Page 152 of Theirs for the Holidays

“I know.”

“Good.”

“I meant it, you know. That I love you. I really, really do. And not just because you gave me fifty million dollars.”

Sawyer snorts. “I’m glad it’s not just because of that. Because we meant it too. We love you so fucking much.”

It’s still hard to wrap my head around the fact that the number on my bank account balance is real. “I still can’t believe you did that. You just… gave me all that money.”

“Well…” Rhett says slowly. “We still have plenty left. And we plan to use it for something specific.”

“Like what?” I ask, leaning up to look at him.

The three of them exchange a look, sharing identical conspiratorial smiles.

50

LENNOX

A few days later,we pull ourselves out of the haze of good sex and being together and decide to take action. There’s one more thing left unfinished, and it’s a loose end we can’t allow to keep hanging around.

So we march into the building where Violet had her bakery, determined and ready to end this.

Isabelle is there, leaning on the counter that Violet used to sell pastries behind, watching something on her phone. She’s tanned from her honeymoon with Andrew, and looks like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

As soon as we step inside, she looks up, surprised.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, glancing around at my brothers, me, and Violet. “I thought you all went home once the truth came out.”

She sounds so smug, and we’re not having it.

“The only truth you managed to make come out was how selfish and underhanded you are,” I tell her, sounding bored.

“Why would we leave?” Sawyer adds. “We love Violet, and we want to be where she is.”

Rhett takes a step forward, folding his arms. “And we’re not going to just sit by and watch her get treated like shit becauseyou think it’s funny or because you think you deserve more than her. So get used to seeing us around.”

Sawyer grins, nudging me in the side. “Do you think part of the reason she’s so jealous is because she’s realized she married the boring brother?”

I shrug. “Maybe. Or she’s so obsessed with ruining Violet’s relationships because she’s realized her marriage to Andrew is so empty it may as well be fake.”

Isabelle narrows her eyes, but doesn’t rise to the bait. Her jaw is clenched though, so it’s clear the barbs hit the target. “None of you are funny,” she says. “And you should leave. I have potential buyers coming by any minute.”

Violet doesn’t say anything to that, but her posture goes tense. I can tell she’s keeping her eyes forward, trying not to look around and the place that once made her so happy now that it’s not hers anymore.

It gives me great pleasure to smile in Isabelle’s face and burst her bubble. “No, you don’t.”

“Excuse me?” she replies. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you fucked up,” Sawyer says.

I touch his arm and continue. “It didn’t sit right with us that you did this. So we decided to do something about it. We used some of our resources to make sure you don’t get to keep this building. As it turns out, Eleanor was pretty sentimental about this place, so she put a clause in her will that says the building can’t be used for certain things. Or sold to certain parties.”

“You know, like corporate developers, chain businesses, and non-local buyers. It seems like Eleanor at least knew the value of community and keeping something treasured in the family,” Sawyer chimes in.

“You were going to sell it to someone like that?” Violet asks, speaking up for the first time.

Isabelle shrugs. “So what? It’s mine to do what I want with it. We’re starting a family soon, and I don’t expect you to know what you need to make that happen, but the extra money would come in handy.”