Page 118 of Roommate's Guide to Love

“Well then,” Stella says as I pull back, a little out of breath. “I didn’t know you had that in you, Porter.”

He turns to Stella, giving her a playful wink. “The tricks go far up my sleeve.”

“All right, enough,” Simon says as my sisters are all smiles. “Enough of whatever that was and let’s get back to finding a solution. Hopefully one that doesn’t need courts. If I do remember correctly, this family is pretty savvy into making bad people dig their own graves.”

The five of us share a smile, remembering back to what we did to Stella's ex-fiancé. And though I wasn't a part of it, I know that Maeve's ex got his comeuppance last year with a little bit of Banks dramatics.

“Let’s think about this. Why would a person want a baby out of the blue?” Ainsley asks. And without hesitation, Logan and Simon answer simultaneously.

“Money.”

“Really?” That doesn’t seem right. “I've been through Grace's diaper bag a few times. She's not carrying stacks of hundreds in there, if that’s what she’s after.”

“Not like that,” Simon says. “But I’m going to guess that Bonnie doesn’t have a job, or if she does, it’s probably not a high-paying one.”

“Confirmed!” Stella shouts, as she spreads out printed papers on the bar. “I found all of this on her social media. She likes to make angry posts about how everyone is working against her, including her last job that she says fired her for no reason. I doubt that’s true. Also, she’s really not happy with a few businesses in her town. Judging by her tone, I feel like she’s the woman who always wants to speak to the manager.”

“Sounds about right,” Porter says.

Simon picks up the custody papers again and lays them back on the table. “My guess? She wants Grace for the assistance she’d get. And that tax credit she’ll get will look pretty good. If this would work, Grace is her pay day.”

Porter’s face starts turning red, his anger about to bubble over.

“Fuck!” he yells, pounding the table. “It’s always been about money with her. I’d bet the bar that’s her play.”

“Are you sure?” Ainsley asks. “I know it’s a motivation for a lot of people, but using a child for money? That’s so cruel.”

“Actually, now that y’all say it, it makes sense,” I say. “Yesterday when she was here, she made a few comments about not getting her fair share in the divorce from Porter’s dad. And the way that she was looking around this bar? It was like she was eyeballing every inch of it. But it wasn’t for nostalgia purposes. She had a look in her eye. Maybe a little revenge. But something was definitely up.”

“Okay, let’s go with this theory that it’s about the money,” Maeve says. “We’re well aware that everyone can be bought. The question is, what’s her price?”

“More specifically, what will make sure she never comes after Grace again,” I add.

All eyes turn to Porter. Unfortunately, at this point, he’s the one who’s going to have the answers.

“My dad,” he says. “She always thought she got the short end of the stick. That he loved this bar more than he loved her. He might be dead, but if she got the last laugh, she’d go away. Forever.”

“Well then, we need to make sure that happens,” I say.

Porter turns to me, slightly confused. “And how are we going to do that? I don’t want to pay her a fucking dime.”

“Are you sure?” Logan offers. “If it makes her go away, I’ll write you a check now.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” Porter says. “But we have to figure out a way that makes her think she’s getting money, but in reality?—”

“That’s it!” I yell, suddenly for the first time in a day feeling like the gray cloud isn’t sitting over our heads. “I’ve got it.”

“Oh shit,” Maeve mumbles.

“What?” Logan asks her.

“She just got the idea for a stunt, and by the twinkle in her eye, it’s a doozy.”

“Damn right I do. If we pull this off, it could go down in history.”

I look down to Porter. “Do you trust me?”

He smiles. “With my life.”

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