Page 31 of Enticing

“It was all about appearances for them,” she muses as she washes her empty glass and sits it on a towel. “I’m not sure they ever even liked each other. But then, I always wondered why they got together.”

I stare at her, my mouth agape.

“Are you kidding?” I ask with all seriousness, then take a step back when she looks at me with a legitimately puzzled expression on her face. “They got married because when Mom got pregnant with me, Dad’s father threatened to sell the franchise instead of handing it over to Dad if he didn’t marry Mom.”

Coraline hops off the counter and paces like a lunatic. “How did I never know that?”

“I’m not sure. You’re the smart one. How have you never done the math?” I hold up my fingers and tick off the numbers. “One plus one equals Mom and Dad married and the franchise safe and sound in his hands.” My heart tightens. “I’m not sure they ever loved each other, but I do think they loved us in their own ways. I just wish they hadn’t tried to control us the way Dad’s parents controlled them.”

“I still can’t believe Gran allowed that.” She’s stopped pacing, but I can tell her brain is working a mile a minute, like I’ve just blown her mind. “But really, what choice did she have? Gran had normal money for this town—maybe. But her wealth couldn’thold up against Dad’s family’s wealth. Wealth equals power, Adelaide.”

The sound that rips from my throat is a mix between a laugh and a sob. “You’ve got that right. I barely have ten dollars to my name, and I’m completely powerless to do anything about it.”

God . . . Admitting it . . . hearing it . . . it all makes the sad truth so much worse.

“When do you turn in the next book?” Looks like she’s going into fixer mode.

“I was able to get my deadline extended to mid-January.” Thankfully, my publisher was lenient. “But I’m not due to get paid from the last book for another seven months. I swear, I think I’m going to publish independently after my contract with them is up. I want the control over my own work.”

“And going to Gavin still isn’t an option, right?” When I glare at her, she holds her hands up in defense. “Hey... I don’t want you to either, but I had to ask. I know I keep saying it, but I have to say it again?—”

“Don’t,” I stop her. “I don’t want to hear it, Coraline.”

She laces her fingers with mine and squeezes. “Just because you don’t want to hear it doesn’t make it any less true.”

I lean my head against hers. “Adulting really sucks.”

“Fuck yes, it does.”

No truer words may have ever been spoken.

Fuck yes, it does.

LEO

There’s something about having two entire days off in a row during the season that makes me feel like a kid on vacation from school. It doesn’t happen often, so when it does, I’m torn between sleeping in and doing nothing and making plans to do something I can’t usually do during the season. The fact that it’s a Friday and Saturday should make me want to go to a bar. Maybe buy a beautiful woman a drink and see where the night goes.

It’s been a long fucking time since I’ve indulged.

So why the hell does the thought of indulging now sit sour in my stomach?

I mean... I know the answer before I can even ask myself the question, so I’m not sure why I’m surprised. Guess this means I need to figure out how to make a certain prickly blonde agree to see me. Maybe she’d let me take her and the girls out for dinner.

I pull my phone out to text her just as it vibrates with an incoming message.

Callen

Are any of you available?

Killian

I’m around.

Leo

Me too.

Nixon

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