at me. I watched in silent horror as he stuck it back in his briefcase and took a step away from me. The fear didn’t register on my face. I kept my exterior calm and collected though I felt like my heart was being ripped out. By law, he had thirty days to give it to me, and it had only been a week.
“You know what? I think I’m going to take a little extra time to look over this. Maybe we can talk again when you don’t have such a bad attitude.”
“My attitude has nothing to do with it. You just don’t like being rejected,” I said. “Which is fine, but this property belongs to me, and I will get my deed.”
He glared. “You think you are so smart with your bitch mouth and little brat. I saw right through you from the second my parents met you. You are nothing but a gold digger.”
Something inside of me snapped.
“Maybe you’re right, and maybe you’re wrong. I can tell you this much though, you’ve got three weeks to hand that over, and on the off chance that I’m with Walker Wheeler now, I wonder how he’s going to feel about you treating me like this?”
His eyes grew. “You’re a lying bitch. You said nothing was going on between the two of you. You are just playing hard to get with me, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “Maybe I am with him, maybe I’m not. I know I wouldn’t want to be on his bad side, though.”
His gaze leveled on me. I couldn’t tell if it was fear or rage behind his eyes, but either way, it did the trick. With a final look of pure hatred, Neil turned and stormed from the gallery. The door slammed behind him and shook the frame. For a second, I wondered if it was going to shatter. As soon as he was on the street, I locked the door behind him and let out the sigh I’d held inside. Still shaken, I made my way upstairs.
Matty saw my look at once. “What happened?”
“Neil stopped by. He’s such a prick. It’s nothing.” I muttered. “I just really hate that guy. Plus, he was about to give me the deed for the shop before I pissed him off.”
“Well, I can’t stay. I’m surprised. The whole town has been talking about you and Walker. He was bound to come in and start trouble eventually.”
“Why does anyone care if we are dating?”
“Because Walker is a Wheeler and if one of them so much as looks at a woman funny, this whole town is interested. He’s the second Wheeler bachelor. Once he marries off, all eyes will turn to the next one in line.”
“Jeeze, that’s not a lot of pressure at all. Neil did make me realize something, though. What if I’m not always able to protect Harrison? Having Walker in his life might prove a benefit.”
“It might, but you know it comes with a cost too. If the world knows that he is a Wheeler, they will wonder what he’s doing living with his mom in an apartment and not at one of the many estates they own.”
I sighed. “I don’t think Walker would take him away from me. He understands that this is a huge deal. I just wish I could make up my mind.”
“No offense, but it sounds like you already have. It sounds like, at the very least, you are considering co-parenting with him.”
“I really am,” I said.
Matty dried off Harrison as I set the table and let my mind wander. As soon as I’d seen Neil and the dangerous look in his eyes, I’d thought about Walker and what he would do in that situation. There wasn’t a question in my mind that he’d have knocked Neil out for half the things that he’d said to me. Still, was I ready for the world to know Harrison was Walkers, son? It was starting to feel like the benefits would be greater than the risk.
“Don’t forget about the mom,” Matty sat down. “From what I hear, none of the boys in that family do anything without her knowing about it.”
“That sounds like a mother, alright,” I agreed. “I’m sure she can’t be that bad.”
“For your sake and Harrisons, I hope that you’re right. It wouldn’t hurt to be careful. Maybe ask Walker to keep things between you for now?” Matty offered.
“I think that’s a good idea.” I agreed. I’ll call him after dinner.”