Page 124 of Blue Jean Summer

“Cath, there’s no error.”

“I know for a fact that I made the payment, but it didn’t—”

“I paid it.”

I rubbed my temples. “I know you paid me. It’s why I get five grand every month. It’s why I married you. So that I could pay off—”

“I paid it all,” Hayes said slowly and calmly, as if he wasn’t sure I was able to comprehend it.

I blinked. “But…You did…But how?”

His smile was adorably crooked, curving down on one side and curling up on the other. “I have my ways.”

“You…paid all of my debt?”

He nodded.

“But that wasn’t our deal.”

Hayes cupped my cheeks. “Neither was falling for you, but here I am.”

If he let me go, I was fairly certain I was going to pass out.

“Hayes,” I croaked as my eyes welled up with tears. “Why did you do that?”

He pressed his lips to my forehead, then pecked the tip of my nose. “Because I couldn’t stop thinking about what the officiant asked us during the ceremony. I wanted you to be here of your own free will.”

“When did you do it?” I pressed.

He swallowed. “The morning after we went on that ride along the foothills. When we were…intimate.”

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or melt in a puddle. “I’ll pay you back,” I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him and held on desperately. I never wanted to let him go.

“We’re even, Cath,” he said as he tipped my chin up and kissed me. “But right now we have a grand opening to put on. So please put me to work.”

I straightened to wipe my tears when my phone chimed. I glanced at the screen to make sure it wasn’t Hallie or Savannah with another problem, but it was an email.

“What’s the matter?”

My stomach shouldn’t have sunk the way it did at seeing the message notification, but it plummeted like a cartoon anvil.

I stammered for a moment before finally putting the words together. “I got the job.”

Silence blanketed the house.

I should have been celebrating. I should have been ecstatic.

I tapped my phone to open the email and skimmed the message. Pleased to offer you the position as our new director of marketing and outreach…Employment contract to come at the beginning of the week…

I wanted to throw up at the sight of the high five-figure salary.

Was it nerves, or…

“You did it.” Hayes’s congratulations was sincere, but it wasn’t celebratory. It was resigned, matching the mix of disbelief and unease I felt.

I swallowed as I read over the details again. “I’ll get the contract next week and will have two weeks to review it and accept the offer.”

“Have my attorneys look it over,” he said as he wrapped me up in his arms as if he could shield us from reality. He kissed the top of my head. “Make sure they’re worthy of you.”