Page 92 of Trouble Walked In

The last thing Lizzie wanted right now was family dinner with Carter. “I’m going to finish up here.”

“Seriously? You’re still worried about the lights?” Della stood up and turned toward the house. “Can’t they wait until tomorrow?”

Lizzie glanced at the winery where Carter and Mark lived, then back at Della. “No.”

Della frowned, then her gaze flicked toward Lookout Point, and understanding flickered across her face. “Okay. See you inside.”

The twinkle lights kicked on, but Lizzie didn’t move.

She pictured what life might be like with Renic. Summer nights under the lights. Winter evenings by the fire. Music in out-of-the-way places. Lying in his arms in the backseat of his car, or here at the inn, or maybe his place in the city.

How long could they keep up that kind of life?

Would Renic leave her the way her ex had?

Would her heart ever recover if he did?

Should she take that chance?

She hugged her knees to her chest and waited for the answers to all her questions, but they never came.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Renic sat behind his desk at Self Evident records and read through the contract one more time while Nate Edwards and three lawyers waited on the other side of the door. The document was filled with lawyer gibberish and lots of caveats, but the gist of it was everything he’d said he wanted.

Morgan spun her chair by kicking her foot against the desk. Every turn of the chair was accompanied by a thump and clank that rattled his mood and concentration.

He flashed her an exasperated look. “Will you stop that?”

She put her foot against the desk to stop the spin. “What the hell is going on with you? We’ve been going over this damn contract for three days, and for three days you’ve been walking around like you have a thundercloud shoved up your ass.”

He put the paperwork down and leaned back, letting out a long-suffering sigh for emphasis. He was tired and cranky, and he wasn’t in the mood for another argument. “It’s a huge decision, Morgan. It affects all of us. I just wantto make sure it’s the right thing before I sign away our future, okay?”

Morgan huffed at him. “You know, when you first brought this up I was against the idea, but between me and the lawyers, we’ve worked this deal from every angle, and it’s all in our favor. Even I can see what a big step this would be for Self Evident. And if I can see it, I know you can. You’re stalling, and I want to know why.”

He gave her the same look he gave the lawyers when they pestered him with questions he wasn’t willing to answer. “I’m not stalling.”

“You never take this long to make a decision. Ever.” She leaned forward and tapped the desk. “You wanted this deal, but now you’re waffling like an Eggo and it’s not like you. What changed? Is it Della? Because if she really wants to get the group back together, this deal is the way to get it done. It’ll let her void her prior contract and issue a new one to the three of them.”

“It’s not Della.” Sometimes he really resented how well Morgan knew him. “And don’t even think about drawing up a new contract with her until she talks to her sisters. I’m not at all sure that Piper will ever be on board. Once burned, twice pissed off.”

“It’sher, isn’t it. You said you wanted more time to spend with Lizzie. You were all hyped up about it, but now you’re as cold as a fish.” Morgan narrowed her eyes at him. “Why? Is she against the merge?”

“She doesn’t even know about it.” He avoided Morgan’s gaze by checking his phone. For once there wasn’t a single text waiting for a response. It figured.

Morgan looked stunned. “Oh, wow. You finally danced the nasty with her but you didn’t tell her your plans? Why the hell not?”

“It wasn’t relevant.” He fanned the papers out across his desk and avoided her gaze.

She stared at him as if he were a particularly challenging puzzle. “You love her. I know you do. It’s all over your five o’clock shadow.”

He piled the papers up again.

Morgan’s frown deepened. “Did you tell her that?”

“Yes.” He sighed. There was no way out of this conversation. Morgan would gnaw on him like a bone until he gave her more of the story. “She thinks our lives aren’t in sync. She actually said, ‘You’re music, and I can’t sing. We don’t mesh.’”

“Oh. That’s, um, eloquent.” Morgan looked thoughtful. “Was that before or after you said I love you?”

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