“I’ve got to make sure,” I reply and open the driver’s side door.
“What do we do?” Woody wants to know,
“Farm work,” I reply. “We’ve still got Mom and Dad’s legacy to keep up. For now. Let’s not let them take that without a fight.”
I leave them in the driveway staring after me.
It’s too early for the bar to be open but I knock on the delivery door in the alley. Tanner and Harrison often come in around noon to work on schedules and pay roll and stuff. As soon as Harrison opens the door, I know he’s read the article. “I had no idea small-town politics could get as dirty as the big city politics.”
I nod. “Yeah. Me either.”
“Come inside,” Harrison holds the door wider so I can pass.
He leads me through the bookstore to his tiny office at the back, which is a windowless, claustrophobic room if you ask me. He picks a stack of papers off the extra chair and moves them to his desk, motioning for me to sit down. I do, but then I stand up again. “Relax, Bowen. You don’t have to plead your case. I’m not even thinking about firing you.”
I drop back down into the empty chair, my whole body sagging with relief. “And you won’t fire Autumn either? I have to ask because she’s also freaking out.”
“Of course not,” Harrison gives me a warm but sympathetic smile and pulls off his glasses, tossing them on the desk, ruffling paperwork as they land. He rubs the bridge of his nose. “I think you should talk to a lawyer though. You probably have grounds for a libel suit and even defamation. Especially if you could find out the source.”
“I think I know the source,” I swallow but that lump makes it nearly impossible. Harrison studies my face. “We don’t have money for a lawyer and it likely wouldn’t go down in time to save my brother’s campaign.”
“Sadly, that’s probably true,” Harrison sighs. “But it could get you some money to balance your books if you brother doesn’t win. I know you guys put all you had into this.”
I tent my arms on my knees and drop my face into my hands. “I can’t even think about all that right now.”
“Because you know the person that planted this garbage?”
“Yeah.”
“And you trusted them.”
“Worse. I was falling in love with them,” I confess and that’s when my vision blurs and my face feels hot. I’m about to cry. I fight it with every ounce of my soul. I don’t want to give in to it in front of my boss. I’m embarrassed enough. And even more so, I don’t want to give in to it over Chase. I cried over Trevor and that got me nowhere. No one cares if they hurt me. I blink away the tears and stand up. “Anyway, I’ll deal with it. Thanks for the advice and for not firing me or my sister. I’ve got to get back to the farm.”
I stand abruptly and Harrison does too, grabbing his glasses and putting them back on. “Hey, one other thing Bowen. If your brother wants to use the bookstore or the bar for anything like an event or even just to hang posters, tell him to give me a call. I think it’s time my businesses show their political alliance.”
“Thanks. That means a lot.”
He smiles and I can’t return it. I head out onto Church Street but when I reach my car around the corner I don’t drive out of town toward the farm. I head to Chase’s loft. It’s a very short drive but with every foot my junky old car travels, the anxiety and anger inside me grows tenfold. I’m spiraling. I don’t want it to be Chase. I’m furious I have to even consider it, but how can I not?
I pull into one of the visitor spots behind his building as he’s about to get into the Ferrari. As soon as he recognizes the car he runs over and is pulling open my door. “I was just coming to the farm to see you.”
“Not a good idea.” I snap as I get out of the car and stand there with the open door between us. I grip it like it’s a shield that can somehow protect me even though I feel like I’m already wounded. He steps closer but only one step.
“Woody and Autumn must be so upset. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry you did it?”
“Did what?” Chase blinks those big, blue eyes I loved looking into. “Wait. You thinkItold that paper?”
I stare at him. He’s confused and I wonder if, like everything else in his life, this is just an act. I hate that I doubt him, but I do. I’m just a tangled mess of re-opened wounds right now. Between the sight of the cops at our farmhouse giving me flashbacks and all the garbage I went through with Trevor feeling like it’s repeating itself… “I shouldn’t be here.”
“Where should you be?” Chase asks, his tone is heavy.
“Not with you,” I snap back and I don’t even know if I mean in this moment or in every moment. He doesn’t know either, I can tell by the way his handsome face crumbles.
“Bowen, I can help you with this. I can help Woody spin this.”
“Before or after you help Lacey out with her fundraiser or go to an event as her fake boyfriend?” My voice is loud. Too loud.
