Page 14 of Sugar
“She’s not crazy.” I shoot him a warning look. “And I really don’t think it’s that bad.” I hope they can’t hear the lie floating straight through my teeth. “I got over her a long time ago. I honestly have no idea why she’s back in Saddlebrook Falls, nor do I really care. But she’s a lawyer, she can help us navigate through all the paperwork with the inheritance trust, and she’s offered an arrangement that benefits us both. It feels like a win.”
“It feels likefraud,” Wells retorts, voice low. “I think you’ve done enough bending of the law lately, Kasey.”
It’s instant, the way the memory rips through me. The dim light of that old barn. The smell of gunpowder wafting as Maverick’s eyes flared. I push out a breath, shoving the image down. “It’s not fraud if you dipshits don’t say anything to anyone.”
Wells rolls his eyes. “That doesn’t make it not fraud, asshole.”
“Who else knows?” Rhett asks.
I turn my focus on him, finding his gray eyes calculating. “Only us three. And Ava.”
“You don’t think she’s going to tell anyone?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know why she would. Plus, she could probably be disbarred for it. She’s not going to risk her career.”
“What about Mom?” Wells asks. “What about Brooks?”
My shoulders slump. This is where things get tricky. “The last thing I want to do is lie to either of them. The family deserves the truth. I just have to navigate telling them carefully. If Sheriff Joe gets a whiff of this thing not being real, he’ll have no problem sending the wolves after me.”
Rhett snorts. “You think?”
I frown at him. “Despite what he thinks, I wasn’t the reason she left.” If anything, I tried like hell to be the reason she stayed—but I keep that portion of the thought to myself.
“Hopefully his daughter will handle him” is all he says back.
“Fuck,” Wells mutters, shaking his head.
“Look, I know it’s not the greatest idea,” I admit. “Ava’s always been a little?—”
“Crazy,” Rhett interjects.
“Unpredictable,” I counter. “And it’s going to take some convincing that suddenly getting married after ten years apart isn’t for any reason other than wanting to be together—I know it won’t be easy. But Huck is coming for us, fast and furious. We don’t have time to beat him the right way. If marrying Ava gives us a shot at deterring him until we can get a grip on the rest of it, then it’s worth it. I need you guys to support me on this.”
Rhett blows out a breath, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “What can we do?”
I shrug. “We want this town to believe it’s legitimate? Let ’em think they’re the ones uncovering the story.”
Wells grins. “You want to leak it.”
I nod. “Carefully. It can’t be obvious.”
“Olivia can let something loose at June’s,” Rhett offers.
“And Layla can spill it to her mom. Lynette will spread it fast.”
“You and Ava need to give people clues too,” Rhett says. “Something for people to gnaw on. They’re probably already champing at the bit for the reason she’s back here after all this time—find a way to make it about you. A date night in town. Maybe hold her hand out on the street. Get caught behind a closed door.” He winks.
“There’ll be none ofthat,” I say firmly.
His grin is wolfish. “Why not? You two used to be pretty damn good at getting caught in all sorts of places. In fact, I remember you both getting caught beneath the bleachers during a fucking football game that you weresupposedto be playing in.”
God, how could I forget? I’d been out of my damn mind.
“Yeah, well, that’s all over,” I say. “Died a long time ago.”
Rhett’s eyes soften and it throws me for a loop, seeing the proof of his calloused edges dulling. The way he’s been leaning into his own vulnerability lately—no doubt the effect of new love in his life. “I’m just saying, brother, I’m sure it won’t be hard for you and Ava to get the gossip train barreling right through the middle of town. You’ve done it before. Probably like riding a bike.”
Wells huffs a laugh. “Sheriff’s gonna wanna kill you all over again.”
