Page 51 of Clearly Charmed

He gave Flora’s head a gentle pat as his gaze slowly raked up my body. ‘Hello, Dani.’

It was criminal the way his low voice lit up my insides. I must have stared at him too long because he said, ‘Are you rethinking your grandmother’s invite?’

‘No.’ I clumsily waved him forward, and he stepped in close, pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek.

‘I can’t stop thinking about yesterday.’

He was a damn menace. If he kept staring like he wanted to undress me, we were never going to make it through this meal.

I set my hands on his shoulders and gave him a gentle push back. ‘None of that. You need to be on your best behavior. My family is up there, and they’re like freaking emotional barometers. If you give me even the gentlest look, they’ll know something is up.’

He grinned, made an animated cross over his heart. ‘I promise to be a perfect gentleman, at least while other people are around.’

‘Be good,’ I hissed and pointed to the stairs leading up to the kitchen and main living area. That cedar scent of his hung in the air, and I tried not to look like an idiot as I breathed it in.

When Bryce reached the top of the landing, he walked straight toward Clo, who was washing her hands at the sink.

‘Your youngest granddaughter said these were your favorite,’ he said, handing her the arrangement.

Lia and I swung our heads in Aster’s direction.

‘What? He came into the shop and asked. It wasn’t like I was gonna turn away his money.’ She plucked the vase from Clo’s hands. ‘They’re looking parched. I’ll add more water.’

Once the tap was running, she tilted her head to look at Bryce. A small twitch at the corner of her mouth mimicked the one in the coffee shop. Could she see his color now? Was it still that same shade of persimmon that matched mine? Even worse, could she sense the heat between us? My heart stuttered, and I shoved the idea out of my head. This was not a moment to think about anything but getting him to reveal what he planned to write in that article.

‘Can I get you a drink? Maybe something with arsenic?’ Lia said in a quiet mumble.

‘Lia!’ Grandmother Clo chided.

‘It’s fine,’ Bryce chuckled. ‘It’s clear that I’m walking into the lion’s den here.’

‘Pour him a glass of wine and be nice,’ Clo ordered.

Lia spun around and did as she was told, filling a glass with a rich red blend and shoving it across the counter toward him.

‘Please sit down. Dinner is almost ready,’ Clo said.

‘It smells great.’ He walked across the open space past the dining table and seating area. For a minute he scanned the photos hung on the walls. My breath hitched when he narrowed his focus on the sepia-toned image of Ambrosia and Sylvia. Thankfully, Flora trotted toward him. He stopped to pet her as she sniffed at his jeans and shirt.

‘Sorry, girl. Indy’s at home tonight.’

Like she didn’t like his response, she spun away and nudged her way out onto the deck. Bryce followed her, stopping at the back wall of windows. The setting sun painted the sky a rich shade of orange, reminding me once more of Aster’s revelation about him.

‘This is a beautiful view,’ he said.

‘My late husband, Beau, built the house in this spot so we could watch the colors rise and fall over the lake in the course of a day.’

‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ Bryce murmured before he took a sip of wine.

‘It’s been a long time, and I have all this to remember him by,’ Clo replied.

Bryce gave an understanding nod and sauntered back to the living area. He moved his way around the couch and sank into Grandpa Beau’s armchair.

Lia cursed under her breath, and I pressed a hand against her arm. ‘Remember why he’s here. We need to stick to Clo’s plan.’

She went back to stirring the gravy, which stayed at a brisk bubble even though the burner was off.

Aster plopped the vase in the center of the dining table and went to sit on the chestnut-colored couch across from Bryce. ‘Tell us a bit about yourself,’ she said in her sweet and disarming voice. Bryce eased back into the chair. It was hard not to relax around my kind little sister.