Page 39 of Come Back to Me

“The promise of a fabulous orgasm?”

“You get those anyway.”

“It’s petty.”

“All the better,” I crow.

“A very small, very peevish, very stupid part of me wants to say fuck you to the town. I want them to see me dripping in gems, and I want Harry to go silent when I come in for butter tarts. I want them to know that the no-good McAllister is hella rich now and thatshehelped the Korhonens.”

I hum. “I get it. I think the rumors are out anyway.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Nonna. She mentioned something, so I’m guessing the mutual nature of your deal has struck a chord with everyone.”

“Yeah, because they probably thought I was after his gazillions,” she says bitterly.

Though I wince on her behalf, I squeeze her closer to my side because I sense what she so desperately wants and what I’ve had access to my whole life—acceptance.

“If they do, then they know you’re flat out in love with one another.”

“Knowing the cynics, they’ll still think I’m a gold digger.”

“They won’t learn any differently if you never leave the ranch, babe. How can they see you’re not a no-good McAllister if you don’t show them?”

“I shouldn’t have to!”

“No, and it’s not fair, but…”

“But what?” she grouches.

“They need to prove themselves to you too.”

“Hardly!”

“Sure they do. You’re a Korhonen. That comes with power. You can make or break businesses with your support. You can fire people who treat you badly. They need to prove they’re not assholes. But no one will ever do that if you barely leave the ranch.” I tug on her hand. “Just think about it. For me?”

She huffs. “Fine.”

“Come on. You need a glow-up.”

“Charming!”

“You know what I mean,” I tease, because while my keeping-it-real idea might fall flat on its face, I don’t think it will.

And seeing as my best friend deserves the world, she’s lucky because Colt can buy it for her and I’ll make it happen.

Letters

Butch,

I don’t think I’ve heard anything more tragic than your story about staring up at the sky as a kid but never realizing the price you’d have to pay to fly.

Honestly, I sobbed when I read that, and Z had to feed me a half-dozen sugar cookies until I stopped snotting over everything.

Couldn’t you have flown for Air Canada? I think you get the perks of flying a plane without having to kill people. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s at the top of their ‘to not do’ list. Maybe that’s an option, eh?

I should totally have been a guidance counselor!

---