Her Billionaire Heartthrob: Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Page 6

  There were about one-hundred people in the room, spread out at fifteen tables. He scammed the room, his eyes falling on Viola almost immediately. She laughed at something someone had said, as he made his way over to her.

  He leaned near her ear and murmured, “You look stunning,” before taking the empty seat beside her. Her cheeks flushed, and she gave him a grateful look.

  “Thanks for coming at such short notice.”

  “Well, it was hard with my busy schedule,” he teased. He’d been debating between swimming his second set of laps or taking Callie and Xander’s dogs for their third walk of the day when Viola’s call had come in, all the while trying to resist the temptation to log into his work email.

  Viola’s call had come at just the right time. The rest of the table quieted and looked at Liam expectantly.

  “Everyone, this is Liam Nichols,” Viola said.

  “The Liam Nichols?” the woman beside her asked.

  “I get mistaken for him a lot, though I’m the better-looking version,” Liam said with a wink. Everyone laughed, as he’d hoped. He’d rather not spend the rest of the night focusing on who he was or what his family did. He took the woman’s outstretched hand in a brief grasp, then turned to the rest of the group to learn everyone’s names.

  They were at a pretty distinguished table which included the mayor and deputy mayor of Eureka Springs, and the police chief as well, each with their spouses. He and Viola rounded out the eight members of their table.

  Between bites of his salad, he asked questions about the town, everyone eager to tell him how long they’d lived there for—generationally. Except for going away to college, every single one of them had lived in Eureka Springs their entire lives, as had their grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great grandparents. Apparently once someone came to Eureka Springs, they never left.

  It was such a strange concept for him. He had moved frequently in his life. “What about you?” he asked Viola, while the main course was set in front of him. The waiter lifted the lid to reveal a beef medallion, salmon, and roasted baby potatoes and carrots. His stomach growled as its scent drifted upward.

  “I am living in the house my great-great grandpa built.”

  “That’s incredible. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it, honestly.”

  Viola shrugged. “This is home. I love it here. That’s why I wanted to study restoration work and then come back here and beautify those old buildings I grew up around. My grandpa and grandma used to go to The Old Grand on dates. My great-grandpa helped build the old hotel on Main Street—a building I got to help restore right after I moved back home after college. It’s hard to explain, but my roots are so entwined in this place, I can’t imagine being myself if I wasn’t here, if that makes sense.”

  Liam loved that she had such a strong sense of place in her home. Where would he even call home? His mom’s house in L.A.? He owned four condos around the US, including in New York City, L.A., Dallas, and Seattle. And that didn’t count this vacation home in Arkansas. He split his time between his condos, and often didn’t have any connection to the cities he lived in, except for a handful of acquaintances and a Pets and More to stake his office in.

  “You mentioned that you live with your grandma. How is that?” He cut into his steak and took a bite.

  Viola smiled at the mention of her grandma. “Fun. My grandma raised me from the time I was four, so she’s like my mom in a lot of ways. But even more social than me.”

  “I’d like to meet her sometime,” Liam said.

  “I’m sure she’d love that,” Viola told him. “She’s been fascinated with you since Hawaii.”

  Liam shifted uncomfortably. “I am sorry about how I treated you there.”

  Viola shook her hand as if to wave his words away. “You’ve already apologized.”

  “Yes, but my actions deserve more than one apology.”

  Viola drank some of her water. “How are things going with Callie and Xander gone?”

  “Well, their dogs love me.” He’d found that as much as he hadn’t thought himself an animal person—a fact he generally tried to hide, seeing as how he owned an entire chain of pet stores—he’d bonded with Jax and Darcy. Those two dogs were energetic bundles of fur, but when he couldn’t stand to be alone with his own thoughts, they were always ready to play.

  “What’s not to love?” she teased.

  “Just the fact that I’m a viral mess.”

  “Nah,” she replied, lightly. “You’re a viral human. We’re all a mess in our own way, it’s just most people don’t have to have their breakdowns aired on the evening news.”

  “Just the lucky few, I guess.”

  They ate in silence for a moment, Liam appreciating how comfortable it was to sit beside Viola, and realizing how much he missed being a part of social settings. He’d always loved the dinners and the visiting with new managers part of his work. The endless paperwork and problems, he could have done without.

  “What are some of your favorite things to do here?” he asked. While they finished eating their dinner, and as dessert was placed in front of them, Viola told him about all the best, touristy things to do in Eureka Springs.

  Liam loved watching her get animated as she talked about this place she loved. He’d forgotten how expressive her face was, but it was coming back to him now. How Viola had captivated him with her energy and her stories while they were in Hawaii.

  She stopped talking to take a bite of her fruit dessert. She’d been given a custard tart, topped with glazed strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. He’d already eaten most of his raspberry swirl cheesecake, loving every single bite. He’d had somewhat low expectations for the dinner—he knew how much these events could cost and hadn’t expected Eureka Springs to have a huge budget for upscale food—but he’d loved all of it. They had a rock star caterer, for sure.

  “I’ve been seeing a therapist,” he said. “The one above your office referred me to someone in Bentonville who specializes in anxiety.”

