“Since you’re still alive, I guess he’s not a serial killer,” Juliet said.
“No. It’s actually not anythingbad.”
“Well?” Alex said.
“He’s not a broke, nomadic construction worker,” Tess said. “In fact, he owns some big business and is apparently loaded.”
“There are definitely worse secrets,” Nick said. “How’d you find out?”
“Max.” She recapped the conversation she’d had with Max at the inn. “Then Logan confirmed it later.”
“Did he have an excuse as to why he let you believe otherwise?” Faith asked.
“Sort of.” Tess shrugged. “Said it never came up when we first met, and then that it would’ve been weird just to bring it up out of the blue later. Which, I suppose, is true.”
Her friends nodded.
“Also, I guess Houston’s full of gold diggers, and he kind of liked the anonymity of no one knowing. Says people treat you differently when they know you’re rollin’ in it.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Juliet said, and they all laughed in agreement.
“Well,” Faith said. “A secret millionaire is way better than a secret family.”
“Or the murderer thing,” Alex said.
“So, full steam ahead on falling for Logan then?” Faith wiggled her eyebrows.
Tess was mid-sip when the question blindsided her. “Geez,” she croaked, coughing to clear her throat. “You trying to kill me?”
“Of course not,” Faith said. “Just saying. If him hiding something was your only hang-up, now you can really go for it.”
“Wehaveother issues,” Tess said. “Like he lives two thousand miles away and is going home soon.”
“Pfft.” Faith huffed. “Those things are easily overcome.”
“Not if I buy The Outpost.”
“Any news on that?” Alex asked.
“Not yet,” Tess said. “Moody got married on Saturday and is honeymooning now. The lawyers were supposed to get a response from the buyer today and let me know, but it’s four o’clock, and I haven’t heard anything.”
“It’s only three in Texas,” Nick said.
“Maybe you could find out who the buyer is and casually contact them yourself,” Juliet suggested.
Tess thought for a minute. “Normally, I would never butt into his deal. But he is gone for a month. And he did give me the attorney’s number. I could contact him, and Moody’d never know. Can’t hurt to ask.”
“No time like the present,” Juliet said.
“True,” Tess agreed. “I’ll call after I talk to my mom.”
Twenty minutes later, Tess and Nick stood on opposite sides of their mother’s bed, each holding one hand.
“Hey, Mom, it’s Tess. You awake?”
“Yes, honey. Thank you for being here.”
“Of course. I’m just glad you’re going to be okay.”
