Ace met her eyes without hesitation.“I’m in.”
She let out a slow breath and turned to Daisy.“Thanks.”
“No problem.I’ll get you copies, but you know that Jarod has to sign the prenup as well, right?”
“Yeah.”Amka didn’t care.After she met with the bank, she wouldn’t be financially worth much.For now, anyway.Real hope stirred in her chest about her new venture.Maybe Christian had knocked some sense into Ace the night before.She glanced at the stitches above his eye, the bruising along his jaw.“Sorry about that,” she murmured.
Daisy snorted.“No doubt he deserved it.”She tucked the file folders beneath the bar and moved to collect dirty dishes from over by the dart boards.
“I did deserve it,” Ace said easily.“Was my brother bruised at all?”
“Yeah.His knuckles looked bruised, and I think he’s due for a solid shiner.But I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”It had surprised her when Brock had picked her up from Christian’s cabin that morning.And Brock had seemed genuinely surprised to discover that his brother had built a cabin.
He’d stood for a long moment, looking up at it like he was calculating sniper angles.“Perfect defensive positioning,” he’d muttered.
She hadn’t thought of that.Apparently defensive positions mattered to Christian.She focused back on Ace.“If you can financially meet me halfway, our new building could have a third story we could use as rental.The tourists need more places to stay.”
Ace scrubbed both hands down his face, jaw tight.“I can meet you halfway financially.”
“You can?”she asked, not quite hiding the surprise.
“Yeah.I don’t spend money on much.Once you tell me what you’re putting in, I’ll match it.”
She might just hug him.“Great.”Her fingers tightened slightly on the counter.This had been in motion longer than anyone knew.She’d already asked the banker, Peter Rentzing, to start running the numbers months ago—right around the time Jarod had forced her into that engagement.She hadn’t told a soul.But she’d had a feeling.Something in her gut had whispered that she’d find the right opportunity, and when she did, she needed to be ready.Now she had a partner.One she genuinely liked and wanted to help.
Ace sauntered off toward the far corner where the TV showed a PGA tournament somewhere warm.Palm trees, clean fairways.A fantasy.
Amka leaned down for her coat.“I’m heading to the bank,” she called out.“Be back in an hour.”
“Hey.”Ace turned away from the television.“Wait a minute.I’m your escort.”
“Ace, I think I can make it down the street on my own.”
He gave her a broad, almost sunny grin.“Sure.If there’s not a sniper waiting to pick you off at high noon.It’s doubtful, I know, especially since the troopers have been patrolling your street continually.But I’m on Amka duty.”
Amka duty?She rolled her eyes.“We have to find that sniper.”
“We’re working on it,” Ace said grimly.
She had Osprey men around too much these days.“Fine, but that means we’re holding our first corporate meeting today.”
“Fine by me.Why are we going to the bank?”
It was a fair question from her new partner.“Okay.So, I’ve been working with the bank to secure funding for a project, and now I actually have the real estate to do it.I’d planned to mortgage the bar and my house for my future, and now we just need to wait for the insurance money.I’d like to get everything in place.”And maybe get Jarod uninterested in her.
“Thinking ahead, huh?When we’re at the bank, we can check how much I’ve got in there too,” Ace said, pulling the door open with a creak.“Might surprise us.”
“Maybe we should build a couple buildings,” she said.“And buy another plane.”
He huffed.“Let’s not get cocky.I don’t know if we’re rolling in that kind of cash.”
She arched a brow.“Let’s find out.”It was time she concentrated on her life and built something to last, even if she was on her own.Well, as soon as she got out of this situation with Jarod.
Now the town was buzzing with the news that two local kids found a body near Rascal Mountain.Christian had gone off alone to track the killer.She’d fought herself from calling him all morning.He wasn’t hers to worry about, no matter how many times he’d kissed her.
Chapter21
The warmth from the fire in Sam’s Tavern finally heated Christian’s feet.He might need new boots.He leaned back in his chair, legs extended, coffee in hand, sleeves rolled to the elbows.The coffee was strong tonight, just like he wanted.
