Page 46 of Headed for Home

Cassidy visibly stiffens beside me, but doesn’t speak.

“Nice to meet you,” I say and shake Alan’s proffered hand.

“We’re grateful for your investment toward our construction plans. The contact information for Mr. Kenner is also much appreciated. Thanks to you, we’re one step closer to breaking ground.” He beams at me.

“Glad we found a solution.”

The woman beside me gasps and untangles her fingers from mine. I reach to reclaim her palm but she crosses her arms. My smile dies in a tragic flatline.

Alan reads the mood and resumes his stroll. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Just wanted to say a quick hello and let you know we’re indebted to you. Please give us a call if you’d like to collaborate again in the future.”

I barely hear him or his retreating footsteps. My focus is trained on Cassidy and the hurt shimmering in her eyes. She begins backing away without a word.

“Hey, where are you going?” I clasp her arm.

She rips herself from my hold. “Don’t touch me.”

My frown is met with a wounded expression. “What’s wrong, beauty?”

Her eyes narrow into daggers. “The fact you even have to ask is incredibly insulting.”

“Why are you mad?”

A lone tear slips free from her glare, slicing into me with lethal precision. “How could you?”

“I’m lost.”

“Seriously?” She scoffs and betrayal distorts her beautiful face into a pinched mask. “What did I just say about acting like a dick? And to think, my heart was opening to you.”

I blanch. “How am I acting like a dick?”

Her lips press into a firm line. “I can’t believe you’d willingly work with that company.”

I hold up a hand. “To be fair, I didn’t know who they were until you told me.”

“I didn’t tell you their name,” she shoots back.

My hands swat at the sudden space separating us. “But it wasn’t difficult to connect the dots. Process of elimination.”

Another tear traces her freckled cheek. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Does it help to hear that I gave them money to protect you?”

“Are you kidding me? No, never. Not even a little bit.”

I cringe. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Those people are ruthless predators. Truly awful. Preying on those they believe are weak. They’re trying to destroy my home. The legacy my grandmother built and passed down to me. How could you support them?” The raw emotion cutting from her voice stabs me in the gut.

I nearly double over. “It’s not what you think.”

“How can it be anything else? You invested in their plans to turn farm country into mass-produced houses.”

A tight knot forms in my throat. “Only to get them away from you.”

“And harass some other unsuspecting landowner? How nice.” She rolls her watery eyes.

“Not quite. Robert Kenner is very willing to sell.”

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