  “How’s that going?” Viola asked, her tone cautious.

  He considered her question. “Really well.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I thought it was going to be a bunch of granola, hippy-dippy, love yourself business, but it was nothing like I expected. Dr. Graham—the therapist—is all about actual, doable things to help me manage this.”

  “Like what?” she asked, then hurriedly added, “If you don’t mind my asking.”

  “No, I don’t mind.” He swallowed the last bite of his cheesecake, then turned more fully toward Viola. Even though they were in a room full of people, and at a table with six additional people, it felt like they were the only two people in the room. “One of the things we talked about is for me to picture a place I love, or a safe place, when I feel like my anxiety is going to burst out of me.”

  “Where do you picture?” she asked.

  “Hawaii. The beach at sunset as the waves are coming on shore. I try to engage all five senses in the experience: the salty scent of the water, the sound of the waves crashing, the feel of the sand on my toes and the warm sun on my skin, the taste of salty spray on my tongue, and then, of course, the sight of the pinks and oranges of the setting sun over it all.” He’d been a little skeptical at first, but the next night, when he’d awoken in the middle of the night, he’d worked hard to immerse himself in those thoughts, and it had worked. He’d even been able to fall back asleep for a few hours afterward, the first time he’d been able to do that.

  “What else?” she asked, taking another bite of her dessert.

  “To make a list of things that help, so when I’m feeling anxious, I don’t have to problem solve. Find an activity to do that has rote movement. A lot of people crochet or knit, but he said that swimming laps, with the same movement over and over, is a great activity especially since exercising regularly is another huge thing to do.”

  He’d also started Liam on a low dose of an anti-anxi
ety medication, which he would start noticing a difference on in a few weeks. Liam had been hesitant at first to take something, but the doctor had kindly called him out on his hesitance.

  Wouldn’t you cast your arm if you broke it? This isn’t any different. Part of what they talked about in therapy, though, was that he wasn’t broken and that he wasn’t less of a man for having to deal with the emotional fallout of stress and grief from his father’s death. That this wasn’t his new normal, and that he wouldn’t always feel like he was in emotional crisis. It had been a relief to hear that there were things they could do to address this, especially since he was a man-of-action. He didn’t mind that it would take time for him to be back to a place where he could feel comfortable presenting at a board meeting again—apparently having anxiety about anxiety was a common thing—but it was nice to know that it could be possible again someday. If he wanted to, that was.

  It had also been a relief to know that a lot of men dealt with some form of anxiety or depression, even if it wasn’t talked about often. His therapist definitely gave him a lot to think about.

  “I’m surprised you’d think of Hawaii,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’ve been everywhere, I bet. And Hawaii was the best?”

  He considered this. He had been to a lot of incredible places, but Hawaii had been his very first thought when he was asked to think of a safe place. “I was happier in Hawaii than I have been in a long time,” he said. A lot of that had to do with spending time with Viola, but he wasn’t going to say that. She probably wouldn’t believe it anyway, not after he’d left her the way he had.

  “Me too,” she said thoughtfully, and when he caught her gaze, something in his heart shifted. If Hawaii had been a fling, a hot flame of attraction burning between them, this was something different. Something firmer, more solid. More real.

  The waiter slid between them to grab their dessert dishes, breaking the spell.

  Viola cleared her throat and took a drink, turning to the person beside her to ask a question about his daughter. He took the hint to give her a little space, and let the woman beside him engage him in conversation about mutual people they might have known in L.A. They didn’t know any of the same people, but they had eaten at the same restaurants, and it was fun to debate where the best tacos in L.A. were.

  The mayor stood soon after and walked to the podium at the front where he began to share the history of Eureka Springs with everyone.

  Viola shifted in her seat beside him, her legs brushing against his as she turned. The fire of her touch singed his skin and made it hard to breathe—in a good way.

  “And with that,” the mayor continued. “I’m pleased to present the Eureka Springs Citizenship award to Viola Nightingdale.”

  Liam turned to her, surprised, as she stood and walked toward the podium, her back straight, her chin held high. She smiled gratefully as she stood beside the mayor and received the plaque.

  “Viola Nightingdale is being honored for her great efforts to preserve the beauty of this town. I don’t know if there is anyone who loves Eureka Springs more—or sees its great potential better—than her. From her spring beautification project, to her tireless efforts to be as authentic as possible in her restoration efforts, Viola uplifts our city and our community.”

  Liam sat back in his chair and listened, impressed by all of Viola’s accomplishments. He’d had no idea she was being honored at tonight’s dinner, and was honored himself that she’d invited him to come. Although that did make him pause. Why him? Why not one of the other people she’d known forever? Where was her grandma?

  “Thank you, everyone,” Viola said as she stepped up to the mic. “It is incredible to be given this award. My very first memory is walking down Spring Street, standing between my mom and dad, holding their hands. They used to do that thing where, on the count of three, they’d lift their hands together, and I’d go soaring into the air, and I’ve never lost that feeling while walking on the sidewalk in Eureka Springs—that I’m soaring through air.” She smiled fondly before she continued to speak. “I’m excited for some projects I have coming up, including the restoration of The Old Grand Theater, in partnership with an investor.” She smiled at Liam when she said this. “Thank you, all, for this. I look forward to many more years of working with you and making sure our town continues to remain beautiful and authentic for years to come.”

