After a week in LA, Vaughn had returned to Willowvale Springs. While in LA, he’d met with the other members of Sin & Glory about possible replacements for Steven as the lead singer. They’d also discussed a new direction for the band’s look and sound. The remaining members hadn’t been able to come to a consensus on either point. And they’d been just as stalled in their efforts to get backing for the new album, given the way the group had imploded in the midst of a sold-out worldwide tour before. To say the plans had been frustrating would be a gross understatement.
But the entire week hadn’t been a complete bust. He’d sat in on a few live sessions for small, intimate performances by Liza Jaymes—an old friend he’d dated before his marriage to Eva. Like Sin & Glory, Liza was trying to make a comeback. She’d looked and sounded better than ever after spending a few tough years in and out of rehab and terrible romantic and business relationships.
The performances were sold out and received rave reviews. It made him hopeful that Sin & Glory would get the same sort of reception from their fans once they could finally get all of the pieces into place.
It had felt a bit strange to be back in his house in LA. Normally, after time away, he looked forward to returning to his Hollywood Hills home. But instead, he’d found himself looking forward to his return to the little cabin in Willowvale Springs that had become his home away from home. More specifically, he’d found himself missing the bright smile and lovely face that always made him feel a sense of peace and joy.
He and Allie had spoken on the phone several times over the course of the week. Vaughn had called to get regular updates on the project and to run ideas past Allie about the second phase. And upon his return, once he’d put away his luggage, the first thing he’d done was walk over to the main building to check up on the progress of the project.
The possibility of getting studio backing seemed slimmer after his recent trip to LA. So it was a strong possibility that the resort would be funding the recording of the album. That only made Vaughn more anxious about getting the initial phases of the project completed quickly and on budget.
He’d been disappointed that while Allie’s crew had made some progress in the week since he’d left, they weren’t as far along as he’d hoped. He’d posed a variety of questions to the men he’d encountered working about the progress.
Vaughn returned to his cabin and sat on the front steps and surveyed the land around him. The old pool was just a few yards from his cabin. The heated pool was older than he was, but it was still functional and saw a lot more business than the resort did. Members of the community paid for a membership. So while he’d closed down the resort during the renovation, he’d agreed to keep the heated outdoor pool running. But in the next phase, they’d be doing both a functional and aesthetic remodeling including reconfiguring the pool’s shape, updating the surface tile to something that felt more modern, and adding features that high-end guests would expect.
Vaughn pulled out his phone and jotted down a few notes about the pool to go over with Allie. He’d been so engrossed in typing his notes and looking at examples of pool renovations that he hadn’t heard her approaching until she was a few steps away.
“Hey, Allie, I was just about to call you.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” Allie sank onto the step beside him and leaned back on her elbows.
“Okay. I can see that you’re a bit annoyed.” Vaughn held up an open palm as Allie assessed him with narrowed eyes.
How is it that she managed to be gorgeous even when it looked as if flames might erupt from her ears?
“Whatever gave you that idea?” Allie asked incredulously as she hiked one perfectly arched eyebrow and pursed her full lips.
Vaughn tried not to laugh at the sarcastic remark, but he was doing a terrible job of hiding his amusement. “I know I’ve been calling about the project quite a bit. But I swear I’m not intentionally trying to be a pain in the ass.”
“Okay, if you’re not trying to be a pain in my ass, why is it that you’re questioning my guys and calling me nearly every day that you were away to check up on me?”
“I’m not checking up on you per se...” He totally was, but just not in the sense she’d meant it. He wasn’t checking up on Allie the interior decorator or contractor. He’d been checking in with the woman he’d started to look forward to chatting with nearly every day over coffee or lunch.
While he was away, yes, he’d been concerned about the project. But a part of him needed to hear Allie’s voice. It was an instant balm that soothed him and brought a smile to his face in moments when it felt as if everything else was going wrong.
“I just want to make sure I’m doing whatever I can to speed the project along,” he assured her.
“Well, it feels like you’re undermining me with the guys. At the very least, you’re causing confusion. In fact, I came here from another project because one of them called me. He said you weren’t happy with our progress.”
“That’s not exactly what I said. I was just surprised that we aren’t further along—”
“Before you left town you were gushing about how I get your aesthetic and seemed to know what you want. A week later you’re questioning everything I do. Do you still not trust me?” Allie sounded hurt and there was a pained look in her dark eyes.
“That isn’t it at all, Allie.” Vaughn sat up straight, his arms folded over his knees as he assessed the beautiful woman seated beside him. “Of course, I trust you.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.” Allie’s voice was tight.
