Page 110 of Stealth Mission

Clunk. My heart lurches.

The sudden need to swallow makes me glance down. “It was. He poured his heart into it. Literally. We had so much fun working on the farm and the business together.”

He touches my chin, sliding his knuckle below. Gently he lifts my gaze back to his.

“Let’s toast to him.”

Breathe, Marianna.

I pinch my bottom lip between my teeth as I fight a swarm of feelings making my chest feel too full.

My voice is raspy. “I’d like that.”

He lifts his cup into the air, the light from the window catching on the rippling liquid inside the glass. “To Robert, a beloved grandfather and fine craftsman.”

I shake my head with tears burning at my eyes. “How did you know his name?”

“I was intrigued by you.” He holds up his other hand. “But don’t be alarmed, I did not run a background check. I just spoke with Vik and looked at your company website.”

After I catch my breath, I laugh softly. “Well you could knock me over with a feather right now.”

Evan swallows as his fingers tighten on his glass. “Ditto.”

God.

This tension is going to be the death of me.

“To Robert.” I lift my cup. “The best grandfather a girl could ever want.”

It feels good to say this aloud. Have I ever told anyone that’s how I felt?

We toast and he sets his cup down, thoughtfully looking at the remaining contents. When he looks at me again, there’s a hollowness to his gaze.

But he quickly banishes it and a smile spreads on his face.

Uh… wow. I stare, a little in shock. This is the biggest, most genuine smile I’ve ever seen on him.

It’s transformative.

Evan’s handsomeness always knocks me for a loop, but this… this is almost more than I can take.

“So, when I saidmaybeabout liking tequila…” He lifts his cup and takes another drink. An ahh sound follows. “I wasn’t sure if you were talking about some rotgut gasoline like I might have had once upon a few dozen times. But this…this is damn good.”

“Thanks. We put a lot of pride into DonAzule. I mean me. I guess it’s not we. It’s just me now.”

Melancholy tries to invade my happy moment.

This is how my days are. One minute fine… the next swamped with grief.

Lifting my cup, I breathe in the bright scent of lime and the earthy fragrance of the tequila, hiding my own wavering smile behind the cup. “It’s hard to do… you know.”

“Looking so pretty?”

A devilish wink follows his question.

Heat curls around my neck, creeping upward.

Melancholy gone. Arousal activated.