Forever Summer - Melody Grace Page 0,3
herself before that particular fantasy could go any further. Down, girl!
She flushed, mortified by her reaction. Just how much had she had to drink?
“I’m sorry I startled you,” Noah said, his voice edged with a Southern drawl. “I tried knocking, but the music was so loud … anyway, hi. I come in peace,” he added, holding up some kind of gift basket.
Evie exhaled. This was the man who could have warned her exactly what she was walking into, she reminded herself. Had it just slipped his mind during all those emails to mention that the place was a disaster zone?
That would have been more helpful than a dimple.
“Well, come on in,” she said, waving her bottle at him. “And if you’ve got more booze in that basket, now’s the time to say.”
“Sorry,” Noah said, stepping inside. “Would chocolate cake help?”
Evie paused. “It couldn’t make this any worse, now could it?”
She took the basket from him and rummaged inside, trying to pull herself together. She didn’t do this, pant after strange guys. In fact, she’d pretty much been a nun these past couple of years, so why were her cheeks hot and her heart still beating fast? It was all the excitement of the move, she told herself.
That, and the wine.
When she allowed herself another look, she found Noah nosing around the room, taking in the broken-down furniture. He flipped the light switch a couple of times. “Is the power out?”
“The power … water … heat. You know, just a few little things,” Evie replied, trying to sound upbeat. “Welcome to the luxury hospitality of the Beachcomber Inn!”
“It is a little … rough around the edges,” he said, deadpan.
“Ha!” Evie snorted. “That’s like saying I only made a tiny mistake in buying this place. Or went slightly insane.” She caught sight of a delicious-looking package in the basket and brightened. “Ooh, cookies.”
“You’ll need a local contractor,” Noah said as she tore into the pack. “And a couple of tradespeople, to get the power turned back on.”
“And they can tell me exactly how much money it’ll take to get this place habitable again?” she asked through a mouthful of chocolate chips. “Why do you think I started drinking?”
“To celebrate your new home?” he offered.
“Ha!”
Evie took a long swallow, straight from the wine bottle. She started the music up again, then began to unpack her sleeping bag, glad to have something to do other than gawk at the man standing there in the corner, glowering at her. He wasn’t that handsome, she told herself. It was just the candlelight. The angles.
The fact she hadn’t eaten a solid meal all day.
No wonder her stomach was tied up in knots. It had nothing to do with him. And soon enough, he’d be out of her hair and on his way. But as she unrolled the sleeping pad, Noah frowned. “You can’t sleep here,” he said, like it was an order. “Riley has a couple of rooms at the pub, or you can stay at my cousin’s place, if you need.”
“No thanks,” Evie said, smarting at the bossy tone.
“It’s late,” he said, looking impatient. “You should get a decent night’s sleep—somewhere with the power still running. It’ll still be your property in the morning.”
Evie felt a flicker of annoyance. Who did he think he was, ordering her around?
“Does it look like I can’t handle this?” she demanded, not waiting for a reply. “I made a choice and took a leap, and now it’s just me and my blank canvas of future tomorrows! I’m moving on! I’m making lemonade!”
And blabbering nonsense, but that was her prerogative.
“I’m not leaving you here,” Noah said, folding his arms stubbornly. “You’ll catch pneumonia—or get eaten by rats.”
She yelped. “There are rats?”
“Do you want to chance it?” he retorted.
She took a deep breath, and then another. She’d made her bed, and now she was going to lie in it. Even if the bed was technically a dusty floor in the middle of a construction site. “Thank you very much for your kind offer,” she told Noah primly. “But I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”
He looked frustrated, but Evie glared back, determined. Finally, Noah gave a shrug. “Suit yourself,” he said, like she wasn’t worth the hassle. “Welcome to town … and good luck!”
He turned to leave, and for a moment, Evie almost changed her mind. What was she thinking, insisting she could do this alone? She should just swallow her pride, admit she’d made a huge mistake, and beg Noah for