Page 79 of My Small Town Silver Fox Billionaire

May coughs, grabbing a tissue to spit out the phlegm.

“Sara, I know this is a lot, but this cough, it’s not going to get better. My immune system is nothing like how it was before. I’m not as sick as I was a few weeks ago, but I still feel like I’m one bad move away from croaking.”

“Don’t say that,” I stammer with tears running down my face.

“I am, Sara. I’m telling you the truth because it’s better than trying to lie. I don’t want you to keep the fantasy that I’m going to live forever. As much as I would love to, that’s impossible.”

“Don’t speak like this, May.”

Her face falls. Her eyes look downcast, sad at her words. “I know this isn’t the best thing to hear, Sara, but I’m not going to lie to you. I hate it as much as you do.”

I tear up again, wiping them away as I try to compose my thoughts. Death and dying are not something that I like to hear about, but it’s apparent. It’s a fact of life. Still, I don’t like to think about it.

“May, please.”

“I don’t want you to pity me. I want you to understand that I’m leaving this to you because I trust you. So much more than I could ever trust anyone else.”

I nod, taking in each word. “That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.”

May chuckles and nods. “I’m sure it is. But I guess there’s the matter of when you’ll do this,” she replies, looking out at the other workers down there. “I would like for you to when the renovations are done. I’ll give you the key and everything.”

I nod, agreeing to this.

“I promise I will, May. I’ll do this.”

“Good.”

We stand up and embrace. The tears fall, not out of sadness, but out of hope for the future. There’s still so much that I can’t forget about any of this. But when I think about the future, I don’t feel disappointed or sad. Instead, I feel confident and ready for the future.

After I make my rounds of the animals and give some extra attention to Clover, May and I say our goodbyes. As I drive back, I think about our conversation. It warms my heart but also makes me realize the inevitability of death.

It’s a sad ordeal, but May’s genuinely kind words are not something I can ever forget.

I drive to my place, noticing a car that I recognize sitting in the guest parking space. I look at it, curious. When I approach, voices echo from my apartment door.

“I told you! She’s not home.”

“I just need to see her.”

“Well, I don’t know if she wants to see you.”

Wait, that’s—

I approach, seeing the familiar dark-haired man turn and look at me. A smile beams across his face. Katie folds her arms across her chest.

“Sara, this guy is trying to come back and beg for forgiveness and—”

“Wait a second, Katie,” I say, raising my hand. “I want to hear him out, to find out exactly what he wants.”

Chapter twenty-eight

Robert

Sara’s eyes narrow the moment she sees me. I sense the hostility, not that I blame her.

“Sara, it’s good to see you. Can we talk for a few minutes?”

“I wouldn’t, Sara,” Katie advises. “He’s probably going to break your heart again.”

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