Chapter Five

Isla wasn’t sure what to think about the lawyer’s request or the fact that her father and brother had left several messages. She didn’t understand the need to meet with her. Even if her grandfather had considerable assets, why would that impact Isla? As for her own father, she couldn’t see him wanting anything bequeathed to him. Stubborn pride had stopped him from letting his children even know they had a grandfather.

Her brain felt wobbly and, for just a little while, she wanted to push everything about her grandfather and his death aside.

In the passenger seat of Liam’s SUV, she watched out the window, smiling at the remnants of Christmas adorning shop windows and the streets. She wasn’t going to call her dad or brother back. They could wait. She’d tried yesterday, and they’d ignored her, so she was taking today for herself. With an incredibly good-looking and sweet tour guide. One who made her stomach leap with just a look and had shown more compassion in a few simple touches than she’d ever known.

“You okay?” Liam asked, glancing over as he slowed to a stop at the light.

She nodded. Partial truth, but as long as she wasn’t fixating on her guilt about not making it to her grandfather in time or the turmoil over what was to come, it wasn’t a lie. She hated conflict and spent a lot of time trying to avoid it where her father and business were concerned. If not for the reason, this little trip might be a welcome reprieve.

She forced herself into the moment. No hardship when she was staring into Liam’s eyes. “I looked up tourist spots while I was waiting for you. Can I guess where you’re taking me?”

He grinned, and her stomach did a few somersaults in appreciation. He had a really sexy smile. Which you shouldn’t be thinking about right this minute. Hard not to when he was pointing it her way.

“You can try, but I bet you won’t,” he said, accelerating as the light changed.

“Grand Ole Opry.”

“Nope.”

Hmm. It was the top listed tourist attraction when she’d Googled it. “Music Row.”

“You should definitely see both of those. But not today.”

“Nashville Parthenon?” She hadn’t even known that existed, but apparently it was a replica of the Greek one.

“You’re such a rookie. I’m not showing you tourist Nashville, Red. You’re getting the behind-the-scenes tour.”

Isla tried to be a good person, despite the fact that she’d realized early on that her father was a selfish man. She’d always made the effort to avoid following in those footsteps. But it still surprised her that someone she hardly knew would take this time to be with her today.

Her heart squeezed tightly, and she wished he was holding her hand like he had last night. Who does that? Holds a girl’s hand all night? Liam Cruz, apparently. How he was single was beyond her but, since she was staying only a couple of days, she’d look at this time with him as a gift. A bright spot in an emotional storm.

“You don’t have to be at the bar today?” She leaned her head back and turned it to stare at his profile. His strong jaw tightened, as did the muscles in his arms. He was wearing a long sleeve Henley that easily showed the definition of his strong arms. Just that alone was enough to make her question her stance on one-night stands. Though, as he’d said, that was no longer the case.

Isla never leaped before looking. Liam Cruz was the kind of man who made her want to.

“No. I just help my sister out when I feel like it. We’re co-owners, but it’s her show.”

“The band was great last night,” Isla said.

“If you like country music, you’re definitely in the right place,” he said with a laugh. He turned down a quieter street that seemed to head away from the center of town.

“I didn’t realize I did, but I liked them.” When she was at the office, which had one of their gyms on the first floor, the music pumping through the speakers was high-tempo, which clients preferred when working out. Though she considered herself an astute businesswoman, a fair and firm boss to the employees in her division, it occurred to her in that moment that she often deferred to someone else’s preferences. What would please her father, her brother, the clients.

Isla stared out the window, getting wrapped up in things she didn’t want to focus on.

She jolted slightly when Liam’s hand covered hers on her thigh. The heat of his palm was both thrilling and, somehow, familiar. Comforting.

And absolutely intriguing. Spark inducing.

“You okay?”

Turning back to him, she nodded. “Thank you for wanting to show me your city,” she said, her voice quiet despite the loud thump of her pulse booming in her ears.

His fingers squeezed hers. “You make it sound like a chore to spend time with you. I’m glad you’re staying, even if it’s just a couple more days. Really glad.”

So was she. Despite the reason. Don’t focus on that. As if on cue, her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jacket. She ignored it. A sixth sense told her that her very organized and somewhat boring life was about to implode.

And if she was right, then she deserved today. For herself. And with Liam.

They drove for about a half hour before ending up in a little area called Franklin. Isla didn’t remember her history lessons well enough to recall too much, but she knew the town had significance for Tennessee. Liam parked on the street, in front of brick storefronts that boasted antiques and eateries. The streets were quiet and wet. Midday, midweek, it made sense.

She’d let herself out of the truck as he came around, and she suspected Liam intended to open the door for her. The thought that he would made her tingle inside and offer him a warm smile. She’d never met anyone quite like him.

Most of her life, particularly her professional life, was proving she could keep up, maneuver and out-maneuver men, including her brother and father. Trying to hold her own left little time for dating. The men she met didn’t push half the buttons Liam did with just a glance.

“I would have gotten that for you,” Liam said, reaching out to take her hand. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

It should have concerned her that it felt so good. Felt so right. But it gave her something better to focus on than what was taking up space in the back of her head and her heart.

