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“The money is there if you need it.”
“The money is there if I need it?” I echo his words as I put my plate to the side. I glance up as Hunter’s words sink in. “But is it really?”
“There’s land we can sever from the estate, a good fifteen acres along the lake. It’s prime real estate and could make us a great deal of money. Developers have been banging on Uncle Bill’s door for the past ten years to get hold of it.”
That might be true, but... “That land was bought with the life insurance money and belongs to all four of us Logans. Never mind that it’s also prime grazing for Uncle Bill’s cows, your cows—” It also includes the forested part by the lake where, until yesterday, I fancied building myself a nest with Georgiana.
“Our cows.”
I raise a hand to stop him from going further. “You’ve been planning and saving to expand for the past four years, and we all hate developers. Keep the land for Daisy and her offspring. You have a business that’s doing great, and I won’t let you jeopardize that.” I have nothing, and what I’d hoped would kickstart my new future this weekend has blown up in my face.
“Still as hard-ass as the day you were born. You’re entitled to it, Ray. It’s your inheritance too.”
“I don’t want developers to steamroll through the land here, okay?” My tone is harsh, but I know Hunter feels the same.
“Fine. Just let me know when you want to go to the bank, and I’ll hold your hand. I’ll even sign security for the money you need and will kick your butt until the last cent is repaid.”
“Go away, Hunter,” I mutter. Here is my brother, offering me everything I want. I hate to admit it, but it’s an option. I haven’t tried the banks yet, so certain I’ll be refused. Maybe, with Hunter’s backing, I’d stand a chance.
“Think about it.” he says.
“Okay, I will.”
“So why don’t you know where Georgiana is? What’s going on between you two?”
“We’re done.”
“What?” Hunter’s jaw drops as his eyebrows shoot up his forehead.
I need to shut him up and more importantly, make him go away so I can wallow for two more days. I’ve made peace that on Tuesday I’ll clock in at Cash’s. I need to have worked through all this crap and boxed it up by then. Some things are easier to box up and put away, but this thing I had with Georgiana…it’s going to need time. Probably a lifetime.
“Who broke up with whom?”
“It was a mutual—”
“Bullshit.” His eyes go wide as he gives me the stare. “You broke up with her, didn’t you?”
“Georgiana’s got so much going for her—”
“And you didn’t finish school. And you’re dyslexic. And you have dysgraphia. And they’d love to slot you in on some spectrum because they don’t know where you belong with that brain of yours. Just help me out here already. Ray, don’t you realize Georgiana cared about none of that? Jeez, you’re full of shit.”
I look away. Only one other person dares speak to me like this, to tell me how it is. Georgiana. You’d have more wing if the chip on your shoulder wasn’t so freaking big.
The guilt eats at me. “I left her there. I made such an idiot of myself on camera when I learned we got disqualified, I just had to leave. I can’t face—”
“On camera?”
“They were filming, and I stuttered like an idiot.”
He gives me that long, hard Hunter-stare and then drags a hand through his hair. “You know what, Ray, I’m going to tell you how it is. You’re the only person who thinks you’re an idiot, but today, I agree. You’re a bloody idiot to let that woman go. You’re crazy for her, and she is crazy for you. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Hunter stands and shakes his head. “I don’t know how you’re going to fix this, but I bet you can think out of the box and deliver.”
37
GEORGIANA
I haven’t pulled an all-nighter for some time, and despite the three hours of sleep I got between five and eight this morning, I now feel like I’ve been dragged through a shredder.
