He blows out a breath. “A million bucks is a lot. Would I like it back? Yes. Of course. I could invest it, make more money off of it, whatever. But am I going to be okay if it’s tied up in court for a while? Also yes.”
His words give me something to think about.
As I sit at dinner on Tuesday evening by myself at my kitchen table, I’m halfway between bewildered and shocked when my phone starts to ring and I see who’s calling.
I pick up, fully expecting my brother to gloat that he got her back and I’m left in the dust.
“Hello?”
He shocks me further by saying, “What the fuck did you do to her, man?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I protest.
“Bullshit. She left Vegas with a light in her eyes, and you put it out in just over two months.”
Guilt racks me at his words. “I didn’t mean to, but trust when I say that she put mine out, too.”
“Then figure your shit out so I don’t have to step in and figure it out for you,” he mutters. “Do you have any idea how awkward it is to comfort your ex when she’s crying over her new husband who happens to be your older brother?”
I blow out a breath. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“By hurting her?”
“By protecting myself. One of my biggest fears in any relationship is that I’m only being used for my money and my connections. Did she tell you the reason she walked away?”
“Do you really think she’d do that?” he asks, not answering my question.
When it really comes down to it, the answer is clear. She wouldn’tuseme for those things, but that doesn’t mean she can’t reap the benefits of being with someone with connections anyway—the same way I could reap benefits with various investments of my own connected to her business. “No.”
“Then get her the fuck back, you idiot.”
“I thought you were calling to brag that she came running to you.”
“She did come running to me, but not for whatever leap you might be making. It was very clear that what she and I had is in the past. But you? You’re her future, Ford. Well, youknow—if you can figure out some way to show her that you believe in her. Because I have to be honest with you. I’ve never seen her like this. She’s lost, and she needs you to find her.”
I blow out a breath as the pain of his words slices into my chest. I hate that she’s feeling that way, but I also know that a few days away for perspective is in line with her personality.
It used to be me she ran to. I’ve never given her a reason to run the other way.
Until now.
And I need to fucking fix this.
CHAPTER 49: Tatum Barker
Dancing
I’m not cleaning out my office.
I’mnot.
That’s what I keep telling myself. The cups are multiplying, and there are six on my desk right now. See? Not cleaning it out. Making a bigger mess, maybe.
I’m organizing, that’s all. This had to be done.
It didn’t have to be doneright now, I suppose, but here we are. I’m in town, and really, I don’t need to pay for both my officeandKenzie’s. If I’m hardly ever here, we could share one space, and I’ve made the executive decision that I won’t displace her in all of this.
So maybe I am cleaning it out, after all.
