Page 10 of Married to the Frenemy

Instead, she spent what should have been her freshman year learning how to walk again.

And I spent mine in prison.

“You know I’m right,” Jude cuts into my thoughts.

“She’ll never agree to this.”

“You never know. She might just be desperate enough to agree to marry you, you asshole.”

“And an asshole is exactly what I’d be if I offered her somewhere to live, but only if she marries me.”

“Then make sure you sweeten the pot.”

“Sweeten the pot? How?”

“Give her an offer she can’t refuse,” he says, doing his best impression of Marlon Brando. Then adds, “and I’m not talking about your dick, since history indicates that’s an offer she’s more than happy to refuse.”

I punch him in the bicep. It’s not a hard jab, but it’s not exactly light, either.

“Asshole.” He rubs his arm.

“You started it,” I retort, just as I did when we were kids.

“Think about it, Beck. Are you ready to walk away from all of this?” He waves at the acres upon acres of vine-covered rolling hills, the setting sun casting a mixture of shadows and light on the stunning landscape.

“Getting married doesn’t guarantee Grady will sell to me,” I remind my brother.

“No. But it’ll at least get you in the running. Do you always want to wonder what if?”

I could argue that I’ll be fine. That I can always find another piece of property to buy or accept one of the myriad of offers I receive from other vineyards on a regular basis. But I know this land. Know this soil. Know these vines.

Am I ready to give up without a fight?

Better yet, am I willing to pull Haley back into my life even after I swore I’d stay away?

CHAPTER FIVE

HALEY

The numbers on the legal pad in front of me blur and swirl, making it difficult to focus. One thing I’ve become painfully aware of is how hard it is to come up with a reliable budget when so much of my income depends on tips. Which depends on how busy the casino is. It doesn’t help that Christmas is around the corner, so money is tighter than usual, which stresses me out even more.

My only saving grace has been the support system I’ve built over the years in Parker and Grandma Estelle, who isn’t a grandmother at all. Still, she’s well-known here in Sycamore Falls and loved by so many people, especially me.

Ever since I moved here after giving birth to Maggie, she’s been more than willing to watch my little girl whenever I’ve needed her to, allowing me to pick up extra shifts at the casino.

But even with extra shifts, I’m not sure it will be enough.

Since I live so close to Lake Tahoe, everyone has been raising rent prices to take advantage of the seasonal tourists who flock here for skiing in the winter and lake activities in the summer. A single mom who works as a cocktail waitress probably isn’t their ideal tenant.

But the more time that passes and the more rejections I get from potential rentals, the more I fear I may have no option but to move to a larger city with more affordable housing. That or start sleeping with men for money.

Maybe I should take a page out of Parker’s book. She’s always been a strong believer in manifestation and the law of attraction. Maybe that’s what I should do. Manifest a solution in the hopes the universe is listening and will give me what I need.

Closing my eyes, I push out a long breath, doing my best to eliminate any negative thoughts from my mind.

“I will have a place to live,” I announce.

While the skeptic in me struggles to believe any of this will work, I’m willing to try anything at this point. Like make bold statements to the universe.

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