Page 34 of Make Me Love You

It was hard to tell by her subdued reaction. She didn’t smile, didn’t frown. It was a strange response for Emma. Her emotions were always close to the surface. Fury, ecstasy, despair, whatever she was feeling was usually written all over her face. But now her expression was carefully blank. It was unlike her, and it made him nervous.

She pushed open the door, leaving her palm against the rough wood just long enough to keep it from slamming shut in his face. He grinned to himself as he followed her into the warm darkness. Even pissed as hell, Emma couldn’t bring herself to be rude.

The second the door closed behind them, she whirled to face him. “Well?” she demanded. “You have five minutes, Eli. My fries are getting cold.”

“You—”

Eli broke off, nodding a polite hello to a twenty-ish man who looked like he hadn’t seen a brush or razor in a month—which he probably hadn’t. Thru-hikers weren’t known for their stellar hygiene. He grabbed Emma by the elbow and steered her around the corner, out of the yellow circle cast by the cast-iron lamps guarding the doorway. Random hikers might not care who they were, but plenty of nosy locals would be thrilled to have something to gossip about.

“Why are you here, Emma?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Business, like I already told you.”

He furrowed his brow. “Business? I’m the deputy mayor. I know it’s weird because we’re running against each other, but I should still know what’s going on.”

“It’s not mayor business. It’s my business.”

“You mean the food truck?”

“No, I mean—” She paused, cocking her head to the side so her hair spilled over her shoulder. “I guess I didn’t tell you. I’m turning the house into a bed and breakfast. I had this idea, that if people aren’t coming to Hart’s Ridge for work anymore, well, then maybe I could get them to come here for fun. And while they’re here, they would need a place to stay, so I might as well get paid, too. The house would be a source of income instead of another bill I have to pay. Plus it would give Dad something to do when he gets home.”

“Okay,” he said slowly. “I’m all for people coming to Hart’s Ridge for a good time and staying at your B and B. But how are you going to get them here? We don’t have a resort like Piedmont. I mean, we have the same exact mountains as them, but no one even knows we’re here. What’s the plan, Emma? Because I know you have one.”

She lit up like the finale Fourth of July fireworks. Christ, she was beautiful when she was excited about something.

“That’s the best part. Have you noticed how busy Dreamer’s is lately? Demy says it was all because of that girl who was here from L.A. We saw her taking pictures of her food, remember? Anyway, she has, like, two million followers on social media. She posted a picture of Demy’s food, and suddenly everyone within an hour’s drive of here showed up. I was thinking I could invite her back for the Fourth of July celebration, give her a free stay at the B and B, invite a few others like her, and boom. Business for Hart’s Ridge. I mean, I hope so, anyway. What do you think?”

The question hit his bloodstream like a double shot of whiskey, making him feel a little unsteady on his feet. She cared what he thought?

“I think it’s worth a shot. It could work. Yeah.” It would take a lot of work, for sure, but Emma had never shirked from hard work—witness her determination in tackling the streetlights on Main Street. And he would help her, if she would let him.

But maybe she had someone else in mind. Luke. Was that why she was here tonight? His gut twisted. “So what does all this have to do with Luke?”

Her light dimmed slightly at the question. She crossed her arms, mimicking his posture. “You don’t need to get all proprietary about Luke. I’m not going to take him from you. I know what I said eight years ago, but I’m not twenty anymore. He can be friends with both of us.”

“I’m not being proprietary about Luke. I’m being proprietary about you.” He leaned in, close enough that she could see the seriousness of his expression. He wasn’t playing around here. It wasn’t a game to him, and he wanted her to know that. “I don’t want you here because I don’t want you flirting with him. I don’t want him touching you.”

He watched her blink in confusion as she tried to make sense of his words. “I can flirt with whoever I want. But...I wasn’t flirting. We were always just friends.”

“You were just friends then. Now, he looks like he does and he knows it. I’m pretty sure there’s a note about him in all the Appalachian Trail guides. Stop by Goat’s Tavern in Hart’s Ridge. Have a beer and bang the owner.”

Emma snorted with laughter. “Okay,” she admitted. “Maybe I’ve heard a rumor here and there. Luke is certainly, um, popular with women. But that doesn’t mean—” She broke off, frowning. “What’s that noise? Is that...do I hear a goat?”

A goat? Oh, shit. He turned so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash, eyes straining to see in the inky darkness. “Where? I don’t hear anything.”

“Huh.” They were both silent, listening. “Maybe I imagined it?” she said uncertainly.

“Maybe.” But Eli wasn’t about to let his guard down just yet. The little bastard could be anywhere.

And then he heard it: The unmistakable crunch of a hoof on gravel. Slowly at first, one deliberate step after another, and then suddenly picking up speed as the beast broke into a run. Eli searched frantically through the darkness as the sound came closer. There. A few yards behind Emma, head lowered to better make use of its horns.

“What in the world—ahhhhh!” Emma ended on a shriek as Eli scooped her up in his arms.

“Not today, Satan!” he hollered.

Goat apparently disagreed. He rammed Eli behind his knees, sweeping his legs out from under him. With Emma still in his arms, he rolled mid-air, ensuring that he hit the ground with his shoulder, rather than his back or, God forbid, Emma. By some miracle they fell onto the patch of soft grass rather than the gravel. She landed with him, her head cradled by his bicep, her legs thrown over his thigh.

“What. The. Hell,” she gasped out. “What was that?”

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