Page 95 of Brewing Up My Fresh Start

“I was protecting her from her ex.”

“What?” Jessica’s expression shifts from anger to confusion.

“David called Scott, asking detailed questions about our project. He knows things only Michelle would know—grant strategies, community development models, everything she shared with me in confidence.” My hands grip the steering wheel. “He’s planning to steal our approach and target Twin Waves because of her involvement.”

Jessica goes very still. “You broke up with her to protect her from David?”

“I couldn’t tell her. It would destroy her to know that trusting me made her vulnerable again.” The words taste bitter. “So I made her think I was choosing business over her.”

“You idiot.” But Jessica’s voice has lost its edge. “She thinks you’re David all over again.”

The comparison to her ex lands hard. Because Jessica’s right—from Michelle’s view, the pattern is identical. Trust, collaboration, abandonment when business conflicts with feelings.

“I need to talk to her.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Jessica, she doesn’t understand why I made that choice.”

“Because you didn’t trust her with the truth. Because instead of letting her decide how to handle David’s threat, you made the decision for her.”

The observation stops me cold. That’s exactly what I did—decided that protecting her from painful truths was more important than treating her as an equal partner.

“She would have been devastated to know David was targeting her again.”

“And now she’s devastated anyway, but she thinks you’re the one who betrayed her.”

Partner.The word I used to describe our business relationship, stripping away any hint of personal connection. No wonder Michelle felt discarded.

“I messed this up completely.”

“Spectacularly,” Jessica confirms. “But recognizing the problem is the first step.”

“How do I fix making the woman I love think I used her?”

“You start by admitting that your way isn’t the only way. Michelle Lawson has been handling complicated situations since before you arrived in Twin Waves. She didn’t need you to sacrifice your relationship to save her from David.” Jessica stares at me for a long moment.

“She needs to know everything. But first I need to figure out how to explain why I handled it by breaking her heart instead of trusting her.”

“You better figure it out fast.” Jessica glances back toward the coffee shop. “Because she’s planning to fight this development on her own now. And if David’s circling, she’s more vulnerable than ever.”

I’m about to respond when my phone buzzes. Scott’s name appears on the screen.

“Take it,” Jessica says. “I’ll tell Michelle you’re not giving up.”

I answer as Jessica walks away. “What now?”

“We have a bigger problem,” Scott says without preamble. “The investors got wind of Norris’ interest in our project. They’re concerned about competitive threats and want to accelerate our timeline.”

My stomach drops. “Accelerate how?”

“They want us to move forward with the original plan. Full development, maximum profit potential. They’re threatening to pull funding if we can’t guarantee that community partnerships won’t compromise the project’s commercial viability.”

“In other words, they want me to cut ties with Michelle completely.”

“They want assurance that personal relationships won’t affect business decisions. And they want it by tomorrow.”

I lean back against my truck, feeling the walls close in from every direction. “So now I have to choose between funding that could save the project and the woman I love.”