Page 15 of Endless Love: Novella

“Let Spencer know we’re on it,” I told him, standing, shaking his hand, and patting his shoulder. “And for fuck’s sake, try to compartmentalize a little better.”

Ivy nodded sagely, her ponytail swinging. “You have a terrible poker face.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied with a smirk. “I always thought I did, but I’ve never been in a position like this. Thank you. Thank you for keeping this between us. I promise you, Ariawill know soon enough about this. Not yet, though. She doesn’t need one more thing weighing on her mind.”

I noticed the way Ivy stayed quiet, the way her frown deepened. Silence spread between us for a few moments after Miles went out to join the group.

Finally, she groaned, spreading her arms in a helpless shrug. “I don’t feel good about this. I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

“You don’t believe him?”

I was glad when she shook her head. “It’s not that. I’m sure he was telling the truth, and the whole thing was an accident. I know how cutthroat business can get too. It’s Aria I’m worried about. She deserves to know about this.”

“And she will.”

“Right. Not until after the wedding. It feels… well, it feels icky,” she concluded. “Like we’re tricking her somehow.”

“I don’t think it’s that serious. But if you don’t feel right about it, I’ll handle things.” Wrapping my arms around her, I added, “All we’re doing is making sure nothing else goes wrong this weekend. Aria doesn’t need to know about this right now. It would only be one more thing to get in the way of celebrating.”

“Just like a man.” There was a lot of love in the way she said it, but more than a little exasperation too. “You think you’re protecting us at times like this. You might know Aria better than I do, but I’m a woman like she is. I’d resent having the truth kept from me like I’m being patronized.”

When she put it that way, I understood. “Let her and Miles work it out for themselves,” I decided, kissing her forehead. “We have to trust them.”

“Fine. I will,” she said. “I hope if all of this is true and that guy did send some thug out here, they aren’t going to cause trouble.”

“Let’s try not to worry about it,” I urged, staring out the window over the top of her head. That was easier said than done now that my imagination was running away with me.

Was I being paranoid… or did it seem like too big of a coincidence for the store to burn down when it did?

7

EVAN

“This place is going to be fantastic.” Colton lined up his shot, eyeing the flag on the seventh hole. He was in no hurry, considering we had the entire course to ourselves the day before the wedding. “It’s the perfect addition to your properties.”

“And just think,” Lucian pointed out as we watched Colton putt. “At the very least, our dads will keep the place in business.”

Colton sank his putt, laughing. “I’m starting to think the entire reason for having the estate out here is so Dad can golf whenever he wants.”

“Can you blame him?” I asked as I gazed around at my latest purchase. My tenth property. The sale had closed a few months shy of my thirtieth birthday. The way I had always planned my life.

It didn’t feel real, but then not much about the last six months did. The last two years as a matter of fact. I’d never imagined Valentina being the woman I needed to complete my life—to give it meaning. None of my success would have been worth a damn if I didn’t have her and Isabel at the end of the day.There had been a time when I would’ve laughed at a sentiment like that. What an arrogant dumbass I used to be.

“I have to admit, I’m impressed.” It was Spencer’s turn, though he seemed more interested in admiring the surroundings than in putting. I couldn’t pretend there was no pride involved as I watched him look around, nodding in approval. “You say you’re planning on expanding?”

“No, I was referring to my property in Greenwich,” I explained, exchanging a grin with Colton. “He gave me the idea a couple of years ago before his wedding. I purchased a large plot of land that borders my country club and golf course, and the groundbreaking for the resort will take place in a couple of weeks.”

Spencer smirked. “Let me guess. The family company is managing construction.”

“How was I going to pass up that opportunity?” Colton asked with a laugh.

“Have you ever considered going bicoastal?” Spencer asked when he’d sunk his putt. “God knows there are plenty of properties like this in my area… golf courses, country clubs, resorts. A good friend of mine out there is looking to free up some liquid assets, in fact, and he has a handful of properties he’s looking to unload. I could connect the two of you.”

“I think his brain just exploded,” Lucian observed, chuckling. “You should have waited until after the wedding to ask a question like that. I hope he can pull it together by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, getting a laugh from everybody else. “If there’s one thing I’m going to get right, it’s my vows. Certain things a guy doesn’t fuck up.”

“Are you boys sure you don’t want me to take you out tonight?” Spencer looked around the group, eyeing Miles andme in particular. “It doesn’t have to get crazy. I’ll have you back before curfew.”

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