Page 102 of Fortune's Control
“Do you want to call her back or send a text?”
“I may as well send a certified letter. For now, she knows where I am, and she knows how to contact me. Do you remember what Evelyn said?”
Shane circled my shoulders, pulling me close, so I settled against his chest. “When she asked if your mother ever called after learning about me?” I felt the deep rumble of his voice as he spoke. He chuckled, and the sound felt like a tickle. I snuggled deeper. “She’s right. I’d be on his front doorstep the next morning if my daughter married a strange man.”
“Do you think I need rescuing?”
“Of course. Lucky for us both, I already did it.”
My chamomile tea came with the perfect amount of honey, lending it a subtle sweetness with no cloying taste. I sipped it as the long day’s drowsiness settled in. “I didn’t think she would hang up. It’s liberating, in a way. I tried, and she rejected it. That’s her choice, and I can push against it or move on. I’m moving on.”
“Do you plan to go no-contact?” Shane asked. I heard the gentle probe behind his question. He wouldn’t encourage one choice over another, but he would understand my reasoning if I did so.
“Right now, I’m liberated, and that’s enough. Whatever happens next, it will be my choice. You think she’s emotionally abusive, don’t you?” Emma did, and she broadly shared Shane’s opinion.
“I think you deserved a better parent. I also believe it’s your choice, and my role is to support you.”
“Wow, someone should have been a lawyer. Skillfully delivered.” I’d decide tomorrow or the day after that. The distance between no-contact and daily check-ins left me plenty of room. “Evelyn called me pretty, and she praised all my work on the town proposal. Then she listened to me practice my part of the presentation. She called it genius. No one told me that before. She said taking care of Pirate proved I had a kind heart. You know what else? She suggested I enter my cookies in the county fair or even sell them at the ice cream parlor. Could you imagine that?”
“Well, yes, I could. People who love you tell you those things because they’re true, Lilah. Listen to her.” Was Shane one of those people? I waited for him to say the words, but he took a sip of tea instead. “Have you given more thought to your CPA license?”
I blinked with momentary confusion. “Lots of thoughts.”
“How about a decision?”
“I want my license. I need to prepare, and there’s required coursework, but I will do it.” Decisive, like him. “Plus, now that I have family here, it’s a deeper connection to the area.”
Shane grazed my chin, so I faced him. His features softened as he spoke. “You have several connections here, not just your grandmother.” He searched my face, gauging my response. “You’ve made your mark on this town in a short time.”
My heart sank. That wasn’t the bold declaration I hoped for. “If our big proposal is approved, I’ll demand a job from Sam. He can’t manage it all on his own, plus I suggested Sophie, but she’s lukewarm about the idea.”
“Demand? I should like to witness that. A hint about Sam: he enjoys the PR aspects of his job. If you volunteer to take over the paperwork, he’ll give you a signing bonus and a giant desk to go with it.”
Lainey suggested I wait for Shane to say it first, and it sounded like a practical idea, but waiting for it did not align with tonight’s assertive statements. I walked away from my mother, volunteered as a defense witness, and redirected my career. Those were not thingsa mess did.
“You’ll get a chance soon, because I intend to win this contract for Fortune’s Creek.”
I would confess how I feel another time. Tomorrow, or the day after that, or I’ll take Lainey’s advice.
35-Shane
“Are you two coming?” Sophie asked.
I stood between Lilah and the truck door, blocking her exit. “Can you get us a table?”
“Aiden and Sam are already here.” Sophie crossed her arms. “Oh, I see. You two want a public indecency charge. I’ll wait inside.” She headed into the Creekside Diner with an exasperated sigh.
“What are you going to do?” Lilah asked. She bit her lip to prevent a flirtatious grin.
I put a hand on her knee and slid it up her thigh. “Give you a private goodbye.”
Sam suggested a late breakfast send-off before the three of them left for their big presentation at the state capital. After she lamented her lack of clothes, I took Lilah shopping in Gainesville, where she selected a new blouse and pencil skirt. To say I enjoyed the sight would be a gross understatement.
Lilah shimmied on the truck’s passenger seat. “A confident look is the secret to a confident presentation.”
“Then you’re about to make history.”
Her mother never called back after hanging up, resulting in a lightness to Lilah’s step ever since. She likened that phone call to shedding an invisible weight that had been stuck on her back without her ever knowing it. I loved my sister, but I also knew we struggled, and Lilah didn’t grow up in a home like ours. Meeting Evelyn gave her a chance to experience a healthy family relationship, rather than witnessing one.
