Page 84 of Wish I Didn't Want You Back

I rolled my lips together. “He actually said worse, but I’ll spare you all the details.”

He clenched his jaw. “You think I care what he says? I’m not afraid of your father.”

“I don’t want to be the reason why you lose everything.”

His face softened as he stared down at me. “Harlow, I know how your dad operates.”

I pressed my palms to his chest. “Don’t underestimate him or his reach.”

He cupped my cheek. “Listen to me. We are going to live our life the way we want to. Let him try his best.”

He might not have been worried, but my dad wasn’t the type to throw idle threats around. He was frustrated that I wasn’t falling in line. I wanted to believe that things were different this time around, but his reputation was on the line, and I needed to be prepared.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BROOKS

Ipulled up to Clark Investments, shifted into park, and threw my head back against the headrest. There was so much on my mind lately: Harlow, her dad, and Marty’s health. But today, I had to get my act together and secure the financing for our business expansion.

I pulled on the sleeves of my dress shirt so the cuffs would show out of the arms of my sports coat before heading through the front door. The office was sleek and modern, a far cry from the construction trailers I was used to.

The receptionist peered up from her keyboard and gave me a polite smile. “Hello, how can I help you?”

I straightened my tie and cleared my throat. “Good morning. I’m Brooks Dawson. I have an eleven o’clock meeting with Mr. Clark.”

She placed my name in the visitor’s logbook and handed me a plastic badge to clip to my jacket. “He is expecting you, Mr. Dawson. You can head down to the conference room.” She gestured to the double glass doors at the end of the open office, filled with dozens of occupied cubicles.

I gave her an appreciative nod and walked past all the employees, typing on their computers with their ears covered byheadsets. The place was so quiet, you could literally hear a pin drop.

I entered the conference room to find Richard Clark, the man who held all the power of taking my business to the next level, already seated at the long glass table. He was dressed in another sharp suit and sported an all-business look, which was a stark contrast to the relaxed man that Harlow and I had met at the restaurant last week. Today looked like it was going to be all business.

“Thanks for taking the time to meet with me,” I said, holding my hand out.

He didn’t smile, didn’t shake my hand, just frowned, and gestured for me to take a seat. “I almost canceled our meeting.”

My stomach dropped. “I’m sorry. Did you find something wrong with the proposal I sent you?”

Harlow double-checked the numbers and made sure everything was accurate. She pored over the spreadsheets, and we corrected errors until the proposal was perfect. I had no idea what the issue could be.

He picked up his phone and held it out for me to see. “William Bennett called me this morning.”

I gulped and dropped down into one of the rolling chairs at his table. I should have anticipated Harlow’s dad would fuck with me and try to screw up this deal. He did warn us, so it was foolish of me not to take the threat seriously.

“He said you were trying to pull a fast one on me. That the engagement to his daughter was all bullshit.” His eyes were sharp and critical. “I don’t do business with liars, Brooks.”

I inhaled a deep breath and pressed the palms of my hands against my thighs. “I don’t even know where to start.”

I could barely look at him and wasn’t sure what to say, but I knew I was done lying.

He leaned forward. “Why don’t you try telling me the truth for a change?”

I adjusted the collar of my shirt, nervous that everything I worked for was coming unraveled. The investment would cover the costs for the new equipment I needed to position myself to place a competitive bid for the new hotel project.

Lakeside Resort would be the biggest development project that our little touristy town had ever seen. Winning this bid would not only be a game changer for me personally, but it would position Dawson Construction as one of the area’s top construction firms in the state. It would be my chance to prove myself, level up, and secure larger deals. And it would bring in more jobs and bigger exposure.Now it was all dangling over a cliff because William Bennet wanted revenge.

“First, I’d like to apologize. He never should have dragged you into this, and I wish I could say he was one hundred percent wrong, but there is some truth to what he said.” My hands were shaking as I folded them in my lap. “The engagement started under false pretenses. I was trying to help Harlow get out from under his thumb. William Bennett is a manipulative and controlling man. He is the reason why she and I broke up all those years ago. He was trying to force her into an arranged marriage. I wanted to help her. So, when her father showed up and demanded that she go back, I stepped in without thinking and told him we were already engaged.” I leaned forward so I could look him in the eye. “I am sorry that I lied to you, but I wanted the deal so badly that I was willing to do whatever was necessary. That’s not the kind of man I am, and you deserve better.”

He didn’t speak, simply stared, so I continued. “I know it looks bad, and while this might have started on a lie, that’s not the case anymore. Over the last few weeks, Harlow and I havereconnected. What we have is one hundred percent real. I know the bell can’t be unrung, but I still owe you a sincere apology.”

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