Sweet Hill Temptation (A Short Story) by Joya Ryan

Pop?” It was rare, very rare, that he got a visit from his grandfather. Luke always went to him.
    “What are you thinking, son?”
    Luke frowned. There was no way his grandpa could know about Annabelle, could he?
    “I hear you got a Thompson girl mad at you, and from what I understand, it’s your fault this time.”
    Yep, he did know. Damn small towns.
    “I wanted to talk to you about this Global Distribution offer that came in. It could really grow our family brand.”
    “But?” his grandfather asked, as if knowing there was a “but.”
    “But they have an office in New York, and they want me to start there.”
    “I see.” His grandfather nodded. “Do you want to go?”
    Luke paused. The same damn pause he’d had when Annie asked him the same thing.
    “I should want to.”
    “Could someone else go? Oversee this?”
    “Maybe, maybe not. From the sound of the e-mail and contract, they want to work with a Jacobs specifically.”
    “Let me tell you something from my experience, son. Certain opportunities only present themselves once in a lifetime.”
    “I know. That’s why I can’t turn this global deal down.” He ran a hand through his hair and paced. “But no, I don’t want to go.”
    “You didn’t let me finish,” his grandfather said. “Opportunities come. And if that opportunity happens to come with the last name Thompson, you’d be lucky to get a single chance, let alone a second one.”
    His grandfather glanced down as if remembering something sad, then met Luke’s eyes again.
    “Leaving is easy, Luke. My own son is living proof of that,” he grumbled. “It’s also a coward’s way out when you can’t handle what’s in front of you.”
    “I can handle things, Pop. I just don’t want to mess up. Make the wrong choice.” Since his father wasn’t around, he always knew he’d take over the business, but he wanted to build and contribute.
    “I have to earn it, Pop. All of it. I’m not going to just sit back and—”
    “And what? Inherit it all? Too bad. You are. And that doesn’t mean you haven’t earned it or that you don’t deserve it. You can’t keep trying to pay for your daddy’s mistakes, Luke. You’re not him. I know this.”
    Luke let out a breath he felt like he’d been holding for twenty years. “What do I do?”
    “Well, you can start by pulling your head out of your ass, because I think you’re chasing the wrong dream.”
    Luke frowned.
    “Damn, son, the land, the legacy, it’s been yours since the day you were born. You’ve already worked hard and taken the family name and business to heights I never could. If you’re content, stop chasing more. If Global wants us, state your terms to them. But start going after something that will leave you a real legacy. Something you can be proud of for yourself.”
    His grandfather rose and patted Luke’s back. “Everyone knows you’re a good man, Luke. You don’t have to prove it anymore.”
    Luke hung his head, suddenly realizing why he went mute earlier with Annie. It was because the truth was something so overwhelming he didn’t know how to respond.
    “I love Annabelle Thompson,” he said.
    His grandfather slapped his back. “’Bout damn time, son.”

Chapter Nine
    A nnie sat on her couch with a carton of ice cream. A clichéd girly thing to do, but she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t ready to tell her grandmother or Jen about Luke. She needed a night to wallow. To find some kind of pride or strength. Anything to stop the tears from coming.
    She wiped a hand over her eyes, trying to hold in her emotions. Crying was useless. Too many times she’d done it when her mother left. When she got teased about her family or her poverty. Every time in the past she gave in to tears, and every time it got her nowhere.
    But this time was different.
    Her heart was broken on a whole other level than she’d thought possible.
    She loved Luke. Trusted him. And he was leaving. Like she didn’t matter and it was the easy