Page 43 of All Because of You

“Do you want more money for it or something? I can . . .” But she had no right to promise that she’d be able to pay more. While numbers from her first full week of sales had been strong—the townspeople had really shown up in support of her—there was no guarantee they’d remain that way.

“Unfortunately, no amount you can offer me will be sufficient.”

“I . . . I don’t understand.” Madison’s brain hurt. It was all she could do to reign in her emotions and not yell at the woman for the unfairness of it all. “Why are you doing this?”

Carol sighed. “It’s not personal. It’s business. And right now, I have to think about what’s best for mine.” A muffled voice filled the background. “I’m sorry, Ms. Price, I need to go. And I am sorry for having to deliver this bad news to you. I’ll overnight the necessary documents tomorrow so you’ll have everything in writing.”

The line died, and Madison stared at the phone. What was she going to do now?

The cellophane bag of cookies rustled in her lap. Evan.

Madison stood. Yes, Evan would know how to help. Maybe she could lease one of the open spaces next to her store for even cheaper than her current rent. The mayor had indicated that those spaces might not be available, but maybe they were now. Thinking about how much work the move would be nearly halted her in her tracks, but she put one foot in front of the other and held her tears of frustration at bay until she reached Evan’s office and knocked.

“Come in.”

She shoved open the door, and the sight of him hunched behind his desk, a half-eaten salad beside him, slammed her with affection. No, more than affection.

Love.

Whoa. How had she gone from no connection to anyone, standing on her own, to running to someone when she was hurting—tolovingsomeone—all in a matter of weeks?

Life was strange. And also, despite the heartaches, beautiful.

“Madison? What’s wrong?”

Shaking herself free from her thoughts—and remembering why she’d come in the first place—Madison closed the door behind her and walked toward him. He met her halfway, pulling her into a secure hug, squishing the bag of cookies between them.

“I need your help.” The words got lost as she mumbled them into his white button-up shirt.

He grasped her upper arms gently and waited for her to look up at him. “What happened?”

Madison’s breath shuddered in and out while she relayed her landlord’s phone call. As the story unfolded, Evan’s face grew paler and paler. “What did you say her name was again?”

“Carol Davenport.”

“Davenport.” Evan strode back to his desk, slid into his chair, and focused on his computer screen while he clicked and typed.

Madison joined him, dropping the cookies onto his abnormally messy desk and settling her hands on his firm shoulders.

After a few moments, he sat back and sighed. “Looks like she is from Walker Beach originally but now lives in Los Angeles and inherited the property from a relative.” Evan grabbed Madison’s hand and rotated his chair, pulling her onto his lap.

“I just don’t get why she’d do this.” She looped her arms around his neck and brought her head to rest on his shoulder.

His lightly stubbled chin brushed her forehead as he tucked his hands around her waist. “I think it’s my dad’s doing.”

Her head popped up. “What do you mean?”

Evan’s brow furrowed. “Last week, he all but told me he had a plan to oust you from your store. I’ve scoured my brain trying to figure it out, but I never thought he’d go after your lease agreement.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Plenty of reasons, all of them coming down to greed and pride. I wouldn’t put it past him to have made an agreement with Herman that would grease his palms or get some campaign donations. Something. With him, it could be anything. And maybe he just wants to stick it to me, as well.” Now Evan just looked plain miserable.

“Surely your dad wouldn’t do that.”

“You don’t know him like I do.”

Despite how much she was hurting, she hated that Evan was taking some of this on himself. Madison absently ran her thumb along the edge of Evan’s ear, following his strong jawline down toward his chin. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “This isn’t your fault. And I’m not giving up. Maybe I need to just make a trek to Los Angeles and chat with Ms. Davenport in person. We should be able to work something out.”

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