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“Hi, Aiden.” I smiled. We weren’t at hug status. I didn’t know if we ever would be.

“It was a nice wedding. They seem like a happy couple. Young, but happy.” He took a swig of champagne.

“Sasha’s twenty-five. I don’t think that’s too young to get married.” I wasn’t sure what he was implying, but I felt the need to defend the bride and groom.

Mary Ellen slid her palm against his, and I noticed he clutched her hand.

He smiled. “I know they’re your friends. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

I backed down from my defensive stance. Cole was quiet.

Then he broke his silence. “Aiden, I’d like to talk to you for a second.”

I looked at both men. This couldn’t be good. I held the crook of Cole’s arm. He smiled at me.

“It’s ok. I just need to say something to him.” His voice was steady and certain. “As a matter of fact, I can say it in front of you. It involves you too.”

“What’s going on, nephew? Threatening me with a countersuit?”

“The opposite.”

Aiden looked puzzled. “Go on.”

“I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I think it’s in my best interest if I let the Dunes go.”

“Cole, you can’t!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Kaitlyn, you were right about the lawsuit.” He looked Aiden straight in the eye. “But I have conditions.”

“I’m listening.” Aiden had lost his usual cavalier attitude.

“You agree to drop the current lawsuit, and I’ll sell you the Dunes for half price.”

“Half price?” Aiden asked.

My jaw dropped. What in the hell kind of deal was this?

“I was going to sell it for 2.5 million. Why should I cut a deal on it?”

“Because, we could be in court for years and you might not win. This way, it’s a sure thing. You’re guaranteed to make a profit.” Cole had a determined look in his eye.

Aiden looked skeptical. “But why would you give up the potential to make more than twice as much?”

Cole ignored my protests. “I’ve never been in this to make money. I think we all know that. But it is my only employment and Kaitlyn’s too. I think we’re owed something for it. So drop the suit, pay me a million dollars, and you can have it.”

Aiden rocked back on his heels, a move I had seen Cole make a hundred times. He rubbed his jaw then took a sip of champagne. Mary Ellen didn’t budge.

“You have a deal.” He extended his hand to Cole. For the first time since they met, they shook hands. “I’ll have my attorney draw up the paperwork and deliver it to you on Monday.” I wondered if this is how Aiden handled all his business deals. He seemed like a natural.

Cole nodded. “Sounds good. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to find our table.” He placed his palm on the lower part of my back and eased me into the ballroom.

I wanted to grind my silver heels into his toe and demand he tell me what he had just done, but I smiled and nodded at the wedding guests until we were seated at our table. Our table’s theme was the honeymoon table. There were pictures of palm trees under a sheet of glass and shells scattered on top.

“Cole, you can’t be serious.” I glared at him. “You can’t do this.”

“Darlin’, I just did it.”

My hands balled into a fist. I was tempted to slug some sense into him. He had just given away the only thing he had left from Pops. His childhood memories. Our memories. Grayson’s future. Our baby’s future.