Page 32 of Hearts of Wealth

Catherine

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I WATCHED HIM AS HE took the verbal lashing I was throwing at him. He sat there, stern and silent. His face took on that stubborn look that I had grown so fond of, but in this moment it just made me angrier.

“Timothy,” I began my voice shaking with frustration, “you are not some knight in shining armor, and this is not the Middle Ages! You can’t go around defending my honor with your fists!”

He looked down at his hands and muttered something I couldn’t quite catch.

“What?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I said he threw the first punch. I didn’t go there to fight him. He went after Luke first. Henry was spoiling for a fight. He wanted me to hit him. He’s a dick. He’s an arrogant asshole.”

I stared at him for a moment, trying to steady my breathing, trying to ignore the rush of empathy threatening to soften me. “This isn’t about Henry being a dick, Timothy! I know he’s an asshole. But you can’t go around knocking assholes out.”

“Catherine,” he said quietly, rising from his seat and coming to stand before me. His hands moved to my arms, gently brushing across the curve of my shoulders. “I...I couldn’t just sit there knowing what he did.”

How could I be angry with him? He was trying to protect me. “I appreciate you defending me, but you don’t have to do that. What if he had hurt you?”

He chuckled. “Trust me, that wasn’t going to happen.”

“You know what I mean,” I said. “Do I dare ask what he might look like?”

“Not as bad as I would have liked,” he murmured. “Luke stopped me.”

“Luke stopped you?” I repeated.

He shrugged. “Yeah.”

I supposed the most surprising thing was the fact Luke and Timothy were now friends. It was a new development, one that I hadn’t anticipated, but one that I couldn’t help but feel grateful for. Luke had always been a bit of a mystery to me, but seeing him stand by Timothy’s side, ready to defend me, made me very happy. I did like Luke, and I wanted to be friends with him.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice filled with gratitude. “For standing up for me. I didn’t need it, but I appreciate it. Thank you.”

Timothy grinned back at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “You know I’ll always have your back, Catherine,” he replied.

I laughed softly, shaking my head in disbelief. “I appreciate it,” I said, my voice tinged with amusement. “But you don’t have to go around town fighting people over me. Sometimes people are just jerks. We can’t go around knocking their teeth down their throats.”

Timothy’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of determination. “I can’t make any promises,” he said, his voice serious. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I take care of what’s mine.”

I felt a surge of emotion welling up inside me, overwhelmed by his words. Wrapping my arms around him, I pressed a kiss to his lips, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice filled with sincerity.

Timothy smiled back at me, his gaze filled with love. “You’re welcome,” he replied, his voice soft.

“What happened to my professional, slightly uptight Timothy?” I teased.

“He’s gone.”

“Gone?” I joked.

“I’m a new man,” he said with a cheesy grin. “I’m retired and have a lot of time on my hands.”

“I hope that doesn’t mean you’re going to follow me around,” I laughed.

“No, but I should probably tell you Henry and I have agreed he’s not going to be staying in town. Luke has assured me he will talk to the other contractors, and everyone will stay on long enough to finish the job.”

“What does that mean?”