Page 35 of So Wrong It Must Be Right

“You want to buy something or you want to interrogate me? Because this is my place of business, so an interrogation will have to wait.”

“I was pretty surprised to hear it, Carter. I thought we were friends.”

“We are friends, and this has nothing to do with my business, or your grandmother’s house, or being friends. Who I sleep with has nothing to do with you. It has nothing to do with my land, and it has nothing to do with your grandmother.”

“My grandmother is just trying to keep her house.”

“So am I!”

Jordan shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. “This is un-fucking-believable, you know that, right?”

He opened his mouth to tell Jordan to leave, except he realized that Jordan wasn’t looking at him. Possibly not even talking to him. He was looking across the way, and when Carter followed his gaze, it landed right on Dinah Gallagher.

Fuck.

“You can go now,” Carter ground out.

“I’m not going anywhere. I have a little something to say to Dinah Gallagher.”

“Don’t. If you’re really my friend, I don’t need your help on this.”

“I thought we were friends, and now I think you’re really just screwing over us all.”

“My land isn’t going anywhere and neither is your grandmother’s.” The anger bubbling inside of Carter wasn’t proportionate to the situation, but this wasn’t exactly new either. When people befriended you because of a cause, the friendship rarely lasted. Because at some point, thatcausewas going to drive you apart.

“I’ve been used enough in my life to know what that feels like, so if this is about friendship, I’d tone down the neighborhood and land talk. And if you have anything to say, I suggest you say it to me before she gets over here.”

“Because of course she’s coming over here.”

Carter squared off with Jordan, feeling both angry and irritated, and a little guilty. He didn’t know how to handle those conflicting feelings. Because he’d always pursued his causes to the end of the earth, and he’d never had to stop and wonder if he’d faltered.

But Jordan was making him question his cause, his life, hisguilt.

Dinah approached his booth in her Gallagher’s business best. A floral skirt that skimmed her hips and went to her knees, high heels that showed off her slender calves and the red color she’d painted her toes, all with a matching silky blouse, and brightly painted lips.

No matter that things were weird and complicated and that Jordan was standing there staring daggers at both of them, Carter just wanted to sink into that gorgeous mouth and think about nothing else.

But everything else was right here. All around him.

“Good evening, Dinah.”

“Good evening, Mr. Trask. I don’t want to interrupt. Feel free to finish with your customer before you talk to me.”

“Dinah, you remember Jordan.”

“Oh, right! The charter school teacher.” She smiled brightly at Jordan. “It’s good to see you again.”

“I’m also a Washington,” Jordan said, his tone flat.

Dinah’s eyebrows drew together and she looked at him questioningly. “A Washington?”

“Mila Washington is my grandmother. Your father tried to, you know, con her out of her house so you guys can expand.”

“You mean my uncle,” Dinah returned, her business smile still in place, though it tightened.

“That make it better for me?” Jordan said.

Dinah’s smile didn’t waver, but it did change. “I’m sorry if my uncle wasn’t as kind as he should have been, but I assure you, Gallagher’s has nothing but the best interests of the neighborhood at heart. And it seems as though you’ve retained your land. No harm, no foul.”

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