“I’m not questioning your abilities. I’m just very eager for this project to come out just as we envisioned it. Your designs are brilliant, Allie. I just—”
“Don’t trust that I can execute them.” Allie jabbed a thumb into her chest. “Not like Rey, or Manny, or my dad could. Or any member of my family who pees standing.”
The searing disappointment in her dark eyes reminded Vaughn of when Allie was ten and he’d had to sit her down and tell her he couldn’t marry her, and she needed to stop telling everyone that he would.
He’d broken her little heart then and he was pretty sure he’d disappointed her just as much now. Only this time, sneaking her a bag of her favorite Goetze Old-Fashioned Caramel Creams Candy probably wouldn’t resolve the issue.
“This isn’t about me not trusting you because you’re a woman, Allie. If this were Rey, or Manny, or your dad, I’d be just as much of a stickler about the details because this project means a lot to me and to the town. And I don’t take it lightly that Hank left me this incredible gift.” He gestured to the land around them.
Allie didn’t respond. She turned to look out at the pool. “You certainly didn’t hover over Rey like this when he was renovating your parents’ house.” She glared at him accusingly.
“To be fair, Sin & Glory was on tour in Europe at the time. I had my assistant Cherry managing the renovation for me. She actually did pop into town and take photos,” he said. “And believe me, I was as involved as possible from nearly five thousand miles away. Your brother was none too pleased about it at the time, I assure you.” Vaughn chuckled. “I’m surprised he didn’t tell you that.”
“And admit that he’s not perfect?” Allie snorted like she had when she was a kid. “There would be zero chance of that.”
“You’re being hard on your brother, aren’t you?”
Despite considering the Prices family, Vaughn wasn’t blood and had no right to interfere. But Rey was the closest thing he’d had to a brother. He couldn’t not speak up if he could help smooth over whatever was going on between him and Allie.
“Well, Rey is hard on me.” Allie folded her arms. “He doesn’t trust that I can handle things on my own. And if I make a mistake, he never lets me forget it.”
There was something in Allie’s eyes. Something she wasn’t saying. Vaughn wanted to know what it was, but he wouldn’t press. He shifted the conversation back to her initial concerns.
“Look, Allie, about my hyper interest in this project... I know that I’ve been away a long time,” Vaughn said. “But Willowvale Springs and this place—” he indicated the ground beneath him “—mean a lot to me. This town will always feel like home. A piece of my heart resides here.” He pressed his palm to his chest.
“If Willowvale Springs, and presumably the people you left behind here, mean so much to you—” she studied his face “—why haven’t you come back before now?”
Vaughn scratched at his beard and heaved a sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be forthcoming with Allie about why he hadn’t returned to Willowvale Springs. It was more a matter of his own need to avoid dwelling on his reasons for staying away.
“If I’m being honest with myself, something I clearly don’t enjoy—” Vaughn laughed bitterly “—I guess I’ve stayed away because the desire to avoid the sad memories has always been a hell of a lot stronger than the pull to revisit the happy ones.”
“I’m sorry about your parents, Vaughn.”
Allie’s expression softened, and there was such genuine affection in her sweet tone. Tranquility and warmth spread through his chest as she placed a gentle hand on the tattoo on his right forearm.
It was an exact replica of the misshapen heart and names carved in the tree in the backyard of his adoptive parents’ home. Vaughn had insisted that Rey and his crew keep the old tree—despite the landscaping nightmare it had caused.
Vaughn covered her hand with his much larger one.
“Thanks, Al.” He squeezed her hand, then let go of it, afraid that if he didn’t release it right away, he might not let go of it at all. “Like I said, I have a lot of good memories here. I’m lucky the Reeds saved me. That they loved me like I was their own flesh and blood. But before I met your brother and became an honorary member of your family... I was a pretty lonely kid,” he admitted. “I would’ve done anything to have a house filled with siblings. Even annoying ones like Rey.” He nudged her shoulder.
Allie huffed and raked her fingers through her glossy curls—a feature he’d always loved.
Yes, she was gorgeous with her straightened hair. But there was something about seeing her in those natural curls that made him want to sift his fingers through them. He’d spent more nights since his return than he cared to admit imagining those shiny, dark curls spread out on his pillow as he cradled her to his chest.
Allie tried her hardest to resist, but finally, she cracked a smile. She leaned back on her elbows again. “Okay, fine. Maybe I should appreciate my knucklehead brother more,” she conceded. “After all, he did bring me my sister-in-law and two beautiful nieces—all of whom I adore—plus you.” She nudged him this time, her smile widening. “I’m definitely grateful that because of Rey you were a big part of my life growing up. It took you long enough, but I’m glad you finally came back.”
Her eyes twinkled and her lips had never looked more kissable than they did at that moment.
He swallowed hard and forced himself to look away from the mouth he’d been wanting to kiss from the moment she’d told him off.
