“Look at me!” he said, gesturing down at his T-shirt, which had splashes of grease and oil on it. I haven’t gotten one hit of praise in years. And it’s not what I crave. You know what I crave?”
I said nothing.
The hairs on the back of my neck werenotrising. My skin wasn’t prickling.
“You. I don’t crave a hit of star-fucking. I just want you. I can’t stop thinking about how happy we were, how happy you made me. That was real. Even though I fucked up.”
“I have a baby now! What on earth makes you think I’d ever choose you over Cash?”
“Cash sucks,” he said, his chest heaving up and down with emotion. “He’s terrible for you. He can’t make you happy in the long run.”
“Andyoucan?”
“If you’ll let me,” he begged.
I slid the coffee cup down the counter to him without thinking, and he caught it, the motion automatic, natural.
“I have proof that Cash isn’t who you think he is. That he doesn’t have this town’s best interest at heart. And you’re the only one who might be able to stop him.”
It pissed me off to feel my skin prickling at his voice, that my eyes even flickered down to where his legs were spread around the stool.
“I know one thing he’s talking about,” I retorted. “Finding me the perfect engagement ring. He’s only waiting on me to give him the ok. And once you let this divorce go through without stalling, he can finally ask me.”
Frankie’s other arm flexed as he set his hand down in front of me, the heavy gold wedding band still shining, and I saw a muscle pulse in his jawline.
“He’s never going to be your husband.I’myour husband. Cash has plans to convince everyone on Main Street to sell their businesses to some big corporate hotel chain from out of town.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said sharply.
“He’s greedy,” Frankie insisted. “He’s not like you. He doesn’t give a shit about the locals.”
“We would never go for that,” I insisted. “Any vote would be dead on arrival.”
He smiled. Like he had expected me to say that.
“Have you ever heard of a thing called eminent domain?”
CHAPTER 21
Jillian
“Selling your coffee shop would be purely voluntary,” Cash soothed me. “Don’t believe these lies. This isn’t some power move on my part. Of course Frankie told you in the worst, most hysterical way. I’m only hoping to be able to convince you tothinkabout the possibilities.”
“Of selling Perk Up & Read?”
“Darling, you know we’ve talked about moving away. . . to a bigger city. . .”
“I know we’ve discussed it, but not made anything like a decision!”
“I just want the best life for you and Blue.”
“And you don’t think it’s here in Ramshackle Bay?”
Cash eyed me, as if figuring out his next move. “Certainly not. I have enjoyed my time as mayor, but there’s too much. . .baggage here. For both of us,” he added.
“I’ve built up Perk Up & Read from nothing,” I said, wanting to make him understand. “It’s making good money, too. And I think Ramshackle Bay is only going to grow bigger. There’s so many possibilities here. We don’thaveto leave to have a good life.”
“I know you like your little shop, but the Beachy Peachy Dreams Corporation is talking about giving me a job,” Cash said. “A big one. We’re talking like VP of the company. With all that money, you wouldn’t even need to work.”
