Tempt Our Fate (Sutten Mountain, #2)(10)
“Yes, anything.”
7
CAMDEN
She beams at me. Her smile is so wide and vibrant that my stomach drops at the sight of it.
It’s probably because that smile can’t be good for me. But I’m a desperate man. If she tells me no, I’m going to have to serve Lay’s chips with sour cream dip because I have no other option. Or fucking hot wings from the dirty bar down the street.
I refuse to resort to either of those options. Which means all my eggs are in one basket—Pippa’s basket. The woman who hates me—for good reason. The woman who irritates the hell out of me, but somehow, the one person I need right now. The only one who can get me out of my current dilemma.
It’s ironic. She’s the last person I want to have to be around in this town, and yet, she’s the only one who can help me.
“So anything, anything?” Pippa prods. Her voice is giddy and full of amusement. This can’t be good.
I clear my throat, trying to think if I have any other option than having to agree to whatever stupid, tragic idea is going through her head.
“Yes, anything. But please be professional.”
“You said anything. You didn’t say professional.”
My groan ricochets through the small kitchen space. “Fine,” I clip, growing more frustrated by the second. “But the offer expires in two seconds because I don’t have the time to do this with you anymore. I need food, and I need it now.”
She bites her plump bottom lip in excitement. I know by the glint in her eyes I’ll despise whatever’s about to come out of her mouth.
Feeling on edge, I pull out my wallet and open it up. “Why don’t you just name your price? That seems more professional anyway.”
A loud, dramatic snort comes from her mouth. She shakes her head, pieces of her hair falling into her eyes with the movement. She tucks one of the stray locks behind her ear, looking at me like I’m the funniest guy she knows. Which I know isn’t the case because I’m not a particularly funny guy. Especially under circumstances like this.
“Care to tell me what’s so funny?”
Her cheeks are flushed a perfect pink from her laughter. Even her nose gets pink. I avert my eyes, finding myself paying too close attention to the perfect shade spreading over her skin.
“I’m sorry,” she wheezes, pressing her hand to her chest. She takes a shaky breath, trying to gain her composure. “It’s just hilarious you think I want your damn money.”
My eyes narrow. “Everyone has a price. What’s funny is that you don’t know that.”
She puffs out her cheeks as she lets air out from the small opening of her pursed lips. “Not me.”
“Respectfully, I don’t believe you.”
“Because you’re a rich, entitled asshole,” she answers, a little too chipper. “Disrespectfully.”
I thumb through the hundred-dollar bills in my wallet, wondering if her seeing I’m good for it will change her mind.
It doesn’t. She just stares at me with humor written all over her face.
I take a deep breath. Fuck, she knows how to wear out every ounce of my patience. Anyone else, I’d already be out the fucking door, not willing to put up with the antics. But I need her, so my feet stay planted.
“Showing me your money isn’t going to change my mind. But there is one thing you can do to get me to agree to whip up some food for you tonight.”
A glimmer of hope sparks deep in my chest. “What is it?”
“Give me a day.”
“I don’t have a day. I need food right now.”
“No, you give me a day. Of your time. In this town. I think if you really spent some time in this community, you’d understand why I love it so much. It wouldn’t be some dingy town to you anymore.”
Words don’t come to me. I just stare at her, trying to decide if she’s serious. “That would involve us having to spend time together.”
“I’ll try not to kill you.”
I have no desire to spend any more time in this town than I need to. I didn’t buy the gallery to become a local. There’s no reason for me to get to know the town. The gallery is to cater to people visiting the town, not living here. The artists are people I already know, none of whom live in Sutten.
“I don’t see the reason for doing it.” My voice gets sharper, but I can’t help it. It sounds like a form of torture to spend an entire day with her. In this town.
When Beck and Margo got married here, they made me do all the touristy things with them. I didn’t enjoy it. And I actually like Beck. I don’t like Pippa. Not in the slightest.
She shrugs dismissively. No one has ever dismissed me the way she does. She goes right back to cleaning the tiny kitchen, totally pretending like I’m not standing right here.
My body is frozen as she begins to hum to herself. Holy shit. She’s serious.
She turns around, letting out an annoyed sigh that I’m still in her presence. “Stop gawking. You’ll get wrinkles.”
I must be terrible at hiding my thoughts at the moment because she opens her mouth to speak again. “Two can play this game, Camden. I don’t see the reason in doing you a favor if you aren’t even willing to give Sutten a chance. If you don’t want to embrace this town, that’s fine. But don’t expect me to help you out. If you aren’t willing to give me one day, then I hope this opening fails epically and you’re forced to leave us alone.”