Page 51 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“Kinda,” she said, straightening the stack of notes and leaflets. “I’ve been thinking about Ostara.”

“Ostara? The festival?”

“Yep.”

The festival had been left on the back burner. No time, no budget. With only six weeks to go, if there was any festival at all, it would be whatever he could scrape together at the last minute, paid for out of his own pocket.

Verity fanned out a selection of leaflets, companies he’d never heard of. Many looked a little amateurish.

“Well,” she started. “Ostara is the celebration of spring. New beginnings and all that… right?”

“Right…”

“So, I thought it would be the perfect time to champion new businesses. These are all start-ups.” She picked out two floral looking leaflets. “These florists are both new. One’s happy to provide decorations, the other can do activities for children. This is a bakery, they’ll give every kid a sweet bun and a lemonade. The garden centre has new owners, and they’ll hand out flower seeds, and the Greener Life charity want to do guided walks around the park. All they want is a free stall in the square for the evening.”

Free? She’d convinced them to help for free?

“I’ve also got fourteen yeses and eight maybes for stalls,” she went on, “but I’ve only mentioned it to the small businesses so far, and I might have implied that we could do discounts. You know you charge a lot for stall holders, right?”

“I guess…” he started, but she continued.

“And the amateur operatic society and the Ashhaven Players would both like to perform. Oh, and did you know there’s a choir who meet at the Golden Fleece pub on the market square? They’re right there and they never get asked to join in.”

Theo blinked.

“Verity, it’s been two days,” he murmured. “How, in all the hells, have you got all this in two days?”

Her triumphant grin was a thing to behold. “Cora’s part of a group for independent businesses. I just asked around.”

“But this is…” Incredible? Unbelievable? The single best thing anyone had ever done for him? But it wasn’t for him, it was for everyone.

“I was thinking as well, with your permission, that I could contact the local schools and see if they could do some games. Maybe organise a flower crown competition and an egg hunt? A couple of other businesses said that they couldn’t help with the festival, but they offered prizes.”

Staring down at the array of leaflets and notes, Theo didn’t know what to say. Mentioning the festival to her had half been a joke, never in his wildest dreams did he think she’d actually do it.

“I… know it won’t be up to the usual standard,” she said, and he looked up. She watched him, brows drawn together, waiting for his verdict, heart starting to race. “What do you think?”

“I think… you’re a fucking angel. You’ve saved the festival.” The quickening thrum of her heart peaked at that, breaths growing shallow as he trapped her in his gaze. “My angel.” The words slipped from his lips without permission, but he wouldn’t take them back. This radiant beauty sat before him, so bold and clever. She cared about this town and its traditions, truly cared, and he’d be damned if someone was going to take her away from him.

“I heard something today,” he started. He didn’t want to tell her, but she needed to be prepared. “Abe is due back next weekend.”

Her lips twitch before pressing hard together, eyes fluttering, trying to blink away panic. To hells with not touching her, he knelt before her, one hand on hers the other cradling her face.

“It’s going to be okay, Verity. I swear, I won’t let him take you.”

“And what if Petra tells you to?” she whispered.

Fuck, what if Petra told him to?

A moment’s hesitation was all she needed to spiral further into terror. Shooting out of the chair, she paced, fighting for breath.

“Admit it, Theo, if he still wants me there’s nothing you can do. He’ll take me and he’ll…” her arms wrapped around her body and he couldn’t take it.

“No,” he snapped, grabbing her in his embrace. Rumbling built in his chest, the desperate need to protect, to claim. “Petra knows you’re mine. I will not let them take you.”

“But…”

“We stick to the plan. Make sure everyone knows you belong to me.”