“I don’t know, Vaughan. This is a lot.” I glance down at my shoes before meeting his eyes. “Braden may become suspicious. He may refuse.”
Rising to his feet, Vaughan steps towards me and places a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Trust me. The offer will be too good for him to decline.”
“Can I have a few days to think about it?” I ask. This all seems a little too good to be true.
“Absolutely. Take as long as you need. My offer doesn’t expire.”
“Thank you.”
He puts on his coat and removes a money clip from the inside pocket. Counting out five one hundred-dollar bills, he places them on the table beside me before opening the door.
“No. I can’t take your money.” I scoop it up and try to shove it back into his hands.
“Nonsense. I booked an appointment, and now I’m paying for your time. Let me know what you decide,” he says with a wide grin before returning to reception to collect April. I feel like that man always gets his way.
“What was that about?” Logan asks, leaning up against the doorframe. “Isn’t that April’s new man?”
Shoving the money into my pocket, I say, “Yeah. He thinks he can help me with Braden.”
“Oh, yeah?” He stands up straighter and glances towards reception.
“Uh-huh.” I bite my lower lip. “It’s not a secret Braden hates living in Emerley. Vaughan thinks that a job and money may give him an incentive to leave town permanently.”
“It’s a good idea,” Logan says as he spins the beaded bracelet circling his wrist. “Are you going to take him up on it?”
Nodding slowly, I run my palm along my jaw. “I think so, but I need to talk to someone first.”
Forty
“I don’t like this,” Ryan grumbles, turning in his chair so he can face me.
“I’m not a fan either,” Logan says, rubbing the back of his neck. Hannah glances across the table and rolls her eyes.
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not consulting either of you.” I shrug a shoulder before raising my glass of wine to my mouth. “I’ve already made my decision.”
It took me a couple of days, but I decided I need all the help I can get if I want to finally end this nightmare Braden dragged me into.
“What if it’s a trap?” Ryan asks, concern edging his voice. “Did you think about that?”
“I’ll be with her,” Hannah says. “Plus, we are meeting with her in a public place in the middle of the day.”
When I suggested inviting Hannah and Logan over for dinner tonight, Ryan was thrilled. Not about the actual cooking part, but we did okay making spaghetti for our friends. I don’t care what anyone says, heating frozen meatballs and jarred pasta sauce is still cooking. The garlic bread is a little burned, but the Caesar salad was a hit.
Now, he’s catching on that this dinner was also strategic. I wanted Hannah here to back me up when I told him I was going to Bracken Creek to meet a random woman who claims to be dating Braden.
“I want to hear what she has to say. She was the one who was searching for me, not the other way around,” I explain patiently.
“I don’t get it,” Logan says, looking between Hannah and me. “Why would she want to meet you?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly, “but I’d like to find out.”
“We could come with you,” Ryan suggests. “We can be there just in case.”
“No, I need to do this part myself. Besides, what if she doesn’t want to talk if you’re there?”
“We could follow you and park across the street,” Logan suggests.
“You’re ridiculous.” Hannah shakes her head and places her hand on his thigh. “We will be fine. I survived ten years without you, and nothing bad happened.”
