Page 56 of The One I Hate
Applause erupts, but I am jerked to standing and dragged out the side door of the diner before she can continue.
“Did we just hear what we thought we heard?”
I look back to the diner then back to my three best friends, who are all staring at me like they are about to kick my ass.
“What did you hear?”
Shane’s eyes turn violent. “She just thanked Magnolia Properties. You own Magnolia Properties.”
“Oh. Yeah. My bad. I forgot to tell you guys. I bought Mona’s.”
“What?” Oliver yells. “How could you not tell us?”
“I wanted to,” I begin. “I swear. Unlike some peoplewho keep secrets, I wanted to tell everyone.”
We all shoot our sights to Shane, who is holding his hands up in defense. “That was Amelia’s idea. And since she’s working and can’t be here to defend herself, let’s move on and remember that Simon has bought Mona’s.”
They all turn their sights back to me. “Technically, it’s not Mona’s. Well, I guess it is. It’s Charlie’s Mona’s.”
The three of them look at each other before turning back to me.
“Simon.” Wes steps closer, his voice low like he’s about to reprimand one of his kids. “The woman in there who just gave an emotional and heartfelt speech is a woman from your past.”
“A woman who hates you,” Shane says.
“Hate’s a strong word…”
“Simon,” Wes continues. “Please, swear to me on a stack of Bibles and your season UT tickets that you didn’t buy this restaurant simply to fuck with the woman who hurt you fifteen years ago?”
I let out a breath, loving that I get to technically tell the truth.
“Wes, I solemnly swear I did not buy the restaurant to fuck with Charlie.”
There. Easy peasy. And the truth. I’ve got this.
That’s all of the things I’m thinking until I catch Shane’s eye.
“What?” I ask him.
“Spill.”
“Spill what?”
“The actual truth.”
“I just told you the truth.”
“Yes. But not all of it. I can tell.”
“How? Please. Elaborate.”
Shane works his jaw back and forth. Fuck. He means business. “Because she said Magnolia Properties. That woman hates you. I saw it in her eyes that day. She would have cut off your dick and sold it to the highest bidder if she could have. Yet, she just thanked your company, and Emmett, for making her dream come true. So either you two made up—which I doubt—or she doesn’t know. Which is it?”
Damn Shane and his police skills.
“Fine. Yes. I bought it. No, she doesn’t know. But I have a good reason. I promise.”
“And that is?” Wes asks.
