At Wits' End - Kenzie Reed Page 0,43

ever admitted responsibility for anything. That feels huge to me, but Donovan’s right to urge me to be cautious. I think? God, I don’t even know what a normal relationship should look like or feel like.

Donovan walks up with a frown wrinkling his forehead, but he refrains from making any snide comments. “Let’s hit the road,” he says.

I’d like to say I’m learning to love jogging, but my muscles are still sore from Saturday. I follow Donovan’s routine, and this morning’s run is even more sweaty and tiring. And I’ve got the entire summer’s worth of training to look forward to. Fun!

Still, I finish the run with a minimal amount of grumbling. Afterwards, I hang out with Pamela and Angus while Donovan goes on his real run, then he and I go over to Tonya’s office to look over the paperwork. We got a text from the electrician giving us the all clear, so Donovan’s in an excellent mood. Apparently he’s already arranged for the delivery of a stainless steel refrigerator, microwave, blender, mixer, and heaven knows what else.

Tonya’s office is tastefully decorated in a vineyard theme, which makes sense since that’s what Greenvale is known for. It looks a lot like the Wine Knot chapel. Grape swags drape her mantelpiece and over the doorway, and the furniture is hand carved with grape and wine motifs. The walls are adorned with blown-up photographs of vineyard scenes, maps of the county, and some historical photos. She has a stack of brochures ready for us, with both farmhouse and industrial style furniture and accessories. Donovan grabs the stack and hands it to me.

“Here’s how it’s going to go,” Donovan says. Tonya starts to speak, and he talks right over her. “We do need furniture, and we will go through the brochures and send you a list of the items that we choose to purchase from your suppliers. You will have them delivered in a timely fashion. I’m not signing your contract. My attorney is drawing a contract up as we speak, and he’ll have it emailed to you by the end of the day. We will pay for your services, but you’re not coming over to our house again, and neither is your sister. You’re still getting a fat commission. Take it or leave it. But either way, come bursting into our house again, and you’ll be hearing from my attorney in a different capacity.”

And I’m reminded how he got his “wrecking ball” nickname. Ruthless businessman who’ll do anything to get his way…it makes me wonder, yet again, why he’s choosing to be married to me. And what I can possibly do to save myself and my family when I figure out what he really wants.

“Well.” All warmth has vanished from Tonya’s face. “I never.”

“I imagine you haven’t.” He smiles a shark’s smile, his eyes the color of a stormy sea. “I also imagine you’ve never repeatedly burst into a newlywed couple’s house before.”

She starts to say something, then subsides. I don’t know if this is the best approach, really, but what’s done is done. I just hope that it doesn’t get us in even worse with Carrie, if that’s possible.

We leave with a stack of brochures, Tonya’s icy stare freezing our backsides as we exit.

When we get to the car, I point at the brochures. “Whatever furniture we choose, I’ll pay you for, of course.” I’m not sure with what – as soon as I get to the winery’s office, I’m going to start the process of liquidating my 401k and scraping together every spare cent I’ve ever had.

He shakes his head. “Not necessary. And I know you’re tight on cash. You’re not personally going to get a big chunk of cash from the property sale, are you?”

I sigh. I can’t see how it’ll hurt to tell him. It’s not like he married me for my money, that’s for damn sure.

“Not right away, no. There’s a family trust that was set up a long time ago. The majority of the money from the sale will benefit the farm itself, paying off debt and buying new equipment and hiring new employees. I don’t get to manage my portion of the funds until I’m thirty-five. My mother manages a monthly trust fund for me, when there’s any money to be distributed, and she gets a percentage of the distribution as payment for managing it. And yes, I’m aware that gives her incentive to arrange this whole deal,” I add, a little defensively. “I