“You’re such a gentleman,” she said, squeezing his fingers as she fell into step beside him.

Liam chuckled, the sound rich and deep and nearly as warm as the feel of his hand. “My mother would be pleased to hear that.” She liked the easy way he talked about his family.

They strolled along, checking out shops and stores as if real life wasn’t pressing in from the background. A couple of the shop owners called Liam by name, and she wondered how often he frequented this area, if maybe Nashville was smaller than she assumed. All the while, her phone continued to buzz, and she continued to ignore it.

They poked through an adorable shop that looked like a woman’s bedroom on one side and a man’s on the other. The sharp contrast was alluring, and there was so much to look at.

“You grew up here?” she asked, checking out a necklace resting on top of a dresser on the women’s side. There were several others, but each was unique. The silver chain and pendant on the one she held hung on at an angle, and Isla fingered the two thin, flat circles that wound together.

“I did. My immediate family lives here, but I’ve got extended family all over the place,” he said, standing close at her back.

The store was a cozy temperature, but standing so close to him spiked Isla’s inner heat, and her breath caught.

“That’s a vintage piece,” an older lady with wire-rimmed glasses said as she came from behind the counter in the back, center of the store.

“It’s beautiful. I like simple elegance,” Isla said. She pursed her lips. She really didn’t need a necklace.

Her phone buzzed again, and this time, she reached into her pocket, took it out, and stared at it. Ian, her brother, was trying to FaceTime her. Huffing out a breath, she looked up at Liam, who watched her carefully.

She pressed decline. “I need to tell him to give me some space or he’ll wreck our day together,” she said. “I’m sorry. I just need a minute to call him.”

Liam reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. It was such an intimate and sweet gesture, and it made her want to put her phone away. To step in to him. Curl in to him. He’s not yours to use as an escape.

“Do what you have to do.”

His easy acceptance had her smiling as she turned and walked out of the store. She dialed her brother, who answered with a very curt, “It’s about time.”

Liam followed her out of the shop less than a minute later. She didn’t need privacy for the conversation, but it seemed politer to have it outside. She held up a finger to signal one minute to Liam.

“What do you want, Ian?”

“Dad and I are on the way to Nashville. Where are you staying, and why the hell haven’t you called us back?”

Her brow furrowed. Stepping back so she was against the side of the brick building and out of the way of foot passengers, she frowned into the phone.

“Why are you on your way to Nashville?” They certainly hadn’t rushed yesterday.

“There are some things you don’t know, Isla. Things Dad has kept quiet about to protect you.”

Anger welled up from the pit of her stomach. “Like the fact that we had a living grandfather? Did you know?”

The hesitation in his voice was answer enough. A different kind of mad laced through her veins—one weighted heavily with hurt. “You did.”

“Not this whole time. But he told me his reasons for keeping it from us. He had good ones.”

He always had good reasons. She worked on breathing in a slow, even pattern, willing herself not to hyperventilate in front of Liam. Or at all. Liam moved closer, still giving her space but also offering her a silent show of support. Her lungs filled, and her shoulders relaxed.

“I need to go. I still don’t understand why you’re coming here.”

“A lawyer contacted Dad and said there was a meeting day after tomorrow.”

Interesting that the man insisted she meet with him sooner. Part of her just wanted to go home and pull the covers over her head. But she’d never been that kind of person. Whether she liked him very much right now or not, her father had raised his children to go toe-to-toe with any challenge. So she would. And could. She just didn’t expect him to be the challenge.

“Then I guess I’ll probably see you tomorrow. Please stop calling,” she said.

She heard him say her name as she pressed end. Her phone buzzed almost immediately with a text: You need to get back and deal with the Conroy merger. Dad and I will take care of meeting with the lawyer.

Right. Because she trusted them to handle anything on her behalf and actually share it with her. Not likely.

She’d come to Nashville to find a piece of family history she hadn’t known existed. Maybe, instead, she’d find her backbone where her father and brother were concerned. She turned off her phone and shoved it in her purse.

When she looked up, Liam’s gaze was fixed on her, and a sweet, sexy smile tilted the corners of his lips.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “You turned off your phone.”

She stepped closer. “Yes. I’m tired of interruptions.”

“You okay?” He inched nearer.

“My brother and father will be here tomorrow.”

His lips pressed together in a hard, straight line. “I heard. You have any idea why?”

She nodded. “The lawyer asked them to, I guess.” Still, her father never did anything if he didn’t want to. Something more was at work here.

“Is there a funeral?”

She nodded, her chest tightening. “We aren’t invited. There’s a celebration of life next week but…” She didn’t need to finish the sentence; she wouldn’t be here then. Her life was waiting at home. A strange sensation pushed at her lungs. Her life? Okay, maybe just Addie was waiting for her back in Colorado.

Liam’s eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath. It was difficult not to focus on his mouth, which made it easy to see how quickly he lost his smile.

“Next week? Saturday?”

She nodded, unease creeping up her spine. “Yes. I don’t think I’ll be staying that long.”

