“Nope. I want you to take over my business.”
I shake my head to clear it. I must be hearing things. Why would Lennon, a man I’ve met less than a handful of times, want me to take over his business?
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
“Maybe?”
“I want you, Cassandra Dempsey, to take over my business.”
“But you don’t know the first thing about me.”
He snorts. “I know you graduated near the top of your class in college with a double major in English and education. I know you worked as an English teacher for one year before quitting to become a bartender. And I know you currently work at theWhite Stagin White Bridge. Enough for you?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “How do you know all those things about me?” I narrow my eyes on him. “Have you been spying on me?”
He chuckles. “This is Winter Falls.”
He says the words Winter Falls like they’re an explanation for everything. They kind of are. Winter Falls is a small town in Colorado about thirty minutes from White Bridge where I currently live. The residents are environmentally-conscious, hippie-orientated, and have a love of pagan festivals. All of which rocks.
What doesn’t rock about the town is the lack of privacy. I don’t think anyone who lives here understands what the word means. Which was freaking hilarious when the town decided to get all up in my sister Gabrielle’s business when they matched her with Phoenix. It’s less funny now that it’s my privacy being invaded.
“What makes you think I want to take over your bar?” I ask because there’s no sense discussing how he learned everything about me. I know a losing battle when I encounter one.
“Darling,” is all he responds.
Another question he’s unwilling to answer. Fine. I stare at him as I try to think of a question he will answer.
“Why are you retiring?”
“I want to enjoy my golden years. Staying up until three in the morning working in the bar and then getting up at nine to start all over again is too much for these old bones.”
Makes sense. And, despite what my sisters think, I’m not stupid. I know a good opportunity when it hits me in the face.
“We’ll need to go over the accounts and come up with a mutually acceptable price.”
He grins and holds out his hand. “You’re in?”
“I’ll think about it.” I probably won’t be able to think about anything else until I make a decision.
“Good enough,” he says as he grasps my hand and forces me to shake his.
“Don’t get too excited, old man. We haven’t even agreed to a price yet.”
“But you can pay any price.”
Yeah, yeah. My family has money. But I’m not touching it. I don’t deserve it. If I buy this place, I’ll come up with the money myself.
“I’d like to work at the bar in the meantime.”
“Let me get you set up,” he says and leads me out of the office.
“Did she say yes?” Sage asks when we return to the bar.
I glance over my shoulder toward the exit, but Lennon blocks me. Damn. This is not good. Sage is the leader of the gossip gal gang. Together with the other members of the gang – Feather, Petal, Cayenne, and Clove – she plays matchmaker to the residents of the town.
It was hilarious to watch the gossip gals maneuver Phoenix and Gabrielle until the two fell in love. But I don’t want them getting any ideas about matching me. Love isn’t for me. I don’t deserve it.
“Can I get some service?” A blonde at the end of the bar yells.