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“What?” she asked.
“There is a clause in the contract we’ve got that if Duke decides not to buy it, we can’t use any of the changes he’s made in terms of the menu. We can’t cook the food the way he’s changed it. We could keep the menu items, but we have to change the way they are cooked and served.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Hadley. Be honest with yourself. The pub is doing as well as it is because of Duke’s reputation and expertise. We know that. That is why we went to him with this offer. That was his clause and your father and I felt it was more than fair. There were things we were willing to just hand over and he wouldn’t let us. We said we’d pay the mortgage on the business and he’d have these six months to just step in and run it as if it was ground zero. The debt prior was ours.”
“That’s crazy,” she said. “Why would you do that?”
“First off, we didn’t do it. Duke wouldn’t let us. He is paying for everything in terms of the mortgage and utilities. All the building costs. He argued the same thing. That it’s nothing more than paying rent. He’s a fair man and we knew it. If you’re having any doubts and think he is anything like Eddie, don’t.”
“I don’t feel that way,” she said. Not once had it occurred to her and she found it odd considering how burned and hurt she was over Eddie.
“Good. Because Duke has morals and integrity. It’s refreshing to see. He could have taken our deal or negotiated more in his favor, we know that, but he didn’t want to take advantage. His clause made total sense and we would never do that to him either. And if we tried, he’s got some big lawyers on his side. Hailey Bond covers all Bond business. We’d be stupid to try to break that clause.”
She groaned. “And now he thinks I’m trying to do that.”
“I don’t know what he thinks. Did you tell him you didn’t know what the contract said?”
“Yes. He asked if I talked to you guys and I said no. He told me I needed to. I don’t know why he couldn’t tell me all of that,” she said. “Not only did I put my foot in my mouth, but I could have ruined what we had on a personal level.”
“If you did,” her mother said, “if that question to him, however innocent it was, ruined what you two have, then he isn’t the one for you.”
“I can’t seem to do anything right in my life,” she said. She started to sniffle some more, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Look at the mess my life has become. I finally find some happiness in my professional life and my personal one too and here I just jammed it up.”
“You didn’t do that at all. You need to talk to Duke. Tell him you found out.”
“Do you know how hard it was for me to work up the courage to talk to him about this? I figured if there was one person out there that could be positive and honest with me, it’d be him.”
“We are always positive and honest with you,” her mother said, looking hurt.
Yep, she messed that up too. “You have to be, you’re my mother.”
“That’s not true. There are a lot of parents out there that aren’t positive or encouraging with their children.”
She knew that was the truth. “It’s not the same. You guys baby me all the time. You always do. You always have. It’s why I left the area. I know you mean well.”
“We always mean well,” her mother said. “And I’m sorry you feel that way. We try to give you space and thought that we’ve done a good job of it. When you have a child someday you’ll understand the need to want to help and protect them.”
“If I ever find anyone that I can hang on to,” she said.
She got up and blew her nose.
“It will work out. Give yourself a few days to figure it out in your head like you always do. Did you have breakfast? Why don’t you eat with us? It will make you feel better.”
The gentle way they ended the conversation on her again. She didn’t have the energy to fight it.
It was wrong on her part to give in, but sometimes it was better.
29
Broke The Shield
“Hey, Duke,” Hailey said to him a few days later. “How are things going?”
“They’ve been better,” he said.
He hadn’t talked to Hadley since she left suddenly on Sunday.
