Page 95 of Any Luck at All

“I messed everything up, Maisie. I’m not sure how to make it right. I wonder if I even can.”

She took him in her arms and held him, just held him, for a moment, letting him cry. Then she pulled back and wiped his tears.

“You can, and you will. Do you love Georgie?”

The answer was so easy, it made him feel even more foolish for treating her the way he had. For walking away like she meant nothing to him.

“I do.”

She nodded, as if that was what she’d expected, but she looked almost sad about it.

“Then you’re going to get your girl back. And your job, obviously.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Oh?”

He told her about the contract he’d signed—the noncompete and the new fraternization clause—and she scowled as if she’d eaten a lemon.

“Her brothers sound like controlling douchebags,” she said, “especially the one who knew about the will. You should have taken Georgie’s advice and had Finn look at it. He never would have let you sign that.”

He sighed. “I know.”

“And you also know what you have to do, right?” She took a dramatic pause. “Give that controlling douchebag a call.”

“Ugh,” he said, feeling his head ache again through the pain reliever he’d taken. “I hate that you’re right about that too.”

She grinned and pointed to herself. “You can’t go wrong if you stick with this controlling douchebag.”

“Har-de-har-har.” He motioned to the space around them. “Why here, Maisie? Why not at your office or my apartment?”

An almost wistful look passed over her face. “It just seemed right,” she said. “It was always a safe place for us, wasn’t it? I hoped it would be one for you now.”

He hugged her again, holding on tight, bolstering himself for what was to come, and as soon as she pulled away, she said, “And no matter what happens, that’s an absolute no about Hops. In fact, I already filled out the adoption paperwork for you.”

“Youarea controlling douchebag,” he teased, stepping back as she fake-swatted him. “Are you coming tonight?”

“No,” she said simply. “I don’t think so. But you’re going to tell me everything.”

* * *

Back in his car, he checked the rest of his texts. Finn was worried and apologetic. Apparently Georgie’s reaction had convinced him that she hadn’t deviously plotted the whole thing, but he still thought it was a bad idea for River to get involved with his boss. He couldn’t help but smile a little at that—even Finn’s apology texts were paragraphs.

Noted, he responded.After all of this is over, let’s get a beer or make one.

AuntDottie’s messages were frantic enough that he thought it best to call her.

She answered on the first ring, and he could hear the Buchanan tasting room in the background. He felt an odd pang at that.

“River, where are you?” Aunt Dottie said, and the guilt he’d felt toward Georgie doubled. Tripled. She’d worried he would leave. That he would just drive off the way her niece always had.

“I’m okay,” he said. “I’m at Maisie’s. She just talked some sense into me.”

A relieved gust of air made him pull the phone away from his ear. “Oh, thank heavens. Are you coming over to talk to Georgie? She’s had the door of her office shut all day, but I heard her crying in there, poor dear.”

And if that didn’t make him feel terrible…

“Not yet,” he said, “I have to talk to Jack first. I want to be with Georgie, but I don’t like all this closed-doors business. All of these lies and misunderstandings. I know she doesn’t either. I need to clear the air.”

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