Page 62 of This Heart
“I know she isn’t, Granny…I mean…Minnie. And she’s no longer Winnie’s nanny. I fired her.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked past me to Lou. “He fired the Wicked Witch of Moose Village.”
A choked laugh slipped free. “I’m sorry, what did you call her?”
Minnie turned her attention back on me. “Oh, that’s what Aurora called her when she came in here acting like her shi—”
“Ooookay, Granny. I’ve got it from here,” Lou said while ushering her great-aunt away.
“Follow me,” Lou said as she made her way past the counter and to the back. Once we were inside Aurora’s office, she shut the door.
“Liam, I’ve got to be honest with you, Aurora was knocked down when Kim said you talked about her that way.”
“I didn’t, Lou. Kim found a journal of mine that I had written in. That’s how she found out, and I didn’t sleep with her, by the way. She was a very convincing liar.”
“Not to Aurora.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “I know. I know.”
“Did you know she knew about your conversation with Aurora over the whole Hope thing?”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “Yes.”
Her eyes went wide. “For how long?”
“Not long, she slipped up, and when I asked how she knew that, she told me I had gotten drunk and told her. I knew I hadn’t told her; I just couldn’t figure out how she knew.”
Her arms folded over her chest. “What is wrong with men? You’re all stupid as hell but try to make it seem like you’re the better sex.”
“I don’t!” I stated.
She huffed. “You should have told Aurora that Kim knew. She was completely blindsided when Kim accused her of trying to use Winnie to get to you. You should have seen her face, Liam. She was devastated.”
I slowly shook my head. “I thought I could handle it with her before she got a chance to even see Aurora. I was going to fire her. I did fire her.”
Her brow rose and she gave me a look that said she wasn’t buying my bullshit.
“I figured Aurora would never find out, but I now realize that was a mistake on my part.”
“Well, she did, and it was. And if you think you broke her heart the first time you accused her of that, you can’t even imagine what it did to her the second time around.”
“Shit,” I said on an exhale.
“Liam, I’m going to tell you this because I love my sister more than life itself. I only want to see her happy, and I don’t think she meant to do it, and I’m not even sure if she knows it’s happened, but she’s fallen for you.”
I stared at Lou while my heart picked up in rhythm.
“I’m not saying she is in love with you or wants a life with you, but I see how she looks at you. And I know my sister, even if she did realize it, she would deny it because she has this fairy-tale dream of a man who will fall to his knees and declare his undying love for her. And she knows that your heart will always belong with Hope.”
It suddenly felt hot in the room. “She thinks that?”
Surprised by my question, she replied, “Of course she does. Why wouldn’t she?”
I ignored her question.
When I didn’t speak, she sighed. “I don’t want you to say anything, Liam. I’m just telling you what I see from my sister, who I know better than she knows herself. I want you to understand that she cares for you and Winnie deeply. I want you to know with no uncertainty that she isn’t trying to replace Hope, and Ireallyjust want you to stop hurting her.”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.”
