Page 40 of The Billionaire Who Hated Me (Until He Loved Me)

We walk back toward the waiting room.On our way, I try to figure out what’s bothering me—or bothering me themost.I feel like I owe theMacLaines something.A thank you?An apology?If I’m being honest with myself, I’m really starting to question what’s so urgent about the Sulfur Springs deal, and if there might be a better approach to doing business here.

At the very least, I can offer my help.It will be refused, no doubt, but if I’m already here, I may as well give it a shot.

We round the corner to find Jamie in deep conversation with his sons.Phyllis waves at me.

Jamie turns, smiles, and approaches.“Victoria!”He gives me a hug.“So glad you’re here.I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh?”This is not what I expected.Not at all.“I was just about to ask if there’s anything I can do to help.”

CHAPTER 23

Cal

“Give me the keys.”

“But—”

“Do it.”

Finn drops his SUV keys into my open palm.It’s a good thing, too.Driving will give me something to do with my hands.And maybe even allow me to keep my mouth shut.

Finn buckles Jasmine into the center of the back seat and hops in the passenger side.Victoria and Summer join my niece.

Not three minutes down the road and my knuckles are already blanched white from gripping the steering wheel.

I don’t get it.It’s like everyone in my damn family has fallen under Victoria Backlund’s spell.Once we knew Evander was fine, everyone wanted to talk about her, ask a bunch of questions.How did the woman who’s here to take our land suddenly become our collective BFF?

And Dad!He was just as eager as Evander to declare that Victoria was the answer to their prayers.Dad even hugged her—more than once.

“Don’t break my steering wheel,” Finn whispers.

Evander had called me back into his hospital room when Dad stepped away.He said Dad had asked him to investigate Renaissance Empowered and Victoria in particular.He told me the company was legit, if sometimes aggressive, and that Victoria had a top-shelf reputation.Yale Business School, even.

He said investigators were still doing interviews and collecting documents but that I could find a preliminary report on his dining room table.

Evander then added that one of his buddies in San Diego had recently wrapped up a real estate development deal with Victoria, and in his words, “She ate me for lunch and then left me with the check.”

“Exactly,” I said.“And Sulfur Springs is her next meal.”

Evander managed to talk me down.“Listen, Cal.Let her work on the contract while I get back on my feet.Let’s see what she’s made of.You know what they say about keeping your enemies closer.”

Jasmine’s high, squeaky voice jars me back to the present moment.

“So does this mean you’re staying with us, Victoria?Can I show you my room?It’s all pink!”

Victoria glances up, and our eyes lock in the rearview mirror.I must not be hiding my fury very well, because she looks away quickly.

“I might be staying for just a little bit longer, but I’m not sure,” she says to Jasmine.“I’m going to help out with something while your uncle is healing from his injury, and also talk to your grandfather about some ranch business.”

“Are you going to work for us at the ranch, Victoria?Will you work with the horses like Summer does?Daddy, is she going to live here?Can she live in our house with us?”

“Uh.”Finn turns around to face the back.“Remember how we talked about asking too many questions, Jasmine?”His voice is so patient.I don’t know how he does it.“We talked about how it’s good to be curious but it’s rude to harangue people, remember?”

“What’s meringue mean?”

“It means don’t butt in,” I say, looking into the mirror again.“Don’t insert yourself into other people’s business and offer to do things no one asked you to do.”

“I don’t think it means that, Uncle Cal.”Finn punches the side of my thigh.Hard.