“Maybe next time, don’t be a stranger for so long.”
Vaughn leaned back on his elbows, too, both of them staring up at the setting sun.
“I won’t,” he said. “Promise.”
Allie stood and dusted off her bottom—a move Vaughn tried hard not to notice. But in a pair of fitted, black dress pants that clung to her sweet curves, not noticing them was a monumental ask of any single, straight man with a pulse.
“It’s getting late. I should go,” Allie said. There was almost a hint of reluctance in her voice. As if she wanted him to ask her to stay.
He wanted to. But if he was going to maintain his commitment to not crossing the line with Allie, it would be better if he didn’t.
Vaughn stood, too. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“That isn’t necessary.” Allie pulled her keys from the front pocket of her pants.
“Then humor me.” Vaughn shrugged. “Besides, it’ll give me a chance to tell you what I’ve been thinking about for the pool renovation.”
“Not that you’re micromanaging me.” Allie rolled her eyes, then huffed. “Fine. Come on then. It’s been a really long day and there’s a tub surrounded by candles with my name on it.”
Allie naked in a tub?
He stumbled over his own feet and nearly face-planted.
“Vaughn! Are you all right?” Allie reached out to steady him. She regarded him carefully, which made his skin flame.
“I’m fine.” His cheeks and forehead were so hot they were probably glowing like Rudolph’s nose. He started toward the lot for the main building where her car was parked. “So about the pool... I’d like to convert it to an indoor pool as part of the initial renovation rather than waiting for Phase Two.”
“No objections here.” Allie nodded thoughtfully. “But I thought you wanted this first phase to be quick and dirty.” Quick and dirty? Seriously? Allie was killing him right now.
“And cost-efficient,” he felt the need to add.
“Which is why I suggested it for phase two instead of phase one,” she reminded him with a hint of amusement in her voice.
“I know. But if we want to start booking high-end guests off the rip, I figure we should go hard or go home, right?”
“Okay.” Allie nodded. “Let me work up some numbers and talk to a few people to see what their availability is. But given that we’re approaching the holiday season, I would temper my expectations on this. Understood?” She used the remote to unlock her car as they approached it.
Vaughn jogged ahead of Allie and opened the door for her.
Even at the end of a long workday wearing very little makeup and just a work shirt and some dress pants, Allie Price was absolutely stunning. When his gaze met hers, an impish grin curved one edge of her mouth.
Why did this feel more like the end of the night on a first date than saying goodbye to his interior decorator or his best friend’s kid sister?
“Again, apologies if you feel like I didn’t trust you. What I said at the granite yard... I meant it one hundred percent. You’re an amazing designer and an organized, efficient project manager, Allie. And as you said the day you showed me that proposal, I’m lucky to be working with you.”
Allie covered her face as if she was embarrassed. She shook her head. “I can’t believe I actually said that to you and you still hired me.”
They both laughed.
“It wasn’t the kind of proposal I’m accustomed to,” he admitted. “But you were right. So thanks for taking on this project on such short notice and for coming up with such an incredible plan. This is going be a fabulous venue and a financial boost to the town.”
“Yes, it will.” Allie nodded proudly as she glanced over at the main house.
Vaughn studied her profile as she took in the resort that was slowly being transformed. He sucked in a quiet breath and fought the growing desire to pull Allie into his arms and kiss her.
“Hank would be really proud of what you’re doing here, Vaughn.” Allie’s voice and smile were soft and warm. “And so would your parents.”
Allie wrapped her arms around him, her cheek pressed to his chest.
He permitted himself the luxury of indulging Allie’s innocent gesture. He breathed in her sweet scent and the hint of vanilla wafting from her hair. Vaughn rested his chin atop her head.
“Thank you for saying that. I hope you’re right.”
“I usually am. Remember that next time we’re selecting design materials, and you’ll save yourself from having to spend the day traipsing through home improvement stores with me.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” He smiled when she nodded. “I wouldn’t have traded that trip for anything. It was one of the best days I’ve had in a really long time.”
Allie pulled back, a bashful grin animating her gorgeous face. “I’m not sure if that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard or the saddest,” she teased. “But it was a good day for me, too.”
They stared at each other for a moment in silence, his heart thudding in his chest.
“Good night, Vaughn.” Allie lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you at my parents’ house on Sunday, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Vaughn winked.
Allie slipped inside her Audi A5 Sportback and drove off into the evening, leaving Vaughn wondering what might have been if Allie had been anyone in the world other than the sister of one of his closest friends.
He squeezed his eyes shut and shook the thought from his mind. Vaughn headed back to his cabin, reminding himself that this time around, he was too smart to make the same mistake. No matter how incredible a woman Allie Price had turned out to be.