Page 106 of Housebroke

He laughed. “No. I’m perfectly sober and know exactly what I want to do.”

She wasn’t sure she understood what he was asking. Or suggesting. She’d never been more confused in her life. “You want to buy this place to live in and renovate. And you want me to rent it from you?”

“No, Hazel.” He took her hands. “I want to live here. With you. Not as a roommate, but sharing a bed with you. A life with you.”

“Oh.” She thought about it, ecstatic for a moment, confused for another, and then it all started to sink in. “You deliberately brought me here because you thought it’s what I wanted.”

“Well, kind of. I like this place, too. There’s lots of storage for my renovation stuff, and it’s close enough to the city that I can either work there or hop on a plane when I need to.”

“And you’ll still be able to afford to do that after you get a mortgage the size of Ohio for this place?”

He scratched the side of his nose. “Uh, no. I intend to pay cash for this place.”

“You... what?”

“I have money, Hazel. A lot of it.”

The shock hit her so hard she felt dizzy. “How much is a lot of it?”

“Lots of millions.”

She heard a buzzing in her ears and wished there was a place to sit down, because dizziness overcame her.

Millions? “Wha... Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”

“It’s... complicated.”

“Having money isn’t complicated, Linc.”

“It is when women use you because of it.”

“Oh. I see.” She took a deep inhale and let it out, suddenly unable to comprehend what was happening here. Linc was a millionaire. Or more than a millionaire. Something he’d left out of every conversation he’d ever had with her. And why was that? Did he think because she was broke she’d latch on to him like a barnacle and never let go? She had figured out that he was probably well-off, financially. After all, he owned a company that he managed well. One that gave him enough time to indulge in doing this side business, which probably also offered a decent profit.

But, millionaire? Never in her wildest imaginings did she expect that.

And then he throws out buying this place. For her. Because, obviously, she’d never be able to make a go of it on her own. What he must think of her. Well, she knew what he thought of her.

Inept. Useless. Unable to stand on her own two feet.

“Hazel, let me explain.”

She held up her hand. “No, I think I’ve got it. Can we go now?”

“Babe, if you just let me explain, I think I can—”

“Oh, I think you’ve done enough for today. I’d like to leave.”

He paused, and she refused to acknowledge the look of hurt on his face.

He’d lied to her. And more importantly, he’d invited her out here to this... this mansion, claiming he was going to buy it and he wanted her to live there with him. He hadn’t included her in his decision-making, in his thoughts about the future.

How typical.

And not once had he told her how he felt about her. Not. Once.

She had to get away from him.

The drive back was in silence. Hazel spent the entire time with her focus squarely on the passenger side window so she wouldn’t have to look at Linc. Fortunately, he stayed quiet as well until they pulled into the garage at the house. She got out of the truck immediately and went into the house.

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