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“I should have known.” With a shake of my head, I continued. “Nicole is doing well with them. Even if it feels wrong to go against what Alice and Mom would’ve wanted, they’re happy here. This town isn’t what it used to be.”

“Because of you,” she said.

“R-right. It’s still weird to talk about it out loud.”

“It’s still weird to think it. I can’t believe it’s you.” She scoffed. “What does STM stand for?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Save the Magic.”

“You’re kidding.”

“You always saw the magic in this place. I wanted you to have that.”

“You also wanted it,” she reminded. “Remember all the things you did?”

“I do. As much as I’d like to lie and say it was for a cover, I didn’t want people to suffer.”

She smiled. “That’s the man I love.”

“Love?”

“I never stopped loving you, Gabe.” Her voice was soft. “I just tried to forget it.”

“I would’ve deserved it if you did.”

She only shrugged. “It’s out of my control.”

“Mine too. But I can control one thing.” I pulled her close. “Staying. I can do that.”

“Thank God.” Her entire body loosened in my hold, and I supported her without a second thought. Her head fell to my shoulder. “I need a ten-year nap for what you did to me.”

“Take all the time you need.”

Jade pulled away. “Actually, I need coffee.” She pointed at me. “I have questions about the grant, and you’re gonna answer them.”

Jade had a cup of steaming coffee in her hand when she went into interrogation mode. Her brow pulled low and she leaned in.

It was both hot and terrifying.

“What are your plans for what you own?”

I blinked. “My plans? I don’t have any.”

“Are you going to sell it off? Will you develop?”

“Jade—”

“I need to ask. I need to know.”

“All right, all right. Don’t move so much, you’ll burn yourself.” I pointed to her coffee, which was about to spill over her hand. She gasped and took a sip before resuming her glare. “And I’ll be honest, I don’t have any plans for them. I might own things, but whoever rents it gets to call the shots.”

“So, if Jackie decided she wanted to turn her salon into a raccoon sanctuary?”

I blew out a breath. “I’d be confused, but I’d help her.”

“And the money? Are you out of it?”

“You’re really underestimating how much money that game made me. I’m fine. Eventually, I want to make more, but for now, I’m good for the foreseeable future.”