Her Billionaire Heartthrob - Kaylee Baldwin Page 0,10

have, but I’m sure he’ll come to Arkansas again … someday.”

Her grandma was in love with nighttime’s greatest—and most neurotic—detective, Mason Horwitz, played by the actor Dane Lowbridge. He was coming to Eureka Springs to shoot some scenes for his latest movie, based on the mystery and mass murders in the Crescent Hotel, and was holding an exclusive meet and greet the same night as the Winter Festival and gala.

Her seventy-three-year-old grandma had set up a tent outside the ticket office and slept on the ground to purchase an all-inclusive pass, which included an outdoor showing of one of his movies, a signed t-shirt and poster, and a brief face-to-face and picture opportunity with Dane. It didn’t matter that Dane was thirty years younger than Grandma—Grandma was in love, and Viola was not going to take this away from her.

“It’s fine,” Viola insisted. The gala was still another week and a half away. “I haven’t even gotten to the Bs in my phone yet.” She pulled up her contacts and found Billy George’s name. They’d gone to junior prom together. Billy was in the middle of an ugly, too open about their business on social media, disaster kind of divorce. He could probably use a stress-free night on the town.

She almost pressed call, and then last moment, sent him a text. She wasn’t in the mood to get into a long complaint session about whatever Kendra was doing now. Busy next Friday? I need a plus-one for the Winter Festival Gala.

Billy responded only a few minutes later. Sure. I’ve always wanted to check the gala out.

Thanks, Viola replied.

“Got a date,” she told her grandma.

“Do I even want to know who it is?”

“No, you don’t.” Grandma’s nose always scrunched whenever one of Billy’s posts came through on her Facebook. “Drama,” she often said under her breath, and Viola didn’t disagree, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and all that. Besides, Billy always told the best stories, so at least Viola wouldn’t have to be bored the whole night.

“I saw Liam Nichols today,” Viola said casually. She wiped at at spot on the kitchen table to avoid having to look at her grandma. Grandma knew all about her heartbreak in Hawaii.

She felt her grandma’s stare. “And how did that go?”

“Fine,” she tried to say casually. “No big deal.”

“Hmmm.” Grandma definitely wasn’t buying that. “Are you going to see him again?”

Viola snorted. “I’m sure he’s half-way back to L.A. or one of his stores by now.”

“Well, don’t write him off too quickly.” Grandma went back to drawing on her paper. “I’ve never seen you fall for someone like you did for him.”

“It was the magic of the wedding and being in Hawaii,” Viola said. “I’m going to read in bed for a bit.” She kissed her grandma on the cheek, disconcerted to see what appeared to be a top hat drawn on the spider’s head as she did.

✽✽✽

Nearly a week later, Viola went into work, surprised to find someone already standing in front of her office door. His back was to her, and he had on a hat, a dark green, waterproof jacket, and jeans, and he was looking down at his phone.

“Can I help you?” she asked as she got closer. He whipped around, and she was more surprised than she should have been to see Liam there. It had been over a week since she’d seen him last, and she expected that he’d be long gone by now. He hadn’t stayed more than a few days for his only brother’s wedding; it was hard to believe he was still out in Eureka Springs.

He flashed a smile, way too charming for her own good. “Yes, you can. I’ve made a purchase that I need your expertise with.”

She pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her office door. “What kind of purchase?”

He followed her inside as she turned on the lights and opened the blinds to let the sunlight in.

“An really big one. But I don’t know if I’ve ever been so excited about a purchase.”

Despite herself, she was intrigued. Still, she replied, “And you’re telling me because …”

“Because I need to hire you to restore it.”

“You bought a building?” She had to sit. He sat across from her, leaning forward, his forearms on his knees, his expression way too excited.

“I did.”

“Here in Eureka Springs?”

“Yes.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask.”

He pointed at her wall. “The Old Grand Theater.”

She let out a long breath. Of course he’d bought that one.

“I need you to restore