Southern Charm & Second Chances by Nancy Robards Thompson

Author:Nancy Robards Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-01-10T19:44:45+00:00

* * *

“I was invited,” Liam said. At first, he hadn’t recognized Jane, sitting there in that red sundress with her dark hair hanging in loose curls around her bare shoulders. He’d never seen her in anything other than her white chef’s coat, baggy drawstring pants and closed-toed shoes. Oh, and that black tank top.

Today, she had tanned legs and red toenails. A frisson of awareness skittered through him, making his eyes open and his palms sweat.

He’d be lying to himself if he tried to convince himself that this was the first time he’d noticed how attractive she was. It hit him that it had started yesterday, when she’d taken off her coat and he’d seen her in that damned black tank top, leaving little doubt that she was all woman.

Somehow, that very obvious fact had escaped him when she’d worked for him in New York. But now, it was clear as...the sexy red polish on the toes at the end of those gorgeous legs. Why? He didn’t make a practice of noticing the physical attributes of his employees. Or having brunch at their house—or kissing them in the restaurant pantry, for that matter.

This was awkward. The sudden urge to leave was almost overpowering. But it would be worse if he made up some lame excuse to leave just because he’d suddenly realized that Jane Clark was one hundred percent woman. And a gorgeous woman at that.

“Charles told me his friend Wiladean had invited us to brunch.”

“She did,” Charles said.

Jane’s cheeks flushed pink as she snared Liam’s gaze.

“Wiladean is my grandmother. But everyone calls her Gigi.”

He wondered if she was thinking about last night. He was. He hadn’t been able to get it out of his mind.

“She told me we were having guests, but she didn’t mention it was you. But, where are my manners?” Liam was beginning to realize that Jane could flip on Southern charm at will. “Welcome. Please, come in and make yourselves at home.”

Jane motioned for them to follow her as she walked through the lobby of the Forsyth Galloway Inn.

Sometimes he would join his employees for a drink after La Bula closed. Drinking with the staff was a restaurant ritual, of sorts. However, after one drink they’d all disperse and do whatever it was they did after hours. Partying. Hooking up. But never with him. He didn’t party or hook up with his staff. And he certainly didn’t make a habit of kissing his executive pastry chef and then showing up at her home for brunch.

But here he was. Like it or not.

What was it they’d talked about last night?

Only new mistakes. Yeah.

Feeling a little hypocritical, Liam glanced around the lobby and tried to gather his thoughts.

She lived here? In a bed-and-breakfast? That was...different. Although, plenty of people lived in hotels. He guessed... When Charles said they were having brunch at the Forsyth Galloway Inn, he thought they were meeting his friend at a restaurant.

The joke was on him.

The place had a comfortable, lived-in look. Next to the door, a tall, galvanized-metal container held an assortment of umbrellas.

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