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I tossedmy phone down and took a hot shower before meeting James for breakfast. My father’s words rankled. Our conversation was getting under my skin.
“I’m starting to wonder if having this girl back is the problem. I’m wondering if this girl is the difference.”
He wasn’t right about Jenny, but in some ways, he wasn’t wrong. My business was usually my whole focus. It was my entire life. But since I’d met Jenny, I started to care a little less. I’d started wondering if there might be something to life besides adding to my piles of money. That thought would’ve scared Old Cole, but New Cole was wondering if there was something to it.
But something else troubled me: my father’s insinuation that Jenny was up to something.“I find it curious that she’s suddenly interested in your business dealings.”He was trying to start shit, I knew that. Still, Jennyhadacted funny earlier. The juxtaposition of her actions and his comments left me feeling unsettled and off-balance.
My thoughts circled as I headed down to the restaurant. Insecurity—so foreign I almost didn’t recognize it—zipped through me.Thiswas what made me want to avoid relationships. I did not have time for this shit.
“Hey,” James said. He looked me up and down. “Why do you look so pissed? We’re on vacation with two beautiful women, and we’re going fly-fishing. What the hell are you frowning about?”
I sat down heavily, gratefully accepting the coffee the server brought over. “I just got off the phone with my dad.”
James smirked. “Enough said. I’ve made a point of not talking to anybody in my family for the past forty-eight hours, and I feel great.”
I shook my head. “What’s going on with your mom, anyway? I know she got brought in for questioning, but I haven’t heard much since then.”
James’s expression darkened. His mom had been arrested in conjunction with a cold case involving the death of his high school girlfriend. “She hasn’t been formally charged yet. They’re still in the investigation phase. Honestly, the case is so old that there’s little direct evidence. But I still feel like my mother’s arrest is some small justice for Danielle’s parents. It will never change what happened, but the truth coming out might help them heal.”
“I’m so sorry.” I shook my head. “Here I am complaining about my father because he’s being a pain in the ass about getting approvals from the city—boo fucking hoo. What you’re dealing with is so hard. I’m sorry, James.”
He shook his head, then smiled. “Don’t be sorry. I know your dad’s a real ass.”
“Ha, it makes me feel better to hear someone else say it.” I had another sip of coffee, and our mood lightened again. It was always good to talk to my friend. No matter what crazy things were happening around us, he’d always been a constant in my life.
James grinned at me. “What’s Lewis doing to you?”
I shrugged. “Trying to get me to buy off one of the inspectors. Threatening my inheritance. You know, the usual.”
“Been there, done that,” James said. “My mother was hinting at something similar when I told her that Audrey and I were serious. But I’ve decided that I don’t care anymore. They can disinherit me if they want—fuck them.”
I nodded.
James continued, “I have plenty of money, and I’m not looking for their approval. I’m my own man, and I’m getting married to the love of my life. Nothing they can say or do would mean more to me than that.”
I considered what he’d said. “I agree with you; money’s only money. My issue with my father’s threats is that I hate seeing the waste. Also, I’d like him to be open to accepting Jenny. He hasn’t even met her. I think once he did, and if he gave her a chance, he would see that she has many good qualities and is a good person. So it’s not that I’m afraid of losing my inheritance, although let’s face it—that would suck.”
I had another sip of coffee. “It’s more that I don’t want to see everything my family’s built be wasted. That would be a heresy, not to mention disrespectful to all our work.”
“You’re right,” James agreed. “For him to disinherit his only child would be ridiculous.”
I blew out a deep breath. “And then there’s my mom. It would be disrespectful to her memory for all of this to be for nothing. My father spent his entire life building his empire. But I don’t know how to talk to him anymore. He’s so twisted up, and he only cares about winning.”
“Maybe you should just show up at his house when we get back,” James suggested. “You know, try to appeal to him face-to-face. My mom’s still a nightmare in person, but that doesn’t mean that your dad will be.”
“Oh, he will be,” I said. “But it’s worth trying. You never know—maybe everything will be okay.”
“Maybe,” James said.
I nodded. “Maybe is better than nothing.”
And if I thought that was too optimistic, I kept it to myself.
JENNY
My cell phonewas out of range during our ride. When we got back to the ranch, a message appeared on my screen. I took one look at it, and my stomach dropped. The message was from Cole’s father.
“I gotta go,” I told Audrey. “I’ll see you at dinner, okay?”