Chapter 17
Rowe
As soon as Pane shook hands with Coleman, everyone cheered. Folks surrounded the billionaire, congratulating him before dragging him down the street to celebrate.
Which means we’re currently at Sparkle Bar, a local watering hole on the far end of downtown that specializes in craft brews.
Right now, Pane’s sitting at a table with Coleman, I assume going over the details of what he needs for the farm. He and the store owner are nose to nose, with a piece of paper situated between them. Every few minutes, Pane scribbles something on it and Coleman nods or shakes his head, making adjustments.
“So what did he whisper to you?” I ask Hilary.
Hilary snatches a handful of roasted peanuts from a bowl and shells them, tossing the waste over her shoulder. The floor is littered with shell casings, and more than once I’ve seen Pane glance at the debris with distaste etched across his face.
Yeah, this place is for sure lowbrow compared to what he’s used to.
It’s fascinating to watch this man who’d never eaten a biscuit see what the real world is like. Yes, there are peanut shells on the floor in a small-town bar. If he waits long enough, maybe he’ll witness someone drinking a beer from an actual bottle instead of a frosted glass.
Hilary smacks loudly. “What didwhosay?”
“Pane, when he whispered to you. What made you take his offer?”
“Oh, that.” She waves at me to come closer. Her eyes are hooded. Hilary needs more than a handful of peanuts to soak up the shots she’s done. She leans toward my ear and drops her voice to a whisper. “He said that we have a free place to stay in Paris. He’s going to put us up at some hotel, a place called the Maddox.” She pauses, scrunches up her face in thought. “Didn’t he say that was his last name?”
“I don’t think so,” I lie.
She shrugs. “Anyway, he said we could stay ten whole days. Can you imagine? I don’t know how he’s gonna pay for it, but for some reason, I believe that guy.”
Oh, I know how he’s going to pay for it.
Hilary leans in, and the stench of beer fills my nostrils. “He also said that we could take advantage of the spa. I plan to.” She grips my arm, the alcohol making her body sway before she straightens. “Do you know about this place, the Maddox Hotel?”
For some reason, my stomach clenches with guilt. “No, I can’t say that I do.”
Why should I feel bad? The man showed up at my house yesterday. Cristina’s the one who vetted him. Why should I look into his life filled with luxury hotels when he won’t be here in a few weeks?
Besides, the only reason I helped him today was to save the farm. I’d sworn to never touch those chain saws unless absolutely necessary. Keeping my dad’s shop in good condition means something to me.
And I neverthought—scratch that,never believedI’d let a stranger use one,plusshow him how to work it.
But Pane needed help, and so does the farm. So I did.
The surprising thing was that he didn’t act like an arrogant brat when I showed him how to work the saw. He listened and was respectful.
It did, I admit, throw me for a loop.
Pane glances up and sees me staring at him. My cheeks flush hot, and I look away.
I don’t know why I was looking at him. Our lives exist on two different planes. Planes that don’t intersect. They won’t ever converge, and the only reason why they’re sliding up to each other right now, for this brief period, is because he’s trying to become head of his company.
In a few weeks he’ll be gone, and I’ll still be here.
Hilary continues, snapping me from my thoughts. “You should look up that hotel. There’s more than one, even, and all of them have spas. Not only that, but they give you those waffle robes to wear in your room—for free! There’s room service, of course—and the menus. Oh my gosh. They have the most amazing restaurants, many of them Michelin starred. There are also golf courses. I don’t play golf, but apparently they’re award winning. Like I said, I have no idea how he’s going to pay for it, but his shoes are nice, so I figure he’ll be good for it. Either that, or Coleman’ll have his kneecaps broken.”
Well, that’s one way to make sure you get what you want.
Then Hilary slumps into my arm and laughs. “I’m just kidding. Coleman wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, that’s good to know.”
