Page 105 of Extreme Romancing in Idaho

“What’s this?” Angie pulled the manila folder with a single slip of paper peeking out from the front cover off the counter.

Shit. I’d been checking over Tony’s closing documents when Ryan and Gabby had called. I hadn’t planned on bringing Angie back here. I’d slipped them under the couch. Myles must have ‘cleaned up’ last night and put the folder there.

“Nothing.” I stood and rushed forward to grab it from her, but she snatched it out of my reach.

“Then why do you want them so bad?” She peeled open the front cover.

Before she could read very far, I told her what I should have told her the moment she walked into my living room. “It’s the closing documents for buying a parcel on five hundred and forty acres belonging to Tony and Nora Johnson.” Each word pounded the nail in my coffin.

“These are signed.” She flipped through a couple more pages. “And notarized.”

The folder slipped from her fingers and papers flapped onto the floor, scattering at our feet. I couldn’t meet her accusing glare. Couldn’t bear the way the light in her eyes faded into dim betrayal.

“What?” She croaked. “What happened to ‘marry me and I won’t buy your farm’? Did you mean anything you said? Or were you playing me from day one?” Her voice rose until she all out shouted at me.

A vice clamped around my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. I was going to lose her. How could I make her see? “No. I didn’t lie about loving you.” I held my hands up like I would around a live bomb. “Tony’s going to talk to you about his decision. It’s your father’s dying wish. How can I deny him his last wish?”

“A dying man’s wish that fits so conveniently into your agenda.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say to defend myself.

She shook her head and kicked the papers on her way to the door. “I’m not going to let this happen. You sick son of a bitch. You manipulated my father, who is not in a clear frame of mind, to get what you want.”

“It’s not like that. He’s doing this for you.” I took a step toward her.

“For me?” Gripping the doorknob, she slapped her hand against her chest. “Only I know what’s best for me. Not you. Not Mama. Not even Papa.”

“Don’t leave. We can sit down and talk about this and figure it out.”

“So you can lie to me some more? Yeah, right.” She yanked open the door. “You knew about this last night, and you didn’t tell me. You let me cry in your arms. And in a crazy turn of events, you’re still the bad guy.”

“You needed sleep. And Tony asked me to wait to tell you until he had a chance to talk to you.”

“I was so stupid for trusting you. Forget about me, forget about my family, and leave us alone.” She stepped outside, slamming the door behind her.

I followed after her only to stop at the edge of my lawn and watch her disappear into the corn, which was now taller than me.

Chapter 41

Angie

Swipingatmyeyes,I tore open my front door. Dagnabbit. I thought I’d cried all my tears the night before.

“Mama!” I hollered down the hall. “Is Papa awake?” Still wearing my scrubs from almost two days ago and my hair a webbed mess, I beelined it to Papa’s room.

“He just ate lunch.” Mama stood at the sink and dropped a couple of dishes in the dishwasher.

I pushed open Papa’s door. The curtains had been pulled open, brightening the typically dim room. Papa must not have a migraine today.

He laid on the propped-up bed, wearing his favorite red flannel jacket, his stare boring into me. Usually, we were so in tune with our opinions, Papa could read my thoughts. Ever so slightly his eyes flinched and shifted from me to the floor. I had no doubt he knew that I knew.

“Where’s Jared?”

Mama came up behind me. “He’s in bed. He spent all night with Tony.”

“Told my boy—not to waste his one chance to achieve his dreams on me,” Papa said, his voice even weaker than before I’d left for Lili’s delivery. “He’s going back on tour. He can join that Zoom thing … for the funeral.”

“Oh, so now you know what’s best for Jared too?” I stomped up next to his bed.

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