Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

He laughed, and the deep, musical sound made her warm, and she smiled.

“This is really nice looking,” he said, turning it in his hands to examine it. “You made this?”

“Yes.”

He nodded and then leaned in to smell the flowers. He looked as if he actually appreciated the gift.

“They’re beautiful. And so different.”

“Actually, they’re dahlias. All dahlias.” She pointed to the large purple one, then to the smaller red one. “They come in different shapes and sizes, but they’re the same flower. Which is why putting them together is so fun.”

“You’re clearly good at it, too,” he said.

It was the first real compliment he’d given her regarding her work. And she liked how it made her chest feel a little fuller.

“I just wanted you to have that and to apologize for earlier today. I didn’t realize the gravity of the delivery schedule, and I hope you didn’t take it out on Mannie or the other men, because they were just doing what I asked.”

She glanced at her feet, and her throat closed around the rest of the speech she’d prepared. Instead, her thoughts and words betrayed her.

“I want to do better. Be better,” she said, not realizing she’d actually admitted that out loud until she saw Jacob’s face. He was looking at her with a soft gaze.

Jacob looked like he was about to say something, but his phone chirped. “Sorry,” he said and pulled it from his pocket and read a text. “I have to get going to the engagement party.”

“Oh, of course,” she said trying to sound as breezy as possible. Jacob set her vase down on a small table by the entry and then followed her out. He headed her off by his truck.

“Thank you for the flowers. They’re really well done.”

“You’re welcome.”

She turned to walk into the camper and he called out, “Come with me?”

“Excuse me?”

He walked up to the passenger side door of his truck and opened it, motioning for her to get in. “Come to the party with me.”

“Oh, I wasn’t invited.”

“I’m inviting you,” he said. “It’ll be fun. And you’ll get to see all your hard work enjoyed by others.”

It would be nice to go. Not just to see if everyone did in fact like the flowers. But to be with Jacob for an evening. Like he said, showing a united front was smart. But deep down, she knew going with him tonight had nothing to do with the business. It had to do with him.

“I’m still not dating,” she said, only she didn’t sound convincing even to herself.

“Just dinner, flowers, dancing, and drinks. Nothing datelike about that,” he teased.

It was then it hit her as hard as her smile. She liked Jake. A lot. He worked hard. Cared about her father and the business. And she respected him.

“Okay,” she said and got in the truck.

The short drive was silent but not tense. As if both of them were lost to thought and neither broaching a subject of what a messed-up situation they were in. Sleeping together, working together, living together—kind of—and also technically in competition for

their place at the business. Right now, he felt like a friend. One she wanted to spend time with. Confide in. Maybe kiss a little.

Okay, kiss a lot.

“It’s like déjà vu,” Jacob said, pulling into the parking lot of Goonies. It really was, since both of them had just been there earlier that afternoon.

“Hopefully circumstances are different tonight,” she said.