“Understood,” Lainey said.
She turned to leave.
“Ms. Harper, just a minute,” Russo said. “Off the record, Ms. Harper. Has anyone offered to buy you out yet?”
“No.”
He nodded slowly. “Just a note,” he said. “People don’t vandalize what they don’t want.”
Lainey stepped into the hallway, the heavy door thudding behind her. The tension left her body slowly.
And then she spotted them.
Finn, Gus, Autumn, the women who showed up. They looked up as one when the door opened.
They came for her.
To support her. She blinked furiously. She would not cry.
She would not cry.
She straightened her spine and gave them a smile she hoped looked real.
“Hey,” she managed.
Finn stepped forward first. “You okay?” he asked, voice low.
She nodded. Swallowed hard. “Yeah. I will be.”
Gus grunted behind them. “Held your own in there.”
Autumn gave her a small smile. “Made Russo look like a smug weasel. So, high five to you … success.”
Lainey laughed.
The other women moved closer, each giving her a hug. “You did great,” said Naomi.
A tear fell before she could stop it. But no one said a word as she wiped it away. She wasn’t alone.
Not anymore.
CHAPTER 22
Lainey saidgoodbye to her friends and drove back to the site. Finn offered to drive her, but she needed a few—okay, a lot of minutes to herself. To catch her breath. Maybe even allow herself to fall apart.
What would she do if the city pulled her contract?
Where would she and Luke go? Staying here would be too humiliating. Not only that, but she also wouldn’t be able to afford her townhome. In fact, she’d be drowning in debt with nothing to show for it but unfinished buildings and a tarnished reputation. Worse, she owed her mother a good deal of money. Her mom had not only sold her house to move to Florida but had given her all her money in her 401(k) to help fund the project. She’d be left with … nothing.Theywould be left with nothing.
A wave of nausea rolled through her.
And then there was the Brotherhood Alliance, who stepped up with security, cameras, and manpower. No charge to her.
And Finn. She thought there was still a spark there. That look in his eyes when she spoke. The way he kept telling her she wasn’t alone. But how would he feel when he found out about Luke?
He’d hate her. She was sure of it.
Her heart started thundering in her chest. For a second, she couldn’t catch her breath, and she panicked. Thankfully, she was parked in front of her office, but she couldn’t move. She sat there with her hands glued to the steering wheel, praying she wouldn’t pass out. What the hell was she going to do?
