I shake my head, “You don’t know JimBo. He’ll try and milk this for all it’s worth. He’ll build some sob story in the press, make me out to be a gold digger or—”
“No,” Aiden steps into my space and puts hands on my biceps. “You don’t understand. My family lawyer intimidatesme.He will pick upJimBoand throw him around like a rag doll.”
“It’ll probably be like a million dollars and then I’m just supposed tonotfeel like I owe you? Forever?”
Aiden squeezes his eyes shut for a breath and then opens them to say, “Ask Janie then.”
“I couldn’t, they—” I pull away and start to pace.
“They are also billionaires, Sweetheart. With their own team of lawyers that will make JimBo piss himself. It’ll cost them less than what they pay to fill the gas tank on their yacht. I’m surprised Janie hasn’t offered.”
“She has,” I admit.
“Then there you go. Problem solved.”
“But then I’ll just feel like I owe her forever!”
Aiden frowns, “Firstly, she’s your best friend, she’ll be happy to do and it and secondly, she probably doesn’t understand. Both of you underestimate these lawyers. By the end it’ll probably be JimBo paying you a settlement backandpaying off the Clark’s legal fees, it’ll literally cost them nothing.”
“R-really?”
“Really,” he says, hands back on my arms. “Let someone help you for a change. Let yourself befreeHarper.”
“I…”
He kisses my forehead, “Be free, Sweetheart,” he says into my skin before wrapping his arms around me.
Free…
It’s hard to imagine.
Free to what, exactly? Free to tend to the last few months of The Roasted Chestnut’s existence. Free to take care of Dad. Free to help put my broken little town back together after half of it’s torn down. After Aiden is long gone and the excitement of the resort has worn off.
Still, free from the invisible chain I’ve felt around my life ever since JimBo left that morning, grabbed his old clubs out of our garage, and never freaking looked back.
“Tell me I can tell Ben to sort this for you,” he says into my hair. “Please.”
I nod into his chest.
“Now tell me I can take you home after this,” he adds.
“You can take me home right now,” I say, meaning it. We’ve already raised a ton of money for the town. It doesn’t go toward our profitability bet with Aiden, since these are charitable donations, but it will help keep the volunteer fire department up and running until Resort revenue comes in. Plus, ten percent of tonight’s money goes to Cedar Point’s halfway house program.
Tonight is already a success.
And I’d rather not have to go inside and face JimBo again, or the town’s reaction to our little scene.
Aiden tenses around me and I can hear a smirk in his voice when he says, “I meant take you home to my house.”
I smile wide when I reply, “I know exactly what you meant.”
I almost laugh at how fast he spins on his heels and leads me to his car. I’m like jello as we walk through the parking lot. Actually, this might be the most relaxed I’ve been in years. And withthe relief I feel comes some hope too. Aiden didn’t hesitate to tell JimBo we were together.
Together!
Together doesn’t mean a nice dinner or dating. Together means boyfriend. Together means maybe, just maybe he’s thinking about sticking around.
He’s been in Juniper Falls for three whole months, but does that mean he’s willing to stay for real? For ever?
