“I will not be reasonable. There’s nothing reasonable about handing over family heirlooms to them. Don’t you remember what he did to me, Mom?”
“Of course I do.”
Luke rolls his eyes. “Get off, Rowe.”
“And what if I don’t?”
He leans down and whispers in my ear, “Then I’ll drive with you on top of this cabinet all over downtown for everyone to see. They already know about the farm. What are they going to think when they see you hanging on to this sideboard?”
“They’ll think I’ve got principles,” I spit.
He shakes his head. He’s so close that the blackheads on his nose wave to me. “They’re gonna think, ‘Poor Rowe Wadley, all that bad shit she’s suffered has finally got the best of her and her brain broke.’”
I hate him so much.
It’s not just that Luke left me. He took a part of me with him, and now he wants to takepiecesof my life. I simply can’t allow that.
“Mom, I’ll give you everything I’ve got,” I shout, “if you won’t sell to him.”
“Let’s go,” Luke tells Ron.
They lift the sideboard and proceed to walk with me leeched on top of it.
Mom looks terrible as she watches me act like an oversized toddler. “You’re gonna need your savings, hon. Please, just get down and let him have it.”
As soon as Luke’s through the doorway, I throw out my arms and grip the doorframe. Luke’s thievery comes to a halt as I hold on to the wall with all my might.
He sighs like I’m nothing more than a pesky mosquito. “Release it.”
“No.” I glance back at Mom. “Whatever he’s giving you, I’ll triple it!”
No clue if I have that much money, but it’s worth a shot.
“Rowe, please. We need this.Ineed this.”
It’s theI need thisthat does me in. It feels like I’m stealing from the one person who’s only ever wanted to provide for me.
That’s what finally makes me drop my hands and whisper in defeat, “Fine. Take it.”
I slide off the sideboard and watch with tears as they load it up into the bed of his truck. When Luke returns, I figure it’s over, but when he also grabs my grandmother’s antique hurricane lamp, two side tables, and a matching pair of mission lounge chairs, I stop watching.
My heart can’t break anymore, I think. It just can’t.
“Please don’t hold this against me,” Ron begs, looking pathetic with his shoulders slumped.
I shake my head. “Jennifer and I are too good of friends for that. You gotta do what you got to.”
When Luke’s finally heading out the door, I slink over and start to throw it closed.
“Good riddance.”
But his foot shoots out, blocking it. I gasp as my ex pushes the door open and sticks his head in. “Learn your place, Rowe. You didn’t win this battle, and when the war comes to your front door, you’ll lose again. This house will be foreclosed on, and I’m going to get every single piece of it that I want.”
A chill winds like a ribbon down my spine and snaps tight. I can’t believe that there was a time when I loved this man.Loved him.Desperately. With all my heart and soul. I would have given him everything—and I did. Or almost did.
“See you around, Rowe.”
He releases his hold and I shove the door closed.
It’s when I hear him walking down the porch steps that I venture a look at the living room. There’s nothing left except for my dad’s old, frayed recliner. Everything else is gone.
Anger gurgles in my veins. There’s no way in hell I will ever let Luke Preston get hold of this farm.
I’ll die before that day comes.
