Page 109 of Bad Love

Monty shoots me a look. "That wishfulthinking?"

I frown. "What do youmean?"

"I mean you want to keep her around. You're serious about this girl." He raises a brow. "You're getting serious about a lot ofthings."

"I'm pinch-hitting at Hunter’s Cross, and we both know it." I take a sip of my drink. "It's been a month. I can do anything thatlong."

"Then what about the talk in the car, huh? These recipes? Someone's going to have to carry them out." Before I can answer, he looks past me and nods. "Mrs.Hunter."

"Montgomery." My grandmother's crisp voice carries over the music. "Would you give us amoment?"

As Monty leaves, a waiter offers me champagne, and I shake my head. “Jerry, come on,” I say, because he’s been working this party five years. “I’m not drinking thatshit.”

“It’sDom.”

“Cross IPA or bust.” He nods with a half smile and shufflesoff.

"You've been busy with the company," my grandmother says, watching Jerry leave. "I hear you're making your presence felt more than normal. Frederick raves about you, and the sales numbers don'tlie."

"That means alot."

"I told you when we had breakfast that I’d like to see you take a greater hand in running things. But there's more than that. I'm not well,Logan.”

I step closer, lowering my voice for privacy, but also for the excuse to study her face. “You told me about thepills.”

“It’s more than that. I have a tickingclock.”

Her declaration has emotion working through me. Somehow, I’d thought she’d be here forever. I don’t pry because she wouldn’t want me to, but my chest aches. “Howlong?”

“A year. Perhapstwo.”

I hear a throat clearing and blink before I notice Jerry’s returned with my beer. I reach automatically for the glass but can’t find a smile. He disappears as quickly as he came, and I turn back to mygrandmother.

“Which means I need to make decisions not only about how Hunter’s Cross is operated, but how it’s owned. And I'd like to leave the controlling shares toyou."

Shock works over me. I had no idea this was where she was going when we met a few weeks ago. But from her expression, I can see this was the plan allalong.

I feel the urge to claw at my neck, my collar suddenly too tight. My fingers clench around the icy beer glass instead. There’s no way I can drink it right now. “If you’re going to hand the company to someone, Monty’s more responsible. He’d protect what you’ve built. Sometimes I think he’d do it better withoutme.”

She tsks. “Running a business teaches you to take responsibility. There’s nowhere to hide when things go badly. But you can’t build an empire out of pinching pennies and playing it safe either. Bottom line: I want to leave it with someone I trust. That person isyou.”

She walks away, and I stare at my beer a long moment before setting it, still untouched, on the tray of a passing waiter. My phone buzzes, and I glance atit.

Nellie:You missed out in Ibiza, bitch. The stories I have to tellyou…

Iforgothe was back already. Hell, I would’ve been too if I’d gone. But I didn’t think about itonce.

Nellie:In 30 days, I can throw my own party with my own beer. You got a good IPA? Think I’ll rename it afterme.

Guilt crushes down on me.My grandmother's telling me how proud she is, something I've wanted for ages, and I'm the asshole who’s risked everything shebuilt.

It’sunforgiveable.

I stick around the party, helping to host until the last guests are gone. But I can't get my grandmother's offer—request?—out of myhead.

When I finally excuse myself and make my way up the stairs, my room is dark. I shut the door quietly and strip out of my clothes, laying them on the dresser. Wearing just my boxer briefs, I slide intobed.

I'm a little drunk, and I reach around Kendall’s waist, my fingers up under the hem of her tank top and brushing her stomach as I tug her against me. "Youawake?"

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