eat dinner?”

“I can go as late as you need, but how about we make it another night? Next Saturday?”

He glances at me as if I should answer that and my mouth falls open, shoulders lifting.

“Areyoufree Saturday night?” he asks.

My head tilts. “Uh, I think so, but I’m not sure I’ll—” The words pour out of me quickly.

“Perfect,” he says, grinning. “We’ll be there.”

“Oh, excellent. I can’t wait,” Grinny says, while I stutter some kind of nonsense. “And I won’t invite the girls just yet, it’ll be just us.”

“I didn’t exactly agree to a dinner party.” I frown at Grinny. “And yeah, hold off on the Golden Girls.”

I love her girlfriends, but they’re a handful.

Grinny chuckles. “Okay, no Golden Girls. Just as long as you’re there—we can’t very well fully pass the baton withoutyouthere, angel.” She smiles at me fondly.

“You said we’d already passed the baton,” I hiss.

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