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“Let’s just not tell your dad.”
I laughed and pushed at his arm as I climbed off the bed and walked back into the bathroom to fix my hair and put on a touch of makeup. Hurrying into the closet, I put on a bra and underwear, and was stepping into my shorts as I walked back out. My eyes hit the bed just as I started to put my arms into the shirt, and for the umpteenth time in the hour I’d been awake, my heart melted at what I saw in the center of the bed. I shrugged quickly into my shirt and walked over to run my fingers across the outside of the large frame.
Inside was a large, thick paper with a charcoal-drawn replica of the mass of papers downstairs. In the bottom corner of the frame was the note Jagger had given me on the stairs.
I turned to see Jagger and reached out for him. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm before wrapping me in his arms. “Thought you might want to keep it, and what’s downstairs is way too big and complicated.”
“I do, thank you.
“No need to thank me.” Releasing his hold on me, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stairs. “You ready?”
I looked at the man in front of me and wondered what I’d done to deserve anyone like him. I couldn’t wait to start my life with him. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life, Jagger Easton.”
Chapter 17
Grey
September 27, 2014
I WALKED AROUND the shop part of The Brew, talking with a few customers and seeing if anyone needed a refill, but the entire time, an annoying feeling kept nagging me. It had my neck tingling and a weird chill going through my spine. My eyes were everywhere as I walked, and only stayed on the customers for a few seconds before I was looking somewhere else. Just before I turned to go back behind the counter, I saw her standing at the end of a book aisle.
Mrs. Easton nodded at me once and waved me over, and I took careful steps toward her. I hadn’t seen her in the almost month and a half since I’d given her the check, and something about her being here didn’t feel right.
“Hey, Mrs. Easton,” I said cautiously when I got closer to her. “How are you?”
“I’m okay, but I needed to see you.”
I laughed once and gestured around the shop. “Well, you obviously know where to find me.” If we’d lived anywhere other than Thatch, it would bother me that she knew where I worked, or when I was working. But this was Thatch. Everyone knew pretty much everything about everyone all the time. It was hard to keep a secret here.
“Yeah, well . . .” She trailed off and gave me an odd smile. “Honey, I need more.”
“More what?” I knew what she was talking about; I just wanted to avoid the subject and wished I hadn’t walked over to her in the first place.
I’d been agonizing over our last encounter, even more now that Jagger and I were engaged. Talking with Graham about it had helped remind me why I’d kept it from Jagger in the first place, but it was hard to remember as days went by, and all I could think about was the fact that I’d kept something so important from the man I was going to marry.
“Money, Grey. Two . . . three thousand, at least.”
The air in my lungs rushed out quickly, and I gave her an incredulous look. “I don’t have that kind of money . . . I can’t afford to give you any money, Mrs. Easton. Didn’t you find a job yet? Maybe I can help you look for somewhere to work.”
“You’re marrying my son, I know you have money,” she hissed, and I took a step back, my eyes and mouth widening with shock. I’d never heard her speak in any way other than her signature everything-is-made-of-love tone.
“How did you know?” Mrs. Easton hadn’t been at our celebration breakfast last week, and unless Jagger had seen her while I was at work, he hadn’t gone to her house while she was there, or even said anything about her this whole time.
“Do you really think I wouldn’t find out if one of my children got engaged?” She clucked her tongue and gave me a patronizing look. “Oh, honey, that’s cute. Really. But there isn’t much about them that I don’t know.”
“Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you and I need to finish the rest of my shift.”
I’d barely turned when she grabbed my arm and brought me back so I was facing her. “I know you have—”
“Jagger and I don’t share accounts, Mrs. Easton! I’m sorry, but I can’t help you!”
Her grip tightened like she knew I was preparing to make another attempt to leave. “If you don’t want to ruin my son’s life, you will give me what I need.”
“Ruin his life? There’s no way I would ever do anything to ruin him. I think you need to leave.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. I know something that would ensure my son’s devastation. Now if you don’t want this little secret getting out, I suggest you give me the money.”
“I have no secrets from Jagger!” I whispered harshly, and turned my head to see if anyone was watching us. “Other than giving you that money, there is nothing about me that he doesn’t already know.”
