Page 150 of In Spades

I looked down at my feet, squeezing my eyes shut. “You humiliated me. Was I just a joke to you? Were you just trying to see how long you could string me along? I trusted you.”

Without hesitation, Will pulled me into his arms and cradled me against his chest as I sobbed.

Safe. Home. Loved.

Like a rockslide, emotions crashed into me one after the other. My knees buckled and Will took us to the floor, holding me between his knees, whispering I love yous and sweet affirmations as my tears turned to sniffs.

Eventually, my heart rate slowed, and the adrenaline faded.

Will told me everything. His history with Elena; their engagement and breakup; the embezzled funds he was investigating at the inn when we first met. He never mentioned anything about an engagement ring, though.

I didn’t bring up my hunch. Maybe I had been wrong.

“You were so angry that the inn sold.” He sighed and combed his fingers through my hair.

I closed my eyes and tucked my head under his chin, pressing my cheek to his collarbone.

“I was going to tell you everything after our first date, but then you told me about the kids and I—I was selfish. I wanted to meet them, and I was afraid if I told you so soon, you’d run for the hills.”

“You could’ve told me I wasn’t losing my job,” I said, whimpering. “That’s all I needed, Will. I don’t care about your money or your companies.” I paused and quickly added, “I mean, apart from the sticker shock I’m still experiencing after talking to Matt Hoffman.” I looked up at him. “Ten million?”

“If you say no to being with me, that’s something I’ll have to live with. But the money is earmarked for college for you and the kids. I don’t want that to be something you ever have to worry about.” He nuzzled against my shoulder.

I probably smelled like industrial laundry detergent and disinfectant spray.

“I know why you’re mad at me,” he continued. “But if you’re still mad at the poker club, please don’t blame them. I told them not to say anything to you. I promised them that I would tell you.”

I sniffed. “I was just starting to fit in. I’d always been this charity case that they pitied. It finally felt like I was standing on my own two feet… That maybe they actually liked me for me—not because I’m still the pathetic girl they met five years ago.” I trailed the pad of my finger down a vein on his wrist. “They all knew this thing, and I had been kept in the dark. I’ve never felt more like an outsider than I did the night of the Christmas party.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said, peppering my temple with kisses.

I cowered away when his eyes darted down to my lips.

He pulled back. “I get it if you’re not ready to make nice with me. But I don’t want you to lose them. I’d never forgive myself if that happened.”

I wouldn’t forgive myself for it either.

34

KRISTIN

“Kristin, don’t you dare run across this parking lot,” Hannah Jane snapped as she slid out of her shiny black car and slammed the door. “I had a wedding last night, I wore new heels, and my feet are destroyed. I don’t feel like chasing you.”

I ignored her and made a beeline for the service entrance. I had been avoiding Hannah like the plague. It wasn’t hard. I knew all the good hiding spots. I hadn’t even had to jump into the laundry cart to hide. It was almost too easy.

Will and I had talked things out. Sort of. I sat on the foyer floor for another hour while he held me in his arms and talked about what he actually did for work.

All the computer-y, tech-y stuff he did each day was more like a hobby. A hobby that made him exorbitant amounts of money.

Not that he needed it.

Will was brilliant, and not only with computer engineering. He credited his investment success to a photographic memory and lots of late nights diving down internet rabbit holes. According to him, you really could learn anything on the internet. Even how to become a billionaire.

The whole concept still shocked me. My only exposure to that kind of money was Isaac. He flaunted it shamelessly. Will lived comfortably—very comfortably—but he wasn’t flashy with his wealth.

He did things like buy me a sleeper couch without asking because he knew I’d say no. It was a little gesture to him, but to me it was about as grand as it got.

Will was the humblest man I’d ever met, despite having enough money to buy a new boat every time the old one got wet.

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