“I swear, I wasn’t lying to you. I wasn’t trying to get any of your money. I wasn’t trying to take advantage of your trust.” I swallow hard, fighting the brewing tears. “It was just so nice to spend time with someone who got to know me—and not my history.”
“Tina, it’s fine. You don’t?—”
“I need to tell you.” I suck in a breath through my nose and pull my hands free from him. “By now, you’ve heard about my dad and brother. You’ve heard about why they’re no longer in my life.”
He nods, and I give a short humorless laugh. “Not that it would be easy to see them while they’re both sitting in maximum security prison.”
Pressing my lips together, I stop myself from saying more. “That’s all public record. But what isn’t as widely known is how they stole my mom’s and my social security numbers to take out loans and credit cards. As if personal loans in our names could somehow make up for everything they’d stolen from their clients.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve spent the past ten years paying off every debt they put in our names.
“Last month, I made the final payment on the final loan taken out in our names. I took this trip to celebrate.”
“After all of that, you deserved a break,” he says when I pause to breathe. He recaptures my hands. “You didn’t deserve anything they did.”
“Going to that bachelor auction and bidding on a date with you is the wildest, most impulsive thing I’ve ever done,” I say, squeezing his hands back. “But I felt called to do it.”
“I get it.” He nods. “You’re generous to a fault, so you’d obviously choose to spend your money going to charity instead of playing slot machines. You’re a good one.”
My heart aches at his praise. I’m not worthy of it, but it’s nice to hear all the same.
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“Well, you see, that’s a bit of a problem for me.” He pulls a face. “Because I was kind of hoping you could do me a favor.”
“Whatever it is, I’ll do it.” It’s the least I can do to prove to him I mean what I’ve said.
“Careful, you don’t know what it is.”
“It’s okay, I trust you.”
“And I trust you.” His eyes soften. “I meant what I said. From almost the moment we met, I knew you were a good one. You’re loyal. You’re kind. You’re so damn smart.”
He rests his forehead against mine. “You’re the best woman I know.”
“You should probably meet more people,” I say.
“There you go, trying to avoid another compliment.” He sighs and leans back. “That’s where the favor comes into play.”
“Of course, the favor.”
“Here goes.” He takes a breath. “Would you come get a coffee with me?”
I blink in surprise. “What?”
“Technically, you ducked out before I could give you the one I picked up. So you kind of owe me.” He tilts his head to the side. “And while we’re having coffee, maybe we can talk about whether or not we really want to file these annulment papers.”
“You want to wait to file?”
“Why not?” He brushes his lips against mine. “I may be a gambling man by nature, but I never make a bet unless I plan on winning. And, Tina, honey, with you, I’m holding a royal flush.”
EPILOGUE
JOSH
The ocean breeze blows in through the curtains, filling the room with the fresh scent of hibiscus and sea salt.
Tina stirs in bed next to me. Her nose twitches in that adorable way it does when she wakes in the morning. Her eyes open, and a sleepy smile spreads on her always-tempting lips.