  Everyone applauded as she walked down the steps and sat beside Liam.

  As the mayor began to introduce the next award to be given that night, Liam leaned close to Viola to whisper, “I had no idea you were getting an award.”

  “Surprise,” she whispered back. He inhaled her sweet, coconut scent, which brought him straight back to Hawaii, drinking Pina coladas at an outside tiki-stand on the beach.

  “I’ve missed you.” He moved his hand close, overlaying his pinkie with hers. Her breath hitched, but she didn’t move away. She only stared at him for a moment, her eyes wide and vulnerable, before she turned her gaze back up to the next person receiving their award.

  But neither of them pulled away, Liam aware of every move she made, for the rest of the evening.

  Chapter 11

  The dinner had ended, but Viola wasn’t quite ready to go home yet and leave the magic of this night. She knew she shouldn’t give in to it, knew she’d been down this path and it hadn’t turned out well … but she ignored that voice. For tonight, she didn’t care. She’d just gotten a nice award. She was out with a handsome man who made her stomach do acrobatic flips from the single brush of his pinkie against hers.

  “Have you seen downtown yet?”

  “Not at night,” he replied.

  They said goodbye to everyone at their table and then had another dozen goodbyes and congratulations on their way out the door. Most people knew who Liam Nichols was, but thankfully, no one acted overly star-struck to see him at the dinner with her.

  She let her hand brush up against his as they walked out the door, and he smoothly laced his fingers through hers. They quietly walked down Main Street, which came alive after dark. The buildings lit up, and people laughed and socialized and ate on restaurant patios.

  She took him to a barred-off area where one could look down and see the original spring that Eureka Springs was named for. A light lit it up from the bottom, and a handful of people leaned against the bars to peer down at the still-running water about eight feet below them.

  “The people who lived here believed that this water had healing properties,” she told Liam.

  “Maybe this whole city has healing properties,” he mused. She saw his chest expand as he took in a deep breath of the musty air that blew up from the spring. “I feel better since coming here.”

  She snagged one of the tourists. “Can you take our picture?”

  The woman took her phone and waited while Viola stepped closer into Liam’s side. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her snug against him. Every part of her that touched him came alive with awareness. The woman took a few pictures before handing her back her phone.

  “You two make a cute couple,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Viola replied. “It’s not worth correcting her,” she justified to Liam.

  He held out his hands, like he wasn’t going to fight this battle. “I’m more than happy being coupled with you.”

  She gave him a dirty look but couldn’t keep it up, and ended up laughing. “Okay, Mr. Charming, I know we’re stuffed with gala food, but I could use a hot chocolate.”

  They crossed the street and went up Spring Street, stopping in front of the cafe that Callie and Viola had gone to the week before. They each ordered a macaroon, along with steaming hot chocolates, and Viola gave Liam the walking tour of Eureka Springs, complete with her favorite ghost stories.

  “You’ll have to take a tour with Mollie,” she said. “She’s the best at this. I only know what I know because of her.”

  “Do you know everyone in this t
own?” Liam asked. They threw away their empty cups and Viola turned them back in the direction of where their cars were parked.

  “Not everyone.”

  When he gave her a skeptical look, she amended her statement. “Almost everyone, though. Yes.”

  “I’m trying to imagine what that would be like,” he said.

  “It has its pluses and minuses. Everyone here knows my past and my business. If I moved somewhere else, I wouldn’t be the girl whose mom died when she was young and whose dad split town. But at the same time, I know that Billy’s dad used to work him over when he was a kid, and Kendra is torn between dreams of leaving and never coming back, and wanting to have a passel of kids and raise them here. I know their framework, and it gives me context when I’m with them.”

  “Do you ever feel, though, that you can’t escape your past or be someone new?”

  “I haven’t. Callie did, though. That’s why she moved to Bentonville after high school, because she felt all anyone ever saw when they looked at her was her father. For me, I feel like it makes me more whole to have everyone know my past and see what I’m becoming as well.”

  He listened intently, as if weighing every word she said, as if she were the most absorbing person he’d listened to. They arrived at her car too soon.

  “I had a wonderful night,” Liam said.

  “Me too.”

  Then, slowly, so slowly she would have had time to stop him if she wanted to, he stepped close to her, raising his hand to her neck, slipping his fingers softly around to her nape, sending shivers rushing down her skin.

  His breaths mingled with hers as he looked into her eyes, searching for permission.

  She closed her eyes in response and kicked up on her heels to bring her lips to his.

  Light exploded through her as their mouths crashed together, emotions she hadn’t felt in almost a year rolling through her. Flashes of the ocean, being tangled up in the sand, never feeling close enough to Liam went through her mind, until she landed back in Eureka Springs, Liam’s mouth impossibly on hers.