Page 70 of Best Laid Plans

"I should feel betrayed, angry, but all I feel is tired. I'm sick of my private life. At work, I have people like Zara, Char, and now Diego. Good people. At home, I have Mama, Alma, and Bailey…fuck, Nova, I love my family, but I can't fuckin' stand ‘em."

It was like we were back in the past, and he was giving himself to me, telling me his truth. I couldn't resist this version of him, so I let him take us back to when things were simple between us.

"I felt the same about Mama and Memaw. I loved them, but I didn't like them. They were selfish, and though they cared for me in their way, it was always laced with a sense of quid pro quo. We did this for you, so what will you do for us?"

He nodded. "The military was hard, but I was happy not to deal with my parents and Alma. Now, they're in my house, and I feel like…well…I don't know, like they are the interlopers, or maybe I am. I hate that fucking monstrosity of a house. It's a goddamn mausoleum." His anger radiated from him.

"Then get rid of it. Live here."

He lifted my chin to look at me. "It's my family's legacy."

"Fine, then leave it to Alma or your mother. You don't have to live there."

"It's expected."

"By whom?"

He smiled at me. "By them."

"The crowd is untruth."

"Søren Kierkegaard."

"Yes. They don't matter. They are not paying your bills or living your life."

We became silent, and my eyes closed. I felt peaceful for the first time in a long time. I felt his lips against my hair.

Just as I let sleep claim me, I heard him whisper, "I love you."

But when I got back to Savannah, I knew it had been a dream because a man who loved me wouldn't have put me through what he did again.

Chapter 27

Anson

"We can't keep this under wraps," Kiefer Coughlan, the Chief Financial Officer for Larue Homes, said.

I stared at what he had put in front of me. I'd just been thinking about going to Savannah so I could spend time with Nova. I hadn't expected that I'd find her caught in the trap I'd laid when we first started the project.

"That's one hundred thousand dollars missing from various accounts we set up for Sentinel Heights," Kiefer continued.

I sat motionless, my heart hard as stone. I trusted her. I believed in her. How could this be happening again?

"We have to take this to the authorities. We have government funding for Sentinel Heights. This is stealing government money," he concluded.

"Are you sure about this?" Diego asked as he looked through the evidence Kiefer had handed us.

I felt a heavy weight settle in my chest. I forced myself to focus on the papers in front of me again. The logins, the transfers—all pointing to Nova. Her login was used to move the money.

"I can't believe it," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else.

"I don't believe it," Diego said confidently.

Kiefer sighed. "Whatever the situation, I have no choice, because of the state government funds, to hand this over to the DA in Savannah." He got up and looked at me. "I'm sorry, Anson. If she's innocent, the police will find out."

"And if she's guilty?" I couldn't believe this. Apparently, the funds had been moved surreptitiously, in small amounts, to avoid triggering any of our failsafe measures.

"They'll know that, too," Kiefer said blandly. "I'm just hoping we can recover the money. I have a request, please don't call anyone at Savannah Lace."

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