Page 39 of Where We Belong

She considers this for a long moment before speaking. “We can compromise.”

Hope leaps in my chest. “I’ll do anything you want.”

“We start slow, working on the hotel,” she says carefully. “But Bernie can’t be involved yet.”

My smile fades. “Why not?”

Cory looks away, pained. “If this fails, another separation will hurt her even more than it’ll hurt us. She’s only three, but this could affect her whole life.”

I sigh but nod in understanding. I’ll work tirelessly to win Cory back, no matter the terms. With her, I can be charming and persuasive when I put my mind to it.

“You won’t regret this,” I promise, leaving the apartment before I do something stupid, like kiss her senseless.

Chapter Twenty

Ben: Good morning.

Cory: It’s a little too early.

Ben: The little munchkin woke me up at five this morning. She learned last night that Ralph and Mia are coming to town. She swears those puppies are hers.

Cory: Shouldn’t she be more excited about Eris?

Ben: Actually, Rys and Eris aren’t coming. Cas is dropping the pups with Lysander. Kenzie’s puppy-sitting them for the next couple of weeks.

Cory: I’m surprised you know more about my brother’s whereabouts than me.

Ben: Kenzie is a big source of information.

Cory: My niece is worse than the gossips in town. I’m not sure how she’s going to handle college without knowing everything that’s happening in the family and Paradise Bay. Should I be concerned?

Ben: Leave that to her father. By the way, I had a long talk with Lysander.

Cory: What kind of long talk? No wait, I don’t want to know. I need coffee and maybe a few hours of meditation before I have to deal with my brothers.

Ben: There’s nothing to deal with, I just told him I plan to win your heart.

Cory: Did I agree to that?

Ben: Yep. We should’ve shaken on it or signed with blood.

Cory: That’s a little morbid, isn’t it?

Ben: I’m just afraid you’re going to go back on your word.

Cory: As I mentioned last night, I’m going to try. We’re taking it slow. In fact, we shouldn’t be texting.

Ben: Why not? I like to send you a morning text to see how you’re doing—you’re lucky that I waited an hour before I messaged you.

Cory: Lucky? I don’t know if I would use that word to describe this.

Ben: How would you describe it?

Cory: I barely slept, and you woke me up. (inserts big yawn)

Ben: If I could, I would drop by with a coffee.

Cory: No, I’d rather go to bed.

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