Page 64 of Made for You

And this time I listen to her. I fucking hate it. It kills me that she doesn’t trust me. Sulking all the way back to my cabin in the cold night air. For once relishing the quiet but long walk.

Why did Liam have to come in and put doubt in my mind by demanding I stop talking to Alexander? Things were going so well, and now, I don’t know what to believe. His story is so outlandish!

I don’t trust Alexander, but do I trust Liam? He’s jealous of Alexander. And come on, Alexander and Larry in some diabolical plan together to steal the innandme? Why would that even be on Larry’s radar? He doesn’t even like me until he needs me to appear at his side for election events. Why would he want tosteal me?

Liam was being so understanding of my need for control in my life, and now this? Was he just biding his time until he thought I was falling for him?

I need Emma.

I swing my legs over the edge of my bed and slide my feet into my slippers before shuffling down the hall to Emma’s room.

I knock lightly, unsure if she’s up this early.

“Hold on,” she mumbles from behind the door.

After a minute she opens the door. “Oh thank god, it’s just you.”

I raise my eyebrow in her direction.

“I might have just sent a guy home. I thought he might have come back, let’s just say it was a lot more fun after a few beers.” She groans.

“Oh my god, you had a one night stand!” I whisper shout.

“I was trying to make—” she pauses, “someone jealous.”

“Ohh, who?” I’m suddenly much more intrigued by her evening than mine.

“No one that matters.” She pouts. “What do I owe the pleasure of the early morning visit?”

I sigh and go throw myself on her bed.

“That good huh?” she jokes.

“It’s your brother.”

“Oh, ew. Nope. I do not give sex advice for my brother.” She covers her ears.

I swat at her arms. “No, it’s not that. Things have been going so well and then last night he blew that up, accusing Alexander and my stepfather of being in some scheme together to steal me and the inn from him. Liam has been jealous of Alexanderfrom day one, and come on, how far-fetched does that whole scenario sound?” I spill out.

Emma stills next to me, “Wait, he said that Alexander is trying to steal the inn?”

“Yeah, isn’t that ridiculous?” I fidget with the hem of my shirt. Her face is stoic, telling me that she doesn’t think it’s so ridiculous.

“That makes so much fucking sense actually. Didn’t you say he’s here to scope out a business? Damn it, I knew he was lying to me that night.”

“What night?” I sit up straighter.

She looks toward her door, paranoid that someone might be lurking in the hallway.

“Do you have time to go get a coffee from Emerald Roasters?” she asks.

“I can make time. Especially now. I need you to shed some light on this for me.” I spring up from the bed and run back to my room to throw on my leggings and Liam’s hoodie that I stole the other night.

I meet Emma downstairs and we hop in her car. It’s much too cold to walk there in the dark before the sun rises.

Thank god, Esther and Franklin are early risers and get there in time to have coffee ready for the local farmers before they start their days.

The bell dings above our heads, and Esther looks in our direction.

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