His Southern Sweetheart

“How ironic.” Amelia waved her hand around aisle three, the nuts and bolts section of the local hardware store, where the Hardware Hottie Bachelorette Auction was being held.

“You’re officially a resident again, Amelia,” Cay lectured her. “It’s time you participate.”

“I offered Gregory all the funds to purchase you for this auction. What happened to that?”

Cay giggled and blushed. “He didn’t want the risk of someone else bidding on me and having me working elsewhere for forty hours. And with us reopening The Scoop, he’s missing me being a housewife.”

“Lucky you,” Amelia said with a droll eye roll. It wasn’t her cousin’s fault she was in such a foul mood. It was no one’s fault but her own. She should have told Nate the truth. Since Brittany beat her to it, Nate had been avoiding Amelia at every turn. Besides not coming back to their hotel room, he wouldn’t answer her calls or come to the door. Amelia had left Villa San Juan with her tail between her legs. But instead of hiding and running off, she was determined to stay in Southwood and see things through. She was invested in the small Southern town.

The crew working on Azúcar was bummed when Amelia broke the news to them about stepping away. Amelia had finally figured out what happened at Natalia’s secret meeting with Stephen. He was helping her find a new place to live when she decided to leave the show. As for now, it was not Amelia’s business—workwise—

to know what Natalia was up to. Amelia set aside her mental pitches to MET, even the one concerning the piece about following up with the victims in the Villa San Juan shooting. These were people, not stories. Besides, Amelia had problems of her own.

Playfully Cay swatted Amelia’s tail. “They’re about to call your number, so go on and work the stage. And remember, it’s for charity.”

Knowing the funds for today’s auction went to charity kept Amelia afloat—that, and hearing Brittany only brought in a hundred dollars for her bid. With a deep inhale, Amelia stepped out onto the stage. The emcee announced Amelia’s name and who she represented: The Scoop. A few people cheered. Some men whistled. And then as the gavel pounded the podium, a deep voice boomed through the store.

“Ten thousand dollars.”

The crowd parted and Nate strolled up the center. Amelia cocked her head to the side. Her heart lurched in her throat.

“Did I hear you correctly?” the emcee asked.

Nate cut his icy-green eyes toward the speaker. “Yes. And you may as well close the bidding now.”

Taking heed, the emcee banged the gavel. “Sold.”

A round of congratulatory applause sounded off. Amelia, not knowing what to do, stood still. Nate stalked closer to claim his prize.

“I had a walk I was going to do,” Amelia said, squaring her shoulders. She licked her lips when he loomed over her.

“You were going to walk away from me?”

Another lurch struck her heart. “I wasn’t walking away.”

“And last weekend?”

“You said you needed to be alone.” Amelia gulped. Her hands began to shake. Everyone watched them. “I went back to the hotel and waited. You never came.”

Nate raised a dark brow. The corners of his mouth twisted into a devilish smile. He inched closer. She wished he’d say what he needed to say. She wished even harder that he’d kiss her. “I am surprised you came back to Southwood.”

“You did your job, Nate,” Amelia confessed. “You got me to fall in love with Southwood.”

“And?”

“And you, Nate.” Amelia swallowed down her nerves. “I fell in love with you and I’m not going anywhere any time soon.”

Nate took a hold of Amelia’s shaky hand. “Is that right?”

“That’s right.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “So whatever work you have for me, I will spend my time making you fall back in love with me.”

“I never said I fell out of love with you, Amelia.”

“But you haven’t been taking my calls or seeing me at all.”

Nate tugged gently on her hands. “I was out of town. And what I had to say to you was going to take more than a conversation on the phone.”

“Out of town?” She felt herself mouth the words. Their relationship was up in the air and he went out of town?