Don’t forget Rupert warned you against falling in love with Finn.
Yeah, but Rupert was overprotective and—
‘Audra, would you like to take a seat?’
Audra shook herself, and tried to quiet her mind as she gave herself over to Anna’s ministrations.
* * *
As promised, Finn returned an hour later. Audra’s hair had been cut, shampooed and blow-dried and it felt...wonderful! She loved what Anna had done—short at the back and sides but still thick and tousled on top. She ran her fingers through it, and the excitement she’d woken with this morning vibrated through her again now.
She and Anna were sharing a cup of tea and gossip when Finn returned, and the way his eyes widened when he saw her, the light that flared in his eyes, and the low whistle that left his lips, did the strangest things to her insides.
‘It looks...’ He gestured. ‘I mean, you look...’ He swallowed. ‘It’s great. You look great.’
Something inside her started to soar. He wanted her. He tried to hide it, but he wanted her in the same way she wanted him. It wasn’t enough. But it was something, right? She could build on that, and... Her heart dipped. Except their holiday was almost over and there was so little time left—
He frowned. ‘You’re not regretting it, are you?’
She tried to clear her face. ‘No! I love it.’ She touched a self-conscious hand to her new do. ‘It feels so liberating.’ She did what she could to put her disturbing thoughts from her mind. ‘Now put me out of my misery and show me whatever it is you’ve done. I’m dying here, Finn!’
‘Come on, then.’ He grinned and took her arm, but dropped it the moment they were outside. She knew why—because the pull between them was so intense.
What if she were to seduce him? Maybe...
That could be a really bad idea.
Or an inspired one.
Her heart picked up speed. She had to force herself to focus on where they were going.
Finn led her along the village’s main street. She made herself glance into the windows of the fashion boutiques with their colourful displays, dragged in an appreciative breath as they passed the bakery that sold those decadent croissants. She slowed when they reached the bookshop, but with a low laugh Finn urged her past it.
At the end of the row stood the beautiful whitewashed building with freshly painted shutters the colour of a blue summer day that had silently sat at the centre of herÁ dreams. The moment she’d seen the For Sale sign when she’d clambered off the ferry a fortnight ago, she’d wanted to buy it. Her heart pounded. This place was...perfect.
‘I remember you saying there was a place for sale in the village that would be the ideal location for your shop, and I guessed this was the place you meant.’
She spun to him, her eyes wide.
‘So I asked around and found it belongs to the Veros family.’
‘The Veros family who own the deli?’
‘One and the same. I asked if we could have a look inside.’ He brandished a key. ‘And they said yes.’
Excitement gathered beneath her breastbone until she thought she might burst.
‘Shall we?’
‘Yes, please!’
He unlocked the door. ‘Do you want the shutters open?’ He gestured to the shutters at the front window. She could barely speak so she simply nodded. She wanted to see the interior bathed in the blues and golds of the late morning light. ‘You go on ahead, then, while I open them.’
Pressing one hand to her chest, she reached out with the other to push the door open. Her heart beat hard against her palm. Could this be the place where she could make her dreams come true? Was this the place where she could start the rest of her life? She tried to rein in her excitement. This was the next step—making the dream fit the reality. She needed to keep her feet on the ground.
Inside it was dim and shadowy. She closed her eyes and made a wish, and when she opened her eyes again, light burst through the spotlessly clear front window as Finn flung the shutters back. Her heart stuttered. The world tilted on its axis. She had to reach out and brace herself against a wall to stop from falling.
Her heart soared...stopped...pounded.
She couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing, but in front of her the designs Finn had created for her shop had taken shape and form in this magical place. She squished her eyes shut, but when she opened them again nothing had changed.
She spun around to find Finn wrestling a tub of colourful flowers into place just outside the front door. Her eyes filled. He’d done all of this for her?
He came inside then and grinned, but she saw the uncertainty behind the smile. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think this is amazing! How on earth did you manage to do this in such a short space of time?’