"You're staring hard at my phone." Tinsley slides it into her pocket. I hold her coat out for her to slip her arms into.
"You have plans for that other account?" I ask after we tell everyone goodbye and head out. I don’t want to come off as an asshole who is trying to control what she does. That’s not the case in the least.
"Does it bother you?"
"Yes." Tinsley fights a smile.
"I get it, since we've established you're obsessed with me. You're worried others might become obsessed with me too." Not far off the mark.
"We have more than established that I'm obsessed with you." One of the best parts of the day was when Tinsley would introduce me to people and she'd tell them about me stalking her. And how I wouldn’t take no for an answer when it came to her. Each time the story grew in details and ridiculousness. I denied nothing. The most important thing is the end result, which is her being my wife. She can spin the story any way she wants. The ending will always be the same: her being mine forever.
The townsfolk were as amused as I was by the story. I didn't care for the engaged comments. We're not engaged; we're married. I'm letting that be because our wedding was also a hottopic of conversation today, and everyone wants to help and be a part of it.
"There's another reason?" she asks as we make our way past the library and toward City Hall.
"You don't think there could be more Biffs out there?" Tinsley's step falters momentarily. "There are a lot of fucked-up people in the world, more than you realize."
She might have lived in the city for a year, but Tinsley is innocent to a lot of things. I don't want to take that from her, but I don't think she realizes the target she put on her own head.
"I'll delete it. I would rather not cause any more problems that could reach New Hope."
"Or you," I add. As adorable as this town is, I'd burn it down to save Tinsley. She doesn't respond to that, so I keep going. "You know if anything happened to you, it would hurt New Hope." I go in with a remark that I know will hit its target.
Tinsley stops when we reach the concrete stairs that lead up to City Hall. "You're right."
"Are you fucking with me?" I can't stop the chuckle that leaves me. That's another thing I’ve noticed. I know I haven't smiled or laughed as much during my short time in New Hope as I have throughout my entire life. But Tinsley is a huge part of that, as is the town a huge part of her.
"I can admit when I am wrong." I stare down at my girl. "When it comes to super serious things, and this is one of them. I mean, we're facing down Biff's bullshit because of me." Her bottom lip puffs out. "I could not only be responsible for the commercialization of this town but also end the non-divorce record we have. I mean, if I were anyone else, I might be banned from here.”
For the first time, I see real worry and regret on her, and I fucking hate it and will be fixing it. Tinsley is all gumdrops and rainbows, and I want to keep it that way. She is too selfless to livein that, with how big her heart is for the people around her. My new job will be protecting that and making sure I never see the look she’s wearing again for as long as I live.
I leave the divorce comment alone. I can say it over and over, but it doesn’t matter. All I can do on that front is prove it. "Tinsley, this was bound to happen. I have been checking over things, and it was only a matter of time until someone took notice and sunk their claws into that land." It’s a no-brainer on the investment front.
"It hadn't happened before now! If they could have bought it before, wouldn't they have?" I glance around, making sure no one is in earshot. This is still being played close to the chest at Hollis's request.
"Biff got lucky. That land is outside of city limits, so Hollis wouldn't have been alerted to it going up for sale, and it hadn't hit the market."
"I don't understand." She wrings her fingers together in front of her.
"The CliffsNotes says the government owns the land. There had been talk about a highway to connect a few towns, but it appears that was dropped. I don't know if Biff found out about that and pulled strings to get them to drop it, or they simply had, which is a big possibility from what I'm seeing as I dig all this up; but Biff did rush in with an offer."
I need to keep digging to figure out who dropped the highway plans and why. Did Biff pay them off or promise them a piece of the action? It wouldn’t surprise me; that’s his MO.
"How could he rush in with an offer? It's not on the market."
"Friends in very high places." Most deals are finalized before the public even hears whispers of what's going on.
Not only are we facing down the Bilton Estate but possibly a few politicians. If that's the case, then I'll know for certain the King of Thieves is helping Biff do all this.
"You have friends in very high places, right?"
"I do, but it's going to get complicated."
"I could help." I see the hope bloom across her delicate features.
"Right now I need to keep checking into things."
"But you're keeping me updated, right? You won't hide anything?" Her face falls when I don't answer her quickly enough.
