Page 68 of Recklessly in Love

She arches against me, stroking a hand down the back of my head. I bury my face in her breasts and sigh.

“When will you leave?” she asks quietly.

I kiss her clavicle. “Tomorrow morning.” Her chin rests on my head, and I wrap my arms around her. “This is just a bump in the road, baby. We’ll get through this.”

She slides off my lap and heads toward the door. She turns back from the doorway and smiles sadly. “I know.” Her gaze drops to the desk. “Thanks for believing me.”

I shake my head, angry at the idea that someone believing her is something to be grateful for like the alternative is even remotely acceptable. And again, I’m angry at myself for the small window of doubt my father’s delivering this package instilled in me. I’m an asshole.

“You deserve all the faith in the world, Joanie. Believe that.”

Once she’s gone, I clear my schedule and put the documents back in their envelope to take to Seattle. Somehow, I’ll figure this out. I just hope I do it before my father gets tired of waiting for my complete submission.

* * *

After making love to Joanie twice the next morning, it takes everything I’ve got to walk out the door, bag packed for fuck knows how long away from her. With a heavy heart, I start the trek, letting my mind sift through everything as I drive.

By the time I get to the house in Queen Anne, I don’t have any brilliant ideas—save calling Sera and asking her advice. At the very least, she asked for updates on the property stuff, and it would be good to talk to someone about this.

I call her, and we arrange to meet for lunch near her office the next day. That done, I make up a bed and head to the grocery store. If I’m going to be here a while, I may as well get settled in.

* * *

The restaurant Sera wants to meet at near her office is in the heart of downtown Seattle, and it hasn’t been long enough since my last trip for the stress of the city to leech entirely out of me. So it’s even more overwhelming this time. It probably doesn’t help that I’m already on high alert, given everything that’s going on.

Once I step into the burger joint, the noise level falls considerably, and my shoulders drop from around my ears. The inside is done in the 1950s diner style, with bright colors and period-appropriate posters. It’s cute, if not a little kitschy. And I’m a bit early, so I wait in the entryway until Sera breezes in a few minutes later, looking pretty in a khaki shirtdress.

“Hey, you,” I greet her, going in for a hug.

She squeezes me briefly before putting me back at arm’s length. “You look even more stressed out than before,” she comments drily.

I give her a wry smile. “Thanks?”

A hostess leads us to a small booth, and we settle in.

“So, what’s daddy dearest up to now?” Sera asks as she flips through her menu.

I snort. “I’m going to need beer for this conversation,” I joke. Thankfully, the waiter shows up and takes our drink orders, bustling back with them before I can so much as take another breath.

“Well?” Sera asks after he takes our orders and rushes off again.

“He dug up some dirt on my girlfriend, Joanie, and threatened to kill her career with it if I don’t stop seeing her and sign over my share of the property,” I summarize succinctly, knowing Sera’s fondness for getting to the point.

“Shit,” she says. “What an asshole.”

I chuckle. “Yep. Speaking of assholes, how’s your mom doing?” I tease.

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t even get me started,” she grouses jokingly. She taps the table. “I did have an idea after our last meeting, though. I was going to hold onto it until the right time, and this seems like it.”

I raise an eyebrow. “This I’ve got to hear.”

“I’d like to buy you out of your interest in the property you own with your father,” she replies.

Not that I had any idea what I expected her to say, but I’m still shocked by her suggestion. “Sera, I can’t ask you to take that on. And I’m not even sure it would work that way … legally, I mean.”

She smiles. “I looked at your draft proposal and I’ve done my research. Your type of ownership allows you to sell your interest. I’ll buy in and use cash to build facilities for the city, which I’ll then lease to them. Once the initial city planning is done, I’ll use the remaining land to build luxury retail and residential spaces to promote town growth. Your father won’t see a penny, and if he’s smart, he’ll let me buy him out, too, which will be hard for him to turn down as I plan to make him a very generous offer. You won’t have to fight him anymore, and the town wins.”

“Sera … I appreciate the thought, but I think I’m just going to give in and let him have the property. It’s not worth fighting over, and I don’t need to drag you into it.”

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