When they reached the picnic tables, Hannah climbed up and sat on the tabletop instead of the bench. She faced the cabins and the mountain. JP sat beside her, far enough that she wouldn’t feel crowded even though he had the insane urge to plaster himself to her side. If she were any other woman, he wouldn’t think twice about it, but Hannah would most likely get shy and scoot away.
For a few moments, they ate their ice cream in silence. After a while, Hannah turned to him with a smile on her face. “You know, I can see it. Their vision.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. This will be the perfect spot for luxury rentals. Mickie mentioned they were going with a modern cabin theme. I can just imagine a grand lodge over there.” She pointed to where the main offices for the campground were. “Then a spa and ten luxurious cabins. Maybe some gardens. An area for bonfires. This has some great potential.”
He’d felt the same way ever since Ronnie and Mickie presented the idea. He’d been coming to this very spot at least once a week and letting his imagination run wild. His brother Jagger’s construction company would be handling the demo and renovations. Ian and Jimmy, two of his other brothers, were overseas with the military. Ian planned to get out soon and would join in on the renovations. Jimmy was due some time off and did something with electrical components for the army. He’d be taking care of the wiring. Keith would pitch in whenever he had time off from working at the garage. When they’d presented the idea, Mickie and Ronnie told everyone they wanted it to be a family affair. A business created by and run by all of them.
Where did that leave him? Sure, he had skills, but he flitted from business to business, helping his siblings out. He worked construction sites when Jag needed help, fixed cars when Keith was overbooked, and helped Ronnie out at the bar when she needed it. He also worked at a friend’s landscaping company when his siblings’ workload slowed.
“You’re quiet,” Hannah said. She bumped his shoulder with hers.
He gave her a long, assessing look before saying, “Can I show you something?”
Her brow creased, but she nodded.
Blowing out a breath, he set down his ice cream. His literally shook as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the wrinkled piece of paper he brought with him every time he came here.
“I haven’t shown or talked about this with anyone, so I’d appreciate it if you keep it to yourself. I’m not ready for Ronnie or Mickie to see it.”
Hannah swallowed her spoonful of ice cream, set the cup down on the table next to her, then brushed her hands together. “Of course. I’d never break your confidence.”
JP didn’t do vulnerable. He didn’t get deep with anyone, especially a woman he found immensely attractive. Usually, he flirted, bedded them, then moved along, keeping things light, fun, and hot. Something about the sincerity in Hannah’s crystal eyes had him wanting to reveal his secrets to her, even if it put him at risk for ridicule.
“So, they want to create a ‘peaceful oasis.’ I think that was the phrase Ronnie used. A European winter sanctuary. They want to focus heavily on nature and the outdoors while keeping the place extremely lavish and fancy. One time, I saw an Instagram post from a travel blogger who visited a lodge in Finland in winter. It was the most beautiful spot I’d ever seen.”
“Okay,” Hannah said as she nodded. “Tell me more.” He had every ounce of her attention, which both bolstered his confidence and terrified him. It felt as though he was about to reveal his soul, not just a silly idea he had for the resort.
He handed over the folded paper. There was no way she’d miss how his fingers trembled, but she was kind enough to pretend she hadn’t noticed.
“I can open this?”
“Yeah. Please.”
With her face scrunched in concentration, she unfolded the paper. JP looked away as she studied his drawing. He’d be sketching it out for weeks, building upon a seed of an idea until he had something that truly excited him.
“JP, did you draw this?” she asked in a slightly breathless voice.
“Yeah. It’s just, you know, kinda scrawled out from my thoughts.”
She chuckled. “If this is scrawled, I can’t imagine how amazing a final draft would be.” She faced him. “Tell me about it.”
“Uh, okay.” He scooted closer until they could both see the paper. His hip came to rest against hers as her bare shoulder pressed into his upper arm. Heat immediately traveled to his dick as though they were naked. Did Hannah feel it too, or was he losing his mind?
She grinned up at him with excitement in her eyes, but not the lustful kind. The same buzz of exhilaration he’d felt when he’d come up with his idea.