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CHAPTER17
Colton
I never should’ve flown out last night. I might be at work today, but I couldn’t focus on anything I was trying to accomplish. If anyone other than Annabella’s father had spoken to me like that, I would’ve knocked his ass out. It wasn’t like he was my dad’s age. Hell, Greg looked only ten or twelve years older than me.
I closed my laptop, got up, and paced around my office again, hoping it would help to clear my head. I had questions, but didn’t know what I should do right now. Should I call Annabella? I haven’t heard from her since I left her parents’ house. Was she waiting for me to make the first move?
Fuck. Does she feel the way her father does?
Picking up the phone, I called the owner of the dairy farm and let him know I was ill and needed to go home. I never procrastinated, so there wasn’t anything critical on my plate that couldn’t wait a day or two. At least not business-wise. My personal life, however, was in turmoil.
This dilemma called for an impartial party to hear me out and, hopefully, provide me with good advice.
I NEED TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW. MEET ME AT MY APARTMENT.
Jack replied, TWENTY MINUTES. I’LL BRING BEER.
In case I changed my mind and decided to work later, I packed up my laptop and took it home with me.
Jack pulled up to my place at the same time as I did.
“What the hell’s going on, Colton? You’ve never sent me a text like that.”
“Come in and I’ll tell you what went down yesterday,” I said. After we cracked open a beer and I downed it, I sat on the couch and said, “Her father threw me out of the house and told me never to come back.”
“You’re fucking kidding, right?” Jack asked. I shook my head. “What the hell did you say to him to get thrown out?”
“Nothing. Well, I mentioned my brother Logan Henderson, and he flipped out. Told me I’d never be welcome back and to stay away from Annabella. He wasn’t just a little pissed. This man was enraged, and I have no idea why.”
“It sounds like your brother might not be a stand-up guy. What kind of shit is he involved in?”
“Jack, you can google the guy. He’s a world-renowned neurosurgeon. The only thing I could find on him was praise and more praise. He’s a walking hero for people needing brain surgery. There’s no reason he or anyone else would hate the guy,” I said.
“Yet, her dad does. So I guess there’s something about him that the world doesn’t know. Want my help to find out what that is?”
“It couldn’t hurt,” I said. Opening my laptop I asked, “Where do I start?”
Jack shook his head. “Do you want my honest opinion?”
I nodded.
“I suggest we fly out to Boston and confront your brother face-to-face. Ask him the hard questions, and if he’s lying, I should be able to tell.”
“What if he won’t meet with us?” I asked. “He’s busy at the hospital.”
“Then we make an appointment like any other person. But if he won’t meet with you, then you might want to consider cutting ties with your biological family. Just because he’s family, doesn’t mean you should let him come between you and the woman you love.”
“Why the hell does everyone keep telling me I love Annabella?” I snapped.
“Oh. Simple. Because you do. The question is: why do you keep denying it?”
I wasn’t denying it.I know I’m falling in love with her.But if I don’t figure out what happened yesterday, it’s a moot point.
“My priority is figuring out what the fuck went wrong. Then I can work on my relationship with Annabella.”If we even still have one.
“Fair enough. Want me to book our tickets?”
“You can’t just up and leave,” I reminded him.
