He closed the door and, turning, stepped to her and pulled her into his arms. “Be patient a little longer. I’m sorry you lost your boy toy. Maybe you should find another one to keep you company until we can be together.”
She pulled free, fire in her eyes. “Donovan was your idea.”
Luca held up both hands. “I just wanted to keep you happy, whatever it took.”
Lolly narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t want my father to know about the two of us.”
He smiled, all teeth. “You know Malcolm wouldn’t like it and it’s for the best that Donovan is out of the picture. We don’t need him.” When she said nothing, he lifted her chin roughly, and said, “Do we?”
She jerked away and shook her head. “He didn’t mean anything to me, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Good. I thought he was going to be a problem when he took off, but as it turns out, I found a way to salvage things. It’s exactly what I’d hoped for. It won’t be long now and we’ll have everything we ever wanted.”
“I already have everything I ever wanted. Except you.”
“Right,” he said, mugging a face. “I forget sometimes what a spoiled little rich girl you are, but soon you’ll have me as well.”
She could tell she was making him angry and stepped closer to run her finger along his jawline. She had to keep him where she wanted him. For now, he had to believe that he was in control until she made up her mind about him. “Tell me what’s going on.”
He shook his head. “It’s better you don’t know.”
She studied him for a moment, then decided she wouldn’t call him on it. She knew Luca. Just as she knew her father. Both of them thought they knew her and could control her. Both of them were wrong. “Since I’m here…” She began to unbutton his shirt.
Chapter Eleven
Max had gone home and locked the door, too devastated by his encounter with Goldie earlier at the café to do more than flop down in his chair, his head in his hands. Cordell had phoned, but he’d let the call go to voice mail. He knew his brother thought he should stop Goldie from selling the café. If only it were that easy.
He couldn’t have asked Goldie not to sell the café. He had no right. He couldn’t ask anything of her until he was ready to give her everything she wanted. And, as much as he loved her, he wasn’t sure he could do that. For months he’d fought his feelings for Goldie, telling himself that in time he would get over her and she would do the same.
Clearly, she’d come to the same conclusion he had. The two of them couldn’t go on like this.
He felt worse than when he’d broken it off with her. He’d known she would find someone else someday, but he’d never thought she’d ever sell her café. He thought again of their run-in earlier. He’d known Goldie wasn’t going to want to hear what he had to say, but he hadn’t expected the reaction he’d gotten.
She’d been so angry even before he’d told her what he’d found out. Was this about her selling the café? Was she having second thoughts? Or was this about Donovan Cole? She couldn’t have fallen in love with him this quickly, could she?
Noticing the time, he realized she would have signed the paperwork by now. Unless she changed her mind. That thought gave him hope. His phone pinged. He quickly glanced at the screen and the text from Josie.
It’s done.
He felt as if the ground beneath him had given way. As if his heart couldn’t have felt more broken, he went into the kitchen and took out another beer. He normally didn’t drink to excess, but nothing was normal about this night.
A couple of beers later, he couldn’t stand staying in the house. He walked toward the sheriff’s department but as he reached the main drag, he saw Goldie and Donovan crossing the street to his sports car. He watched the man toss her the keys. Once behind the wheel, she freed her hair from the ponytail, shaking it out, and moments later backed up the car and took off as if being chased by the cops.
With a curse, he turned, only to collide with his brother.
“I was going to offer you a drink but clearly you’ve had a few,” Cordell said, steadying him.
Max watched Goldie drive off with the top down and the man in the passenger seat, her blond hair blowing back in a golden wave as she sped out of Dry Gulch as if never coming back.
“You weren’t planning to chase the two of them down, were you?” his brother asked, looking askance.
“I’m not sure what I’d planned to do,” he had to admit.
“Come on, bro. You look like hell,” Cordell said, guiding Max back home. Once seated, a cup of coffee in Max’s hand, a beer in Cordell’s, he said, “You told her about Malcolm Mandeville, didn’t you.”
Max nodded miserably. “I went over to the café to see her, knowing she would be there. I told her what I’d found out about Arnie and Donovan. She was so angry all I could do was get out of there. She hates me.” He sighed. “The worst part is that I don’t blame her.”
His brother said nothing for a moment. “What are you going to do about it?”
