Page 17 of Hearts of Wealth

He nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he looked at me. “You handled that like a pro,” he remarked, his voice tinged with respect. “Good job.”

I smiled at his words, grateful for his support. “Thanks, Luke,” I replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “I’ve dealt with worse.” I thought about the statement. “That’s not true. He’s probably the worst, but I’m not going to let him get under my skin.”

Henry was a hotheaded millionaire used to getting his way with everyone in his path. I wasn’t an exception to that rule, but I wasn’t about to kowtow either.

“You shouldn’t have to put up with that crap,” he said.

“This is the part of the process where homeowners always get a little freaked out,” I said. “They see the walls getting torn down and the floors are covered in dust and crap, and it panics them.”

“I think his panic has more to do with not seeing you,” Luke said. “I know you’re not that naïve. He’s got a thing for you.”

“Yes, but he’s just going to have to keep that thing to himself.”

Luke chuckled. “If he doesn’t, there are a few men that are going to remind him that he’d better.”

“Thanks for the backup,” I said. “I’ll only be gone a day. I don’t have anything I need to be doing here. Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, and I don’t imagine there will be any issues, but if there are, can you be the mediator?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “What are you doing in the city, anyway?” he asked, his tone casual.

I hesitated for a moment, debating how much to reveal. “Just running a few errands,” I replied vaguely, not wanting to delve into the details of my personal life.

He nodded understandingly. “All right, have fun.” He smiled. “I’ve got to get back to work. Don’t worry about things here. Like you told him, these guys know what they are doing. I’ve been on a lot of job sites and never had anything run quite so smoothly. They respect you and want to do a good job.”

“Thank you,” I said. “

I left the house, catching a last glimpse of Henry shooting me dirty looks. The guy was a dick. I didn’t understand what he wanted from me. Timothy’s warning was turning out to be very real. Henry seemed to want to control me. Boy, did he have another think coming. It wasn’t going to happen. I would walk away before I ever gave in to that man.

I pulled up to Amber’s place and honked the horn. She came out looking like she was going to a fashion show. She climbed in the truck. “Ready,” she declared.

“Let’s do this,” I said.

“Are you excited?” she asked. “It’s your chance to face off against the wicked witch of the west.”

“I’m not sure excited is the word I would use,” I said. “I can’t shake the feeling of guilt.”

“You didn’t tell Timothy you were meeting with her?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I know I should have, but I didn’t know what to say.”

“Good point,” she said. “He might not be thrilled to know you’re meeting with his ex-wife on his behalf.”

“It’s not just his behalf,” I said. “It’s for Paisley. And If I’m being honest, it’s for me too. This woman has way too much control over my life. She controls Timothy’s mood, and that impacts me.”

As we navigated the bustling streets of New York, I couldn’t help but go over the conversation I planned to have with Regina in my mind. It was a delicate situation, and I wanted to handle it with care.

“So what exactly are you going to say?” Amber asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts before responding. “I just want to ask her to let Paisley spend time with Timothy,” I explained, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “I know it’s not my place to interfere, but I can’t stand to see them hurting like this.”

“Plus, you’ve got to protect Paisley,” Amber added, leaning back against the seat. “She’s only a kid, and she shouldn’t have to deal with adult problems.”

“Exactly,” I replied, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “She’s been through enough as it is. And she doesn’t deserve to be caught up in her mother’s games. Regina doesn’t want to talk to Timothy, which I can understand. He loathes her. I’m hoping I can be a mediator.”

“You’ll just have to keep your cool,” she said. “Regina is going to try and get under your skin. You can’t let her.”

“I know,” I groaned. “And she’s very good at pissing people off. It’s a skill she has perfected.”

“What are you going to say to her?”