Liam leaned on the building, and though they hadn’t been touching each other, she felt the loss of his warmth. “My boss died.”

Isla’s jaw dropped, her heart following. “What? When?”

He stared at her like he was waiting for her to figure out some unknown puzzle. She stepped closer, not even thinking about the fact that they’d known each other less than a day. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, giving him back the comfort he’d given her.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” She wondered if they had a third partner in the bar but didn’t ask; she just wanted to soothe him.

Liam’s arms locked around her, bringing their bodies together like aligning stars just waiting to fit perfectly somewhere. The errant thought sent a shiver through her body. Or maybe that was because of the feel of him holding her so tight.

“I’m okay. We weren’t close. It’s sad. It’s just…it’s a coincidence, right? A weird one? His celebration is next week. Saturday.”

She pulled back, looked into his eyes. There was a cloudy storm brewing in them, and she wondered if he was more upset than he said. “It is.” What more could she say? Life was full of weird moments and interconnected paths. For whatever reason, hers had brought her here, to this man. And she was staying only a few days. One of which she had to spend mourning a man she didn’t know, surrounded by men she wasn’t pleased to know at the moment.

“Isla, what’s your last name?”

She smiled at the way he asked so innocently. “Bennett.”

Though she didn’t understand the relief that flashed in his eyes, she felt the exhale.

They stood there, wrapped in each other, and though Isla had never been one to jump, everything about Liam, and maybe the timeline on what they could be to each other in only a few days, pushed her forward.

His broad shoulders and short cropped hair made him look a little dangerous and a whole lot capable. Of many things.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Red?” He tugged on a lock of her hair and gave her a smile that shot fireworks through her blood.

“I was just thinking that I don’t want to waste the day or two I have here thinking about my brother, my dad, or anything else.”

Liam stepped closer. “Seems like you could use a little break from them.”

She laughed at his dead-on assessment. “How is it that you hardly know me and yet you see things other people don’t?”

In her professional life, everyone had the utmost respect for her father and brother. The dynamic duo of the fitness center world. Never mind the long days and nights that Isla spent making things come together. Things like the deal with Conroy Hotels. Her father’s gyms were going to be a part of ten Conroy properties starting in the new year. Thanks to Isla.

Only, no one had thanked her, except Jonathan Conroy, with whom she’d struck the deal. He’d been gracious and kind. A great negotiator. He’d treated her as an equal.

“Maybe it’s because I’m looking so closely,” he said, his voice lowering. Had she moved? Did he? She wasn’t sure, but the front of each of their bodies was touching, and despite the chill in the air, Isla’s skin warmed beneath her layers.

“Hmm. You are looking quite closely,” she said, not intending for her voice to come out so husky.

Liam ran his thumb over her cheek, then back, down over her lower lip. Her knees went loose, and she pressed her hand to his chest. It was hard and solid like the brick wall at her back. But so much hotter. With his jacket open, she pressed her hand to his soft shirt and felt the sleek muscle beneath.

“I like what I see,” he said, his face coming closer.

“Me too,” she whispered. A little too much. Could she blame her overtaxed emotions? Probably not. There was just something about Liam.

The first touch of his lips pushed thoughts of anything other than him, of getting closer, out of her brain. One of his hands threaded through her hair, anchoring her where he wanted so he could slant his mouth over hers, teasing and testing, before diving all the way in.

Isla’s fingers fisted in his shirt, curling the fabric in her palm as she arched to get closer, to take more. Liam gentled the kiss, slowing it down before he leaned back, enough so he could speak but so they were still sharing the same air, their breath mingling and intertwining sort of like their bodies.

“Wow,” he whispered, pressing his brow to hers.

“Yeah. Wow.” Two or three days of doing exactly that didn’t seem like nearly enough.

Liam’s hands ran down her arms, back up, over her shoulders, and then he pulled her close and wrapped his around her, hugging her tight and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Isla sank in. If she could have only a couple days with him, she was going to enjoy every second of it. Which meant blocking out all of the questions and the uncertainty.

When he pulled back, Liam’s eyes were a mix of desire and sweetness. “You like Johnny Cash?”

Isla laughed at the quick change of subject. “The Man in Black? Sure.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said, taking her hand again. “Come on.”

She realized as she walked beside him down the cute street, full of history and charm, that she really liked this place. Maybe it was Liam. But it felt like more.

Colorado had always been her home, but she didn’t spend much time enjoying it. While it was beautiful, it didn’t evoke the same sense of calm this little street seemed to. A nagging piece of her brain wondered if it was the place, the man beside her, or being away from her father. When Liam led her to the small museum featuring memorabilia from Johnny Cash’s life, she stopped thinking about her family and focused on enjoying the brief respite from the real world.

Maybe no one would miss her if she took a few extra days and explored Nashville. It certainly felt like the universe wanted her here, with this man, at this time.

Liam squeezed her hand. So she’d explore the city and the part of herself Liam seemed to bring out in her—the Isla she could be if she wasn’t always trying to live up to an unattainable standard. One who actually felt seen.