Page 83 of The Jilted Lovers Club
Title: We were chased out of a corporate town, AMA
I used to live in this town called Maisieville when I was a kid. We had a huge farming community, and the town was so small that we all attended the same school, kindergarten through senior year.
But in my sophomore year, this company, Jacob & Sons, started buying out family businesses. At first, it seemed like a good thing—our community didn’t have much money, and a lot of us were just scraping by. Jacob & Sons presented themselves as another small-town family business that had experienced some windfalls.
When they bought my parents’ butcher shop, they said it was to help struggling businesses retire with dignity. Myparents were never going to retire. There was no savings, and college was out of the question for me. But with this sale, they were finally able to stop working and even put some money aside for my education.
Then prices in town started going up. Pretty soon, Jacob & Sons owned everything, and people like us couldn’t afford to shop for food or basic necessities. They wouldn’t hire locals either—they used a ferry system to bring in outside workers.
Eventually, we had to sell our farm. Jacob & Sons offered tens of thousands more than the next highest bid. We later found out they were doing this all over town until they owned nearly everything. I’ve heard there are still a few holdouts, but the company just built around them to make life as miserable as possible.
I put the phone down, having read enough. “Is this what you all planned? To buy out Lahoma Springs and make it your personal shopping destination?”
“She wasn’t a part of this,” Griffin says, and I turn to him, barking a laugh.
“What, she got to you too? Figures.”
“Ashton, it’s true.” Jordy’s eyes plead with mine, but I shake my head.
“Right, just like you weren’t a part of it when you coerced me to take you home and share my bed, only to kiss Alexander in front of everyone.” I glance at Bob and Bec. “Sorry,” I say, “but I’m through being the fool. Obviously I’m meant to be alone, because women keep playing me for an idiot, and I keep accepting the part.”
“You’re not a fool,” Jordy says. “But I didn’t kiss Alexander.”
I start to argue, but she holds up a hand.
“I didn’t kiss him,hekissed me. What the hell was I supposed to do? Everything he said on that stage was news to me, and I was just as shocked as all of you. He pulled me into his performance without warning, and I didn’t know how to get out of it without making it worse. Everyone was looking at me the same way you’re looking at me now, and there was no way I could defend myself.”
“And I suppose you think you’re the true victim here?”
“No,” she says, “I think Bernie is, and I think you, Bob, and Bec are. And I think this town is in real trouble if we don’t shut this plan down before it starts.”
“We need to stop the sale of the antique shop and hotel,” Griffin pipes in. “Why, Mom?” he turns to Bernie. “Why didn’t you talk to me first?”
We all look at Bernie. She appears more tired than the hour.
“I didn’t want this to be your problem,” she says quietly, her eyes on her hands. She looks up at him. “You have the restaurant to run, and that’s enough. I knew if you offered to help, I wouldn’t be able to say no, and I didn’t want to put that on you. So I didn’t tell you at all. I tried to fix it on my own, but the debt kept growing, and creditors were threatening to take the hotel. Then Mr. Winslow called, offering to give me more money than I’d seen in my life.”
Bernie turns to Bec, taking her hands. “He told me how your family was in the same situation, and how much it’s helped you to breathe easier. He said I couldn’t talk with you about it because the details of your sale were confidential, but he assured me that it was the best choice I could make for myself, and for my son.”
“No,” Griffin cuts in, “the best choice would be you coming to me for help.”
“But—”
“No, Mom, that’s what family does. We stick together, and we figure out a solution together. You have friends in this town who would pitch in to help. We could have held fundraisers, or found other creative ways to raise funds. There’s a lot that could have happened if you’d just spoken up. I mean, how long has this been going on?”
She looks back to her hands. “Close to a year,” she says, “maybe longer. I’ve had to let go of staff and work more shifts than I have energy for. I had to take a loan out against it last year, and the antique shop was getting ready to default. Mr. Winslow came in at the perfect moment, because I was just about to lose everything to the bank.”
“I’ll bet he did,” Jordy mutters. She catches my eye, and her gaze shifts away just as quickly.
“What do you know?” I ask. I’m still angry with her, but I realize I won’t get anywhere if I don’t at least listen.
“Not much,” she says. “I know Alexander as much as any independent contractor would know their employer.”
“Well enough to kiss, right? Well enough for him to buy you that dress you’re wearing, and maybe more.”
Her eyes flash. “I bought this damn dress,” she spits out. “What he said up there was an outright lie, unless he thinks giving me a paycheck makes him my benefactor. But I earn my money by working hard.”
“Yeah, by dating your rich boss to get a job.”
