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“I think what your sister is doing is bollocks. And I think that no one but your dad is standing up for you is shit. I know how it feels to be you against the world, and I want you to know that you’re not alone. You have me. I think I made that pretty clear last night.”
She tightened her grip.
“I take that as a yes. Were you about to take off without me?”
Silence.
“Another yes.”
“What do you want me to say? I’m crushed that my sister is being so selfish and keeping secrets. And not just from me.”
Wes froze. “What does that mean? Is she lying to my brother?”
“That’s between them. But let’s just say they have a lot to talk about before this wedding happens.”
“If I have it my way, they will have a long engagement followed by a destination wedding.”
She looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. “My family can’t afford that, and neither can my sister.”
“But I can.”
“Did you just offer to pay for my sister’s wedding so that she won’t steal mine?”
“Yes.”
“You make it sound so easy. Like money can fix everything.”
“Not everything, but it can fix a lot.” He pressed their foreheads together. “Let me fix this for you?”
“Why? You hate weddings.”
“But you don’t. And when you find that right man, I want you to have the wedding of your dreams.”
Even as he said it, a rush of jealousy pulsed through his body. His hand fisted at the idea of some other man kissing her, getting down on one knee, sharing her bed. Putting a ring on that elegant finger. That lucky son of a bitch better appreciate—no, worship—what he had.
“Thank you.” She went up on her toes and delivered a gentle kiss. “But this is my family’s problem, and I don’t want to drag you into the drama.”
Normally he’d thank Christ for a clean exit from family drama, but for some reason her comment didn’t sit right. Not after the time they’d spent together, and the warm welcome he’d received from her family.
“Plus, I could never take your money.”
This truly flabbergasted him. “Why? I have it. You need it. Problem solved.”
“I think a lot of people come to you for money, and I don’t want to be one of those people. You deserve more from me and more from whatever this thing is between us.”
“This thing between us already involves your family. It took everything I had not to flatten my brother.”
“It isn’t Randy. It’s Autumn, and I see that now. And she’ll see it when she’s ready too.”
“‘Sorry’ doesn’t even begin to cover how screwed up that was. And I wish I could take you back to this morning in the shower before the world interrupted.”
“Is this what’s going to happen to us? We’ll go back to Ridgefield and the world will interrupt what time we have together? Will the reality of owning rival shops put up a roadblock that’s impossible to cross? And please be honest, I don’t think I can stand another person I care about playing me.”
He cupped her cheeks so that her gaze was locked on his. “As far as I’m concerned, that rivalry ended the second you kissed me in the water that night.”
“You kissed me.”
He smiled, then brushed the tears away with the pad of his thumb. “Whatever you say, love.”