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I just spoke to your attorney. I will sign the papers if you hear me out. I’m flying into Cottonwood Cove tonight. Have dinner with me, let me speak to you in person, and I give you my word that I will sign the papers afterward if that’s what you want. Tell me where to meet you, and I’ll be there at 8:00 p.m.
I came to a stop and let out a long breath. I knew this was the only way he’d do it, so I could agree to these terms. I responded quickly, and I felt hopeful that this could be closure for both of us.
Thank you. I’ll be at Reynolds’ Bar and Grill at 8:00 p.m.
The Devil
Why am I not surprised you chose Reynolds’ as the meeting place? It’s sort of ironic, isn’t it?
I didn’t respond. Yes, he knew about my history with Cage. Hell, he blamed that relationship for all that had been wrong with ours. But Reynolds’ Bar and Grill was the busiest place in town from what I’d heard, and I knew Wes well enough to know that he wouldn’t make a scene in a restaurant with an audience. Wes was all about image and appearances.
I tucked my phone into my back pocket and looked up to see Lola waving at me as she stood in front of the old firehouse.
“So, this is it, huh?”
“Yep. Brax opened it up for me to show you, and he’ll be back to lock up in an hour. He had an appointment.” Brax was Hugh’s best friend, and he’d grown up in Cottonwood Cove.
“Did you already go inside?”
“I did,” she said. “You’re going to lose your mind. It’s absolutely perfect. I’m hoping it makes you want to be my partner and run this place with me.”
“I am your partner,” I said, shaking my head. “But my life is in New York, and you know that.”
“You’re my financial partner. I want us to work together like we always dreamed we’d do.”
“Lo, I’m about to become a partner at Harper, Walker, and Beezley. It’s everything I’ve worked for. Not to mention, there is an article going to press in a few days that will be singing my praises as having paved the way for women in the legal world. Have you forgotten about all that?”
“I know, and I’m so proud of you. I just… I don’t know,” she said, looking away as her teeth sank into her bottom lip.
“What? Say it.”
“I think you’ve buried yourself in a miserable job, working endless hours all to avoid your unhappy marriage. Life is short, Pres. I want you to be happy. That’s why I left the city and came here. I’m done with the rat race. I want to start living.”
I raised a brow and reached for the door handle, pulling it open and stepping inside. “Don’t put your issues on me. You hated Corporate America. I thrive in it.”
“I’ll bet you thrived having that talk with Cage, too, didn’t you?” She waggled her brows.
“It was fine. I didn’t want to leave things with me being a complete asshole to him while I was drunk. We got some… closure.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” She chuckled and pulled off her coat, and I did the same. “And his daughter sounds adorable.”
“Yeah. She’s really something. He’s a good dad, no doubt about it.” I looked up as I dropped my coat onto the counter beside the door. “And… oh my gosh. This place is spectacular.”
The old firehouse had massive vaulted ceilings and wide-open spaces. It would take a lot of work to make it what she had visualized for the space, but I listened as we walked through and she explained her plans for the layout. From yoga classes to several rooms for massages and facials and whatever else she could think of. There would be a juice bar and a small gift shop selling brand products she wanted me to help create. My inner artist couldn’t wait to go sit at the cove and sketch some ideas for her.
“Isn’t it fabulous?”
“It is. I can see it. Now, we need to come up with a name and brand idea and then figure out the budget. It’s going to take a lot of work to get this place up and running, but I think it’s going to be worth it.”
“Does it make you want to jump ship on your boring life and join me?”
“It does not. But I will be cheering you on all the way.” I bumped her with my shoulder as we moved up the stairs.
“Can we grab dinner and celebrate that we might actually have found the perfect place?”
I loved that Lola was always a glass-half-full person. We had a long way to go as far as figuring out the expenses and what this particular location would take to get it up and running. But her enthusiasm had always been one of my favorite things about her.
“I can’t tonight. Wes is coming into town.”
