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“I knew that I couldn’t have both. I made a choice.”
“Well, I’munmaking it. We’ll figure out something for the store. I can’t tell you how many times your mother and I discussed selling it.”
Presley slumped back in her chair. “Selling?”
“The storefront in St. Maarten is easily worth a few million. Your mom and I could retire. We could travel before her arthritis gets worse.”
“But all the work that Vance did?—”
“If he’ll allow us to use his programming as an incentive, we could probably sell it for a lot more to a new business that’s trying to expand.”
The relief was instant. She felt like two hundred pounds had been lifted off her shoulders. “And you don’t hate me?”
“Oh, sweetheart, we couldn’t hate you. We want you to do what makes you happy. And the Warren name attached to amazing, timeless jewelry is more than we could ever imagine.”
“Thanks.” Of all the ways she thought this conversation would go, that wasn’t in any of them.
“Now you better come home and tell your mother about this.”
“Can I do it this weekend?” She sniffed and straightened her shoulders. “I have someone I need to see.”
He stood and brushed a kiss against her temple. “Of course.” He paused at the door. “I like that young man.”
“Pop,” she said in a warning tone.
“I do. He’s good for you.”
“Yeah, well. I have much groveling to do.”
“Don’t grovel too much. It’ll go to his head.”
She laughed. “Can’t have that.”
She looked down at the phone Vance had sent her. She saw the small circles on the bottom that signified there was another page. She swiped and saw the app he’d created for her. Her logo.
She double tapped it and it opened. But it wasn’t just for the display at the Jewelry Expo. He’d really put it out there live. “Sixteen messages.” She shook her head. It had to be spam. Her Facebook page was filled with it.
She sat back in her chair.
How the hell did that happen? She even recognized two major market stores. One out of Los Angeles, for mercy’s sake.
Presley grabbed her jacket, the new phone and her purse. She rushed out into the main office where her dad was. “Are you okay here alone?”
“I’m fine. Go.”
She took the side door and down the steps to the street. She juggled out her regular phone and looked up the address that Natalie had given her. Should she call him first?
No.
No, she had to do this in person. She got in her car. The address wasn’t that far from them. She opened the maps feature on her phone and set it in its holder.
Nineteen
Vance tossedhis weekender into the back and climbed into his Jeep. He needed to get back to his place, even if the mere thought of it without her left his chest tight. He’d only known her a few short days, but already his world felt emptier without her.
He knew he was in a bad way when he let them drag him onto the golf course. Add in the fact that even his mother’s lasagna hadn’t been able to cheer him up—yeah, he was in for a world of hurt to get over this woman.
Chasing her felt like the wrong move. But that was his nature. Fix, solve problems, be the bulldozer. And look what that got him.
