me what you do want, Weston Bradford,” I say coyly.
He stops walking, and I do the same, facing him as he smiles at me. “Love. Nothing more. Nothing less.” His answer hangs in the air for several seconds.
Then he steps toward me. My mouth grows dry as I inhale his earthy aroma that still has a hint of sawdust, despite the fact we haven’t worked on the house today.
“How about you, Londyn? What’s your holy grail?”
“Holy grail?”
“Yeah. You know. The one thing in life you’ll always pursue.”
I focus my gaze past him, considering his question. A dozen possible answers float in my mind. Happiness. Security. Acceptance. Control. But one seems to overpower all the others.
“Love.” I meet his eyes. “Nothing more. Nothing less.”
He nods, a subtle smile pulling on his full lips. “Nothing less.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Weston
“How do you possibly see all that potential when you pass an old, beat-up dresser?” I remark after listening to Londyn talk about what she plans to do with some of her purchases.
We’d spent the entire morning scouring the flea market for the best finds. I couldn’t help but feel like I was seeing a different part of Londyn as I watched her methodically do one pass of the vendors, making notes, only buying something on that first pass if it was something she’d been looking for. Otherwise, she just made a note to return later to buy, often haggling about the price. And this woman could certainly haggle. I have half a mind to hire her to negotiate contracts for me. She’d probably be more effective than the entirety of our current legal department.
In the end, we walked away with a bunch of galvanized buckets, some wooden tool carriers she claimed would make great planters, and a dresser, which she almost didn’t get, but I insisted would fit in the back of the Range Rover.
Since neither of us wanted the day to end, we dropped everything off in Londyn’s overstuffed garage, then headed to an art museum. Now we’re relaxing over sushi.
“Easy.” She shrugs, sipping on her sake. “I see potential in everything.”
I smile, holding back my remark that I wish she’d see potential in herself. She needs to figure that out on her own. Just like she needs to finally realize what I’ve tried to show her these past few months as we’ve not only worked on Gampy and Meemaw’s house, but also got together for dinner at mine. Or went to an outdoor concert at the park near her house. Or strolled through the Castleberry Hill Art District. That she is ready to be vulnerable with someone again.
“That’s incredible. And you do all that stuff right in your garage? You don’t have another workspace?”
She picks up a piece of yellowtail with her chopsticks and places it into her mouth. After swallowing, she dabs her lips. “Nope. Just the garage. Although I will admit that I have moved some pieces into the spare room in my house.”
“Some of that stuff is kind of big.” I shove a piece of the spicy tuna roll into my mouth. “How do you ship it?”
“I use a crate and freight company. They come and pack everything up, then ship it. But if the purchaser is within a few hours from Atlanta and it fits into my SUV, I’ll deliver it.”
“By yourself?” I cock a brow. “That doesn’t sound safe.”
“I told you. I know self-defense.” She smiles, but I don’t waver from my hard stare.
I’d give Julia the same stare if I found out she was taking orders online and hand delivering her stuff. It makes me even more uneasy with Londyn.
“But, if it makes you feel better, I also carry a gun.” She pats her purse.
My eyes widen. “Right now?” I hadn’t expected to learn she was packing. Hell, I don’t know many women who know how to shoot at all, let alone own a gun.
“I have a concealed carry permit. My neighbor, Hazel, encouraged me to get a gun after I told her about my past.”
“Hazel was your self-defense instructor, correct?”
She nods. “Yeah. Said it gave her peace of mind after what she went through.”
“And what’s that?”
“Her ex beat her and her sons. When they tried to leave, he shot their two sons and her before shooting himself. She survived. Her boys didn’t.”
“Wow. Sorry to hear that.”
“Carrying a gun won’t bring her boys back, but it gives her peace of mind, even though she knows how to defend herself. Like me. I know how to defend myself