Page 57 of Reuniting with Lucy

Ever since Lizzie mentioned Lucy’s need to please people and inability to be alone, she’d given it more than a passing thought. Lizzie was right. Lucy put too much stock in what other people said and thought. She was a grown-ass woman and needed to start acting like it. Especially now that she was going to raise a baby by herself.

“I know you will, sis.” Lizzie hugged her. “You’re tougher than you give yourself credit for.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The next day, Jack left work early and drove to Wilmington for the annual Stargaze Christmas party.

He’d hoped that a party meant no business talk, but that was too much to ask.

“Dad, we’ve been round and round on this,” Jack said. “I’m fine being a partner and helping with decisions. And you can always count on my support with the board, but I don’t want to be involved in the day-to-day operations.”

“I don’t trust anyone else to do it properly, Jack. You’re leaving me in a real bind.”

“What about Nick?” Jack’s brother was just as qualified as he was to take over. More so, since he’d actually been working at company HQ since graduating college.

“He’s good at what he does,” his dad said. “He’s great with numbers and making things make sense, but he doesn’t have the street smarts or leadership skills needed to run the company.”

“I don’t know, Dad. How much longer till you really, truly plan to leave? Maybe we could revisit this in a year or two? I’m happy doing contracting and overseeing construction right now.”

“You going to stay in New Bern for a while then?” his mother asked after being unusually quiet.

“Not sure about that.” Jack sighed. “My project with Lucy is just about finished, and apparently, so are we. If I want to be a part of the baby’s life, I’ll have to get a place in town. But I don’t know that I’d live there full time.”

“What does Lucy say about it?” his mother asked.

“Lucy wants a husband and a family but is willing to do the family thing alone. She says she doesn’t want money, and maybe she means it now. But that probably won’t last long. One downturn in the coffee business, and she’ll be knocking at the door.”

“I don’t believe that would be the case,” his mom said.

“Huh?” Jack said. “You’re the one always warning me that’s what all women are after—money.”

“I went to see Lucy yesterday.”

“What?” Jack and his father said in unison. “Why?”

“To put it crassly, I tried to pay her off and make her go away.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “What did she say?”

“She took my two-million-dollar check and told me to shove it up my ass. If there was any room around the stick already up there. Or something like that.”

Jack huffed out a laugh. “She did not.”

“Oh yes, she did,” his mom said. “She’s gutsy, Jack. I like her.”

Jack couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Lucy telling his mom off. He didn’t know she had it in her and wished he could’ve been there. Lucy was such a people pleaser, that must have been a bold move for her.

“So, what?” Jack said. “Youdon’tthink she’s after money now? You believe her?”

“I do believe her. I think she’s ready to raise this baby—my grandbaby—on her own if someone doesn’t step up and make an honest woman out of her.”

“Now you’re saying I shouldmarryher?” Had he entered the Twilight Zone? “How many of those cranberry mojitos have you had?”

She ignored his insinuation. “Jack, what is your aversion to marrying again?” she said. “Paige wasn’t for you. That was obvious from the beginning. Your father and I have been married for over thirty years and are still very happy. Right, honey?”

His dad nodded with a smile. “Yes, dear.”

“I tried it,” Jack said. “It didn’t work out.”

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