“Mmmm. This is so good. Not too sweet, either.” She smacks her lips and smiles at me, setting the glass down. “I’ll bet you’re wondering why I’m here.”
“And I’ll bet you’re gonna tell me.” I’ve been scowling at her since she arrived. I’m not in the mood to ask her where Justin is or how their honeymoon went. Or why she showed up unannounced. I’m not even going to ask how she and her new husband tried to swindle me out of my California property.
“I know you’re mad,” she says.
“I’m not. Frankly, I just don’t care anymore.”
She frowns and leans toward me. “Adam, you’ve got this all wrong in your head, okay? Justin wasn’t going to buy your property to sell it.”
“Oh really?” I cross my arms at my chest, not even caring how I smell like a musky teenager who forgot to put on deodorant.
“In hindsight, I know we should’ve called you before we made the offer. We shouldn’t have tried to hide it from you.”
“You think?” My voice rises, and I will myself not to lash out at her. “Why did you wish to remain anonymous? I mean, it was pretty easy putting two and two together. Dirk Enterprises? Come on…”
“—Because we knew you wouldn’t agree to it,” she interrupts.
“You got that right.”
“I love you, Adam. You’re my only family, and I would never, ever do anything to upset you. Our intentions were good, I promise.”
“Go on.”
She nods with eagerness. “Justin has a big heart, and when I told him about you, Mia, and Evie when we first started dating, he said if I ever needed anything to help you get back on your feet again, anything at all, to let him know. Fast forward, and we fell in love and got married. And when he finally got to meet you during our wedding weekend, he fell in love with you too.”
I bristle in my seat, not believing a word she’s saying. I’m suddenly very tired and want to go upstairs and take a cold shower. Bury my head in Keri’s pillow and get drunk on her lingering scent.
“Spit it out, Rox. You came all this way to tell me something, so you might as well get it over with.”
“Don’t be like that, okay?” she pleads. “It was Justin who approached me about buying your land. And a few of your neighbors’ properties.”
For a brief second, I see red. “Are you kidding me?”
“Hold on, Adam. It’s not what you think. He has the means to pay more than the asking price for everyone.”
“For what? Does he know something I don’t know about the real estate market? Is he part of some outside investor group, taking advantage of fire victims down on their luck, ready to buy up cheap real estate in an area of California that lacks housing?”
“He has no interest in buildinganythingon these properties. He’s on your side, livid that folks are being forced to sell their properties destroyed in the wildfires because they’re unable to afford the escalated cost of rebuilding. He wants to make a difference, vowing to do everything in his power to hold those responsible for the fires accountable. He… I mean,wewanted to help you find closure. We thought that if you didn’t have this property hanging over your head anymore, you could finally move on with your life and be with Keri. We offered double the asking price so you’d bite. If you’re not going to rebuild and live there, you shouldn’t have to sell it for less than it’s worth. Let the land return to a forest. Leave it for Mia and Evie, as a memorial to their lives and what you shared with them.”
For the second time that day, I force myself to keep it together. Roxy’s words are a soothing salve for my wounded soul. My lips tremble, and I shake my head in disbelief.
Roxy reaches across the table and grips my hand. “I would never hurt you, Adam. All I’ve ever wanted is to help you through this. I thought I’d finally found a way.”
My mouth twists as I allow hot tears to sluice down my face into my beard. I can’t believe I was second-guessing Roxy’s motives all along. I should’ve known better.
“I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” Her dark eyes hold mine, her sincere expression full of emotion.
I clear my throat. “There’s nothing to forgive. I love you, Roxy. Your and Justin’s intentions…” A small sob escapes my lips. “I’ve already decided I’m not going to sell. And I’m not going to rebuild. I don’t need the money. I’m keeping the land as a memorial to my girls.”
Roxy’s nod is slight before she arises from the chair and comes over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. For several seconds, we gently weep together. For what we lost, and for what we found.
“Great minds think alike, huh, cuz?” She sniffles.
I chuckle. “Sure seems that way.”
She pulls back from me and sits down, swiping the paper towel across her tear-stained cheeks.
My hand shakes as I lift my glass of tea up to my mouth and take a sip. I sniffle and change the subject. “So, how was your honeymoon?”
