Page 10 of Sweet Home Louisiana

“Depends on how you look at it.”

“I look at it as thirty days surrounded by people who I haven’t known in a decade, who are slightly off their rockers, and who are now going to be doing everything they can to convince me not to sell my portion of the company they all love.”

So she’d realized this visit was intended to talk her out of selling.He should have known she’d figure that out quickly.

“Okay, that could be a long thirty days,” he agreed.

She wet her lips, seeming to hesitate for a moment.Then she said, “I’m going to need a friend.Someone on my side.”

That kicked him in the gut.Just as she’d intended.He dropped his hand from her arm.“What do you mean?Everyone here loves you.”

She lifted a shoulder at that, as if she wasn’t completely convinced.Owen tucked his hands into his front pockets to keep from reaching for her.

“I need someone to help them understand that I need to sell,” she said.

He wasn’t sure how much Sawyer had told her, but he had to be honest here.“We can’t afford to buy you out.”

She sighed.“I know.And I’d sell it to you for a dollar if I could.”

The partnership agreement said that anyone selling had to get at least fair market value.

“But I have a buyer,” she added.

“Yeah.I heard.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, studying Owen’s face.“He’s a great fit.He wants this.He’s excited about the company.And he’s got money.A lot of it.Enough to invest and really do some big things.Expand.Advertise.Whatever Boys of the Bayou needs.”

“And you want me to convince my family that we should let a stranger come in here and be a partner?”he asked.“You have to know that’s not going to happen.”

“Please,” she said, her eyes pleading.“It’s a good idea.For everyone.I don’t want the company, he does.And you guys could use a partner who’s truly involved.And has cash.”

“We should go in.”He couldn’t handle this on his own.Because he was torn between wanting her to keep it, wanting her to feel connected here, and wanting her to be happy and get what she wanted.

This was definitely going to be a long thirty days.

Owen felt his temper spiking and he reached past her to grab the door again.“Let’s talk in thirty days.If you don’t love it here, and you don’t want to have a piece of everything here, and you don’t understand that this is about family more than it’s about money, then yeah, I’ll convince Sawyer to let you sell.I won’t want you owning even a sliver.”

She again flattened her palm against the door.“I don’t want you to be upset.”

“Then don’t sell the business.”And please go back to California, because I can’t even breathe normally when you’re here.

“That’s not fair,” she said, looking sad.

“Why are you so set on getting rid of it?”he asked crossly.He meant everything he’d said to her.If she didn’t feel her roots here, connected to this business and all the people, then he didn’t want her to have it.But the idea that she might not feel those things tore him up.

She wet her lips and then seemed to make a decision because she lifted her chin.“I don’t like getting those monthly checks from here.It’s a monthly reminder of this whole…life.I have no idea why he left it to me and not to you guys, but not only do Inotfeel a connection to the business, I’m happy in California and really just want to be left alone.”

See,thiswas going to be hell.He’d thought the torture would be keeping his hands to himself.He hadn’t anticipated this.She didn’t want to be here.She was unhappy about being forced to come back.That made Owen want to help her get the hell away from here.Maddie being unhappy was unacceptable.Especially if it had anything to do with him.Which it did.Boys of the Bayou was his business.The only thing he was good at.The thing he was most proud of.He loved his life here.He didn’t want it to change.Someone else owning thirty-five percent of Boys of the Bayou would definitely mean change.

Thank God he wasn’t dealing with this alone.Left alone with this decision, he’d probably look into her eyes for one second too long and totally cave, letting her do whatever she wanted with the company he’d loved and helped build.

“We need to talk to Sawyer.”Without letting her respond, he jerked the door open.She was just going to have to get over her trepidation about facing the family.The sooner the better.

Inside it was, well, normal.Which meant it was full of people all talking at once, arguing, laughing, giving each other shit, and eating and drinking.It also meant it was kind of loud.

Maddie hung back, so Owen stepped through the door and called, “Hey, y’all.”

Ellie glanced over.“Get in here and hang that up,” she said, pointing at the WELCOME HOME banner that was drooping to the floor on one end.“Swear to God these men can’t even use Scotch tape right.”

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