Page 83 of Finding Forever

He vaguely recalled her mentioning a friend. The one who’d attempted to help her establish a life independent of the Abernathys.

He nodded.

“Her name was Margot, I met her when I was fourteen—during my second year at Blessed Heart Academy. She used to get these tension headaches, I wanted to help her. I did research into what essential oils would help ease a headache, and how to do neck and head massages. It worked for her, I thought maybe it would help you too.”

“It did. Thank you.”

“Are…” She frowned down at her e-reader, determinedly avoiding his eyes. “Are yours tension headaches as well?”

“Yeah. I don’t give them much thought. They’re not particularly debilitating, merely inconvenient. Just something to be tolerated usually.”

“Kind of like me, then,” she said with a nervous laugh.

Her lame little joke fell into the space between them and floundered like a dying fish.

Cade wasn’t entirely sure what to say in response to her words, because—honestly?—thatwashow he’d perceived her at first. But hearing her speak the words out loud now made him uncomfortable and he was no longer so sure they were the absolute truth.

And that unsettled him. Because if the statement wasn’t true, what thenwasher role in his life?

Before he could respond, or even evaluate his reaction to her declaration, she moved on as if she was afraid of what his response might be to her words.

“I watched Granger’s interview… with that financial guy? Liam Marsh?”

Cade sighed, happy he’d finished his meal, because nothing could steal his appetite faster than discussions about Abernathy.

He dragged a paper napkin across his lips, and sucked at his teeth, before taking another sip of water.

“And?” he finally prompted, when it seemed like she wasn’t sure what to say next.

“And I want to respond. I won’t sit idly by while he says such monstrous things about you, whenhe’sthe real monster.”

“Respond how?”

“I want us to do an interview. Set things straight. And I want to take him to court, for abusing his role as my guardian and as executor of my mother’s estate. I want to make him pay for that malfeasance. As well as for the lies he told about you and continues to tell about me.” Her tone was frigid, her sweet face set with determination and when her eyes came up to meet his for the first time since he’d sat down with his food, he could see the fire sparking in those smoky gray depths. “He’s been allowed to run roughshod over me for years.I’veallowed it. ButI’m done having him use me to line his pockets and prop himself up as a good man. I want the world to see that mercenary bastard as the thief and liar that he is.”

Chapter

Twenty

Cade’s face was unreadable as he watched Fern. She’d run out of steam after her furious little speech and she wondered what was going on behind that impenetrable facade he hid behind.

“Are you sure, Fern?” he asked, his voice had dropped a couple of decibels, rumbling like distant thunder. “Because that’s a bell you can’t unring.”

“Do you think I’d have a case?”

“From what you’ve told me? What I’ve witnessed? Yes. I would have suggested this course of action myself, only you seemed bound and determined to get out, move on, and leave it all behind as fast as possible.”

“That’s what I wanted, yes. But what he said about you?” Fern remembered the outrage and burning hatred she’d experienced upon hearing Granger’s vile, unfair insinuations about Cade. “I won’t stand for it.”

“I’m a big boy, I can handle it.”

“I don’t want you to. I don’t want you to have to defend your reputation against the likes of him. I want to rip his maskoff and expose him as the disgusting little parasitic worm that he is.”

“The Hawthorne PR machine already has a few interviews lined up. So that’s been taken care of. As for the rest… I can recommend a few good attorneys you can speak to.”

She felt a pang of panicked dismay at his words.

“Oh, I thought you’d be able to help with that? I suppose it was silly, you’re busy. And I’ve already been so much trouble, I under?—”

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