Page 105 of Trick or Tease

The thought made my chest ache, but I pushed it aside. This wasn’t about me. It was about her. About doing the right thing, even if it hurt. Even if it meant walking away from the one person who made me feel like I belonged somewhere again.

The shrill ring of my phone jolted me from my thoughts. I glanced at the clock. After midnight. My heart leapt. Maybe it was Sabrina. Maybe she changed her mind, wanted to see me. But when I looked at the screen, it wasn’t her name flashing there. It was Ron’s.

I hesitated, then answered, bracing myself. The screen lit up with Ron’s face, flushed and grinning, his tie loose, a drink in one hand. Behind him, the penthouse was alive with music and laughter, the kind of party that didn’t care about the hour.

“Garrett!” he slurred. It was that salesman tone I had come to loathe, cold as a slithering snake. He held up a stack of papers, waving them like a trophy. “Seven point two million! Can you believe that shit? Seven point two!”

I stared at the screen, my stomach sinking. “What are you talking about?”

“The farm, man! The appraisal came through, and we’ve got a buyer ready to fork over seven point two million. They’re looking to break into that market, and your little haunted farm is perfect. Haunted Farm or whatever the hell it’s called.”

“Hogan’s Haunted Farm,” I corrected, my voice tight. “And there’s no deal until I talk to my brother.”

Ron rolled his eyes, taking a swig from his glass. “Yeah, yeah, family first or whatever. But come on, Garrett, this is your ticket to the big leagues. The grown-up table. You want to keep playing small-town lawyer forever?”

I clenched my jaw. “This isn’t just about me. Billy’s involved too, and he’s not going to just hand over the farm.”

Ron leaned closer to the camera, his grin turning sharp, predatory. “Then convince him. Or don’t. Either way, I’m sending the docs over. You’ve got two choices—get them signed or get lost. Your call.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at the darkened screen. My hands were shaking. Seven point two million. It was more than I ever dreamed the farm could be worth. But it wasn’t just money—it was Billy’s life, Sabrina’s life. It was the place where we’d all grown up, where we’d built something real.

Ron was right about one thing. This was my ticket. My chance to prove myself, to finally matter. But at what cost?

I thought about Sabrina, about the way she’d looked at me earlier, like she wasn’t sure she could trust me anymore. I thought about Billy, about the way he talked about the farm like it was his future. His and Lucy’s future. Their future family’s legacy. And I thought about myself, about the man I had become and the man I was still trying to be.

The room felt too small, the walls closing in. I needed air. I grabbed my jacket and slipped out into the night. The farm stretched out before me, dark and silent under the stars. It was beautiful, in a way I hadn’t let myself see in years.

I didn’t know what I was going to do. But I did know one thing: whatever happened next, it was going to change everything. And I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. Even on my hardest days in the city, I always knew this place was here. It was my safe landing.

But then again, keeping a safe landing meant I expected to fail.

That was not how one got successful. It was all about looking ahead and never looking behind.

Billy would see that. If he had a couple million dollars in his pocket, he could buy Lucy a ring, a house, and they could do whatever they wanted. They didn’t have to spend their days getting dirty and working hard. Mom and Dad would get their share.

It was a real future. It was a future that didn’t depend on how much rain we got or if a freeze came too early in the season. It was a secured future. They had to see the benefit.

Right?

39

SABRINA

The next few days was crazy. With Halloween around the corner, everyone was flocking to the farm. The teenagers all looking for a little fun came back several times. They loved all the extras we kept adding. I felt like I was literally the one that lost my head most nights.

But it wasn’t just being busy that was making me feel like I was being pulled apart. It was Garrett’s absence. He was at the farm but not really. Not like he was. He wasn’t outright avoiding me but he was always just busy enough to slip away whenever I got close. It was subtle, but I noticed. God, did I notice.

I was pretty sure I knew what the cold shoulder was about.

After I saw that appraiser chick, I got in my own head. Convinced myself Garrett was up to no good and was just using me for a piece of ass. I rejected him.

But I was over it. I had thought better of it and decided I was totally okay with him using my body. Because honestly, I was using his. I missed his body. I wanted his body. Hell, I craved the damn thing.

And now he was punishing me and wouldn’t let me have my little taste. It was cruel and unusual punishment. After all, when I had turned him down, it had been a long, busy day. A girl was allowed to have a moment. Play a little hard to get.

But Garrett was acting like I committed some horrible sin. He had cut me off.

The first time, I found him in the office, bent over some paperwork. I leaned against the doorway, watching him for a moment before clearing my throat. He looked up, his expression guarded, and I swore there was a flicker of something like maybe guilt before he smiled tightly.