I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I can see it now:Luxury property developer ditches local lass after knocking her up.”
“Now that sounds like a headline,” Cat agreed.
Locke huffed, but it was true. This unplanned pregnancy had the potential to further muddy his company’s reputation. That was the last thing he needed right now. I didn’t follow business news at all, and even I’d heard about how his last deal had fallen apart.
“What?” I said to him. “Did your PR team realize what a terrible look it would be if word got out that you’d abandoned the girl you got pregnant?”
Cat snorted. “Forget his PR team. Does he really think his newest plan will go through once word gets out about this?”
“Wait, what?” I said, turning to my friend.
“You haven’t heard?” she asked. “Old Jo stopped by the café this morning, talking about Weston’s friend trying to buy up the old distillery.”
I whipped my head back in Locke’s direction. “You’re after my father’s property?”
“I took a look at it,” he admitted. “It has good potential.”
“Is that why you’re suddenly putting on the charm offensive?” Cat accused. “Because you realized you’ll never convince Dougal to sell to you if he thinks you’ve abandoned Isla?”
Locke tried to sputter out a reply, but I didn’t give him a chance.
“That’syour angle?” My heart lurched in my chest. “You need to play nice with me to get my father to play ball.” Oh, hell no. My eyes narrowed.
“That’s not what’s happening here,” Locke protested. “And that’snotthe reason I came to talk to you.”
“Sure it isn’t. You have nothing to say about being a damn father, but now you’re here to use the kid as a pawn.”
He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated breath. “I genuinelywantto support this child. That would still be the case even if there wasn’t a real estate deal at stake.”
I snorted. “Right. Says the evil property developer.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t know why that’s an issue anyway. You should be thrilled that I’m interested in buying the property.”
“Oh boy,” I shot back, “I love when men tell me how I should feel.”
A breath hissed out between his teeth. “You and I both know my offer would be better for the town.”
“What do you mean, ‘better’?” I asked, suspicious. What did he know that I didn’t?
“The other interested party intends to build a factory. You don’t really want that to go up on the land, do you?”
I swallowed down my shock. I’d had no idea someone wanted to build a factory on the land, but now that I did, I didn’t even want to envision it. All those trails trampled. The trees steam rolled. Garbage dumped into the stream. But that didn’t automatically mean his development plan was any better—whatever the hell that was. Because I doubted it was a nature reserve.
“All you did was gush about how much you loved that land,” Locke said. “If you really care about it as much as you say, then you should be all for me buying it.”
Heat spread through me. I knew this song and dance. I’d been used by a guy for financial gain before. Locke was sucking up to me to smooth the way for his purchase, but I wasn’t playing that game. “Well, I’ve heard enough,” I said. “Thanks for dropping by.”
His face fell. “Isla, don’t do this.”
“There’s the door.” I wasn’t interested in any more empty promises. “I don’t need you, and this baby certainly doesn’t either.”
“And we’re keeping the shortbread!” Cat said, clutching the tin to her chest.
Without another word, Locke turned and stalked out of the kitchen.
“Well,” Cat said after a beat, tilting her head in my direction. “Like I said earlier, daft idiot.”
I hummed in agreement, trying to breathe through all the frustration and annoyance.
