Page 25 of Fiery Romance

Sid nods.

I stare at the dopey smile on his face and realize he’s telling the truth. Whatever methods Bolton used to get Uncle Sid here, it wasn’t violent.

But the question still stands.

“Why is he here?” I ask, spinning to glare at the scary Viking.

Rather than answer me, Bolton nods to his underling and a stack of files are placed in Sid’s hands.

“What’s that?”

“He will explain,” Bolton says calmly. Giving us his back, he goes to my counter, removes the apple and disposes of it. I watch as he grabs a napkin and carefully cleans the stain the fruit left on the glass as if this really is his shop and he wants every surface pristine.

“Oh.” Sid makes a distressed sound in his throat while he reads the files. He glances at me and then back at the files. “Oh dear.”

“What?” I latch onto his hand.

He gives Bolton a frightened look, licks his lips and then lowers his voice. “This is a motion to change the payback rate on your loans.”

“English, Sid.”

“The bank is demanding repayment at an aggressive percentage rate. Given how much you’ve recently borrowed, it’s a sizable sum.”

“How much?”

He rattles off a number that nearly gives me a heart attack. Even if I sold all the stores tomorrow, I wouldn’t have that kind of cash.

“Is that legal?”

“It’s in line with the bank’s regulations, yes.”

“So I won’t be able to keep my stores?” The words rip out of my lungs. “Even though I’ve done nothing wrong?”

Sid nods.

Bolton throws away the used tissue and walks over to us. “I appreciate the simplified version, Mr. Porter.”

“You bastard,” I hiss. “Do you think those files are going to scare me? Why should I believe you have that kind of power?”

“Oh, you don’t have to believe me.” He gestures to Sidney. “Believehim.”

I turn to stare at Sid.

Bolton does too. “Sidney Fitzgerald Porter. Born to a family of four. Lived on the very street that your grandmother once resided on. He was two years older than her. A senior when she was a sophomore. Fell in love with her the very first time he saw her cheerleading.”

My jaw drops.

Uncle Sid goes pale. “H-how do you know that?”

Bolton pins his hands behind his back and walks away. His steps are sharp and measured. Back ram-rod straight. A soldier with an upright bearing. An inflexible man who only knows how to get his way. By cunning or brute force.

“It was a turbulent time. Despite Mr. Porter’s love for your grandmother, he did not want to risk being cut off from his family if he dared to bring a black woman home.”

Sid chokes on his own spit. “That…”

“So he tried to date your grandmother in secret, but she quickly realized that he was ashamed of her and ended it with him.” Bolton pauses. Tilts his head. Gives a pleased nod. “Good for her.”

I blink rapidly. I knew that Sid had a thing for Gran, but I never asked about the details. It’s my first time hearing the reasoning behind their breakup.

---