In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes: Chapter 1

“SADIE WATERS?”

“That’s me.” I gave the receptionist a bright smile.

She emerged from behind the desk and gestured for me to follow her. “We’re still waiting for the others but I’ll get you seated in the conference room.” She glanced over her shoulder with a sympathetic expression. “The celebration of life was lovely yesterday.”

I nodded with a sad smile. “Katherine would have loved it.”

A few weeks ago, my aunt Katherine had passed, and yesterday, half the town of Queen’s Cove had gathered on the grounds of her inn to celebrate her. The event had been more like a town fair than a funeral, with people spread out on picnic blankets, food sizzling on barbecues, and a crowd of kids chasing bubbles from the bubble machine. People read poems about my aunt. Several bands played her favorite songs. A troupe of interpretive dancers performed jerky, writhing, sensual choreography to honor her. That part made people uncomfortable.

It was the weirdest celebration of life I’d ever been to, and it was exactly what she wanted.

My heart panged. Katherine had been so fun, weird, and bubbly, and I missed her.

“Are you in town for long?” the receptionist asked as she led me down the hall.

I shook my head. “Nope. I’m heading back to Toronto after this.”

Dread trickled into my stomach at the idea of driving home. Yesterday had been a welcome distraction from my clusterfuck of a life back in Toronto.

Outside the door to the conference room, the receptionist paused. “We’re all very interested in who will inherit the inn.”

I held back a snort. A hundred people must have asked me who the inn was going to. This tiny town on the coast of Vancouver Island was exactly how I remembered from when I was sixteen.

Holden Rhodes wandered into my head.

He had worked at the inn the summer I stayed there. Katherine had hired him to do landscaping, general handyman tasks, drive guests to and from the marina, and take them on hikes in the local trails and the mountains. Before my trip, Katherine had talked my ear off about him, and I couldn’t wait to meet him. He was three years older than me, but she was certain we’d be friends.

When I met him, he wanted nothing to do with me. I still cringed, thinking about the scowl on his unfairly hot face.

Katherine would suggest he take me into town, and suddenly his truck was full and he didn’t have any room for me. A guest at the inn would ask if I wanted to join their hike, and Holden said I didn’t have enough hiking experience, so wouldn’t be able to keep up. One afternoon, I was laying out on the porch, reading magazines and painting my nails. Holden was in the yard, weeding the gardens. I stepped inside for a snack, and when I had returned, he had sprayed my magazines with water.

He made sure I knew how unwelcome I was here. Every time I even thought about coming back, I remembered how he couldn’t bear to be around me that summer.

Dick.

I had thought I’d run into him yesterday at the celebration of life, but I didn’t. I knew from Katherine he owned a construction company in town and dropped by the inn to help her out. His mom, Elizabeth, was Katherine’s best friend and the executor of her will. She organized the celebration of life and had scooped me up into a warm hug the second I saw her.

He was probably married with six kids by now. Not that I cared.

“Sadie?”

I blinked and smiled at the receptionist. Right. The inn.

“I’m sure it’ll go to my parents, or Elizabeth,” I told her with a shrug.

Katherine didn’t have any kids and never married, and I was the closest thing she had to a daughter, but there was zero chance in hell she’d leave the inn to me. The six-bedroom inn was on a huge waterfront property in a busy tourist town. My life was in Toronto. She knew that.

Or, my life was in Toronto. Two months ago, I had a gorgeous apartment, a business loan for my new interior design firm, and the perfect fiancé.

Now I had none of those things.

I was so fucked. So, so fucked.

The receptionist slid the glass door open and gestured inside. “Everyone else should be here shortly. Can I get you anything to drink?”

I shook my head with another smile and thanked her before I stepped inside the room.

My smile fell and I froze.

Holden Rhodes sat at the table, arms crossed and glowering at me with the same serious, intense glare he gave me all summer fifteen years ago.

Wow.

He was hot before, with those intense eyes and pretty lashes, but now? Age had been kind to the guy. His face was tanned from the summer, making his gray eyes stand out even more. His thick, dark hair was unruly on top, and he had a five o’clock shadow that only made his jaw look stronger. Tiny lines formed at the corner of his eyes, and I found them ridiculously attractive.

I openly stared at how his black t-shirt stretched over his broad chest. He had gained about forty pounds of pure muscle. Jesus.

Holden Rhodes was even hotter than I remembered.

His eyes raked down me and my stomach flopped.

No wedding ring, I noticed. Not that I cared.

“What are you doing here?” he bit out.

Ha. Wow. That was why there was no ring on his finger.

I gave him a bright, cheery smile to piss him off. “Still a dick, I see.” I took the seat across from him. “Hi, Holden. How are you?”

He scowled at me. “I thought you were leaving.”

God, even his voice was hot. All low and rumbly. Whatever. Asshole. I was done with men and all the problems that came with them until I could figure out why I always picked the wrong guy.

I kept giving him that high-watt smile. “So good to see you again, Holden.”

His jaw tensed and I felt that old ripple of delight at pissing him off.

“How’ve you been?” I continued.

He crossed his arms and ignored me, turning to stare out the window overlooking the town’s main street.

I beamed at him again and his jaw ticked. Giddy happiness warmed my heart. God, I forgot how fun it was, getting on this grouchy asshole’s nerves.

I played with my ponytail and his eyes followed my movements. “Me? I’m doing great, thanks for asking.”

He scowled harder. His gaze dropped to my left hand before his eyes narrowed at my bare finger. My stomach tightened.

“Relax,” I told him. “After the will reading, I’m gone forever.”

When he dragged his gaze to mine, and there was something strange behind his eyes. “Good.”

How the hell did this guy and my aunt Katherine get along? How was it possible he was raised by Elizabeth, one of the warmest, loveliest women I’d ever met?

I rolled my eyes. After today, I’d never have to see him again.

“Hello, sweetheart.” Elizabeth hustled into the conference room, all warm smiles, and I stood to give her a hug.

“Thank you again for planning the celebration of life,” I said as she squeezed me.

She pulled back and studied me with a wistful expression. “I was happy to.” She shook her head at my face. “Gorgeous. Just gorgeous.”

My gaze flicked to Holden’s and my face heated.

“Good, we’re all here.” Katherine’s lawyer strode into the room and took a seat. “Let’s sit and we can get started.”

Elizabeth took the seat I was in and I hesitated before taking the only remaining chair beside Holden.

The second I sat down, his masculine scent teased my nose. Butterflies flitted around inside my stomach. He smelled like a mix of deodorant, shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent. Fresh, clean, and masculine. I wanted to grab his t-shirt in my fists and huff it.

I hated that he smelled so good.

The lawyer opened her folder and began to read Katherine’s will. My fingers strayed to the ends of my ponytail as she recited all the legal stuff. Someone walked by the door and when I turned, my ponytail brushed Holden’s shoulder.

He flinched and glared at me. “Can you sit still for five minutes?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so uptight.”

The lawyer cleared her throat, watching us. Elizabeth glanced between me and Holden with glittering eyes and a weird, knowing smile.

“Sorry,” I said with an apologetic expression. “Please continue.”

She continued reading. “The Water’s Edge Inn is to go to Sadie Waters and Holden Rhodes.”

The room was silent.

“I’m sorry.” I blinked at her. “What?”