stiffened at the mention of Monday night’s meeting. Should he tell her it was marked on his calendar, too, since he was the association’s parliamentarian? He decided to keep his mouth shut. If she was going to the meeting, she’d find out soon enough.
“Actually, I think the new store is a good idea,” he said instead. “It’ll bring in jobs and additional tax revenue.”
Mya’s brow dipped in a slight frown. “It’ll also hurt the surrounding businesses,” she said. “Those mom-and-pop shops along Main Street add to Gauthier’s charm. If you allow some national chain to come in, then Main Street will start to resemble your average strip mall.”
“Mya, one of the reasons this town hasn’t grown is because people think it’s still stuck in the past. I’ve spoken with the developer—”
“You have?”
He nodded. “I’m considering becoming an investor. I’ve seen their plans, which are still in the very early stages, I should point out. I really think this could be a huge plus for Gauthier.”
“Corey, if you want to put your money into this town, then invest in the businesses that are already here.”
“Those family-run businesses have been here for ages. They’re not the key to growing this community.”
“And some generic chain store is?” Mya shook her head. “I’m with Grandma and her civic organization on this one. I think this new development would harm Gauthier more than help. It’ll be interesting to hear what they’ve come up with at the meeting Monday night.”
“I didn’t think you’d be in town long enough to attend their meeting,” Corey said.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve decided to stay for another few days, at least until Grandma is out of the hospital. I’m between shows right now, so I can spare the time off.”
The thought of Mya remaining in Gauthier caused his pulse to race and his chest to tighten with a painfully sweet ache. He felt like a seventeen-year-old kid again, getting excited because the girl he liked had bothered to look his way.
“I was told I have to cook Sunday dinner for you.” Mya shot him a look that clearly said she’d rather strap on a pair of waders and go searching for frogs in the swamp.
“Don’t worry about it.” Corey laughed. “I figured Sunday dinner was off since Mrs. Eloise is in the hospital. I made other plans.”
“You did?”
The subtle inquiry in her voice brought Corey’s head up. She quickly turned her attention back to the tomatoes, but not before he caught the brief uncertainty that flashed in her eyes. The thought that she was even the slightest bit interested in how—or rather with whom —he was spending his Sunday felt damn good.
“I promised my buddy Jamal that I’d help with some house renovations,” Corey said, overcome by a sudden urge to ease her mind. “He bought one of the old houses on Pecan Drive and has been doing all the work himself, though I told him to call Phil to help with one project.”
“I think she’s on her way over there now. She told me she was headed to that part of town.”
Mya moved to the tomato plant next to the one he was working on, and her arm brushed against his. Corey sucked in a quick breath. The brief contact felt like fire against his skin.
“Good,” Corey managed to get out. He swallowed hard and pulled in another deep lungful of air. “I was afraid he would try to do the work himself.” He shot Mya a quick grin. “Now, if you start feeling domestic tomorrow, we won’t turn down lunch. You can bring it over to Jamal’s.”
“I think you’d better pack a sandwich,” Mya said. A bit of that sass returning to her smile, she tossed a tomato into his bushel. “Here, I’ll even provide the tomato.”
Corey shook his head. “You’ve still got a smart mouth on you, Peaches.” She cut her eyes at him, and Corey realized his mistake. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s hard to think of you as Mya.”
“Try harder,” she said. She emptied the
“Actually, I think the new store is a good idea,” he said instead. “It’ll bring in jobs and additional tax revenue.”
Mya’s brow dipped in a slight frown. “It’ll also hurt the surrounding businesses,” she said. “Those mom-and-pop shops along Main Street add to Gauthier’s charm. If you allow some national chain to come in, then Main Street will start to resemble your average strip mall.”
“Mya, one of the reasons this town hasn’t grown is because people think it’s still stuck in the past. I’ve spoken with the developer—”
“You have?”
He nodded. “I’m considering becoming an investor. I’ve seen their plans, which are still in the very early stages, I should point out. I really think this could be a huge plus for Gauthier.”
“Corey, if you want to put your money into this town, then invest in the businesses that are already here.”
“Those family-run businesses have been here for ages. They’re not the key to growing this community.”
“And some generic chain store is?” Mya shook her head. “I’m with Grandma and her civic organization on this one. I think this new development would harm Gauthier more than help. It’ll be interesting to hear what they’ve come up with at the meeting Monday night.”
“I didn’t think you’d be in town long enough to attend their meeting,” Corey said.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve decided to stay for another few days, at least until Grandma is out of the hospital. I’m between shows right now, so I can spare the time off.”
The thought of Mya remaining in Gauthier caused his pulse to race and his chest to tighten with a painfully sweet ache. He felt like a seventeen-year-old kid again, getting excited because the girl he liked had bothered to look his way.
“I was told I have to cook Sunday dinner for you.” Mya shot him a look that clearly said she’d rather strap on a pair of waders and go searching for frogs in the swamp.
“Don’t worry about it.” Corey laughed. “I figured Sunday dinner was off since Mrs. Eloise is in the hospital. I made other plans.”
“You did?”
The subtle inquiry in her voice brought Corey’s head up. She quickly turned her attention back to the tomatoes, but not before he caught the brief uncertainty that flashed in her eyes. The thought that she was even the slightest bit interested in how—or rather with whom —he was spending his Sunday felt damn good.
“I promised my buddy Jamal that I’d help with some house renovations,” Corey said, overcome by a sudden urge to ease her mind. “He bought one of the old houses on Pecan Drive and has been doing all the work himself, though I told him to call Phil to help with one project.”
“I think she’s on her way over there now. She told me she was headed to that part of town.”
Mya moved to the tomato plant next to the one he was working on, and her arm brushed against his. Corey sucked in a quick breath. The brief contact felt like fire against his skin.
“Good,” Corey managed to get out. He swallowed hard and pulled in another deep lungful of air. “I was afraid he would try to do the work himself.” He shot Mya a quick grin. “Now, if you start feeling domestic tomorrow, we won’t turn down lunch. You can bring it over to Jamal’s.”
“I think you’d better pack a sandwich,” Mya said. A bit of that sass returning to her smile, she tossed a tomato into his bushel. “Here, I’ll even provide the tomato.”
Corey shook his head. “You’ve still got a smart mouth on you, Peaches.” She cut her eyes at him, and Corey realized his mistake. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s hard to think of you as Mya.”
“Try harder,” she said. She emptied the
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