he thundered, “but I will never be her equal. The money will always be between us.”
She gave him a speculative look. “What if there was a way to level the playing field?”
He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
A mischievous grin flitted over Lillian’s lips. “You know how I told you Sam and I were out looking for a Christmas tree when those teenagers jumped us?”
“Yeah,” he said warily. He’d known all along that Lillian and Sam weren’t telling the full truth, but he had no idea where this was going.
Her eyes twinkled. “I might’ve fudged the situation a smidgen.” She pressed her index finger and thumb together as she held up her hand. A minute later, she sat up straight, fixing him with a penetrating look. “How much do you love Magnolia?”
His throat thickened with emotion. “Enough to give her up when I thought it was best for her.”
She nodded. “Now that you know that you goofed, what’re you willing to do to get her back?”
Determination bubbled inside him. “Whatever it takes.”
“Good, I just wanted to hear you say it. And for the record, your value to Magnolia has nothing to do with money. It will only come between you if you allow it to.” She clasped her hands together with a renewed sense of purpose. “I just have one final question for you.”
“What’s that?”
A large grin broke over her face. “How are you at digging?”
“Digging?” he asked dubiously. “What does that have to do with anything?” Lillian was a nice person, but she was a bit odd. Still, he owed her a lot for helping him uncover Roman’s fraud. His insides burned with indignation, making him want to jump up this very minute, rush back to the Bentley Estate, and beat Roman to a pulp.
Lillian giggled. “You’ll see,” she sang, her eyes dancing with mystery. “All will be revealed soon.”
15
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” Oscar said as he stepped up behind Magnolia and placed his hands on her arms.
“Thanks,” Magnolia said dully as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her hand over the smooth, silky fabric. The dress was more exquisite than she’d ever imagined. This should be one of the best days of her life, the fulfillment of every young girl’s dream. And yet, Magnolia had never felt emptier. Would she grow to love Roman? The thought of being intimate with him turned her nauseous. Every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing Lucas’s face. The tender expression of his blue-gray eyes called to her. What good was money if she couldn’t have Lucas? Why couldn’t he have stood by her? She would’ve given up everything for him, but when push came to shove, he couldn’t follow through.
“Too bad your mother couldn’t be here to see you,” Oscar said morosely. Magnolia studied his reflection in the mirror, struck by the deep sadness in his eyes. Was that how she would be? An empty shell of a person? The words rose from her lips and spilled out between them. “What happened between you and Mom?” She’d been thinking a lot about her parents’ marriage over the past several hours. This morning, she’d gotten down on her knees and prayed for direction. She prayed for peace. She even prayed for Lucas, asking the Lord to help him find his focus. How desperately she wanted him back. She kept getting the distinct impression that she needed to get some answers surrounding her parents’ divorce. She didn’t know how that tied into her situation, but she’d learned to trust her feelings.
He blinked in surprise. “Today isn’t a good time to talk about this,” he said tersely.
She turned to face him. The need to know the truth rose inside her like a fire-breathing dragon that refused to be quelled. She’d either find the answers to her questions or she’d incinerate from the inside out. She looked him in the eye. “If not now, when?” She clenched her jaw. “It was about the money, wasn’t it?”
The color drained from his face, letting her know that she’d hit her mark. “It was!” She felt her nostrils flare as she planted her hands on her hips. “Grandfather and Grandmother destroyed your marriage.” Her head swung back and forth, as a sickening feeling settled in her gut.
“The money did eventually come between me and Janet,” Oscar admitted. His words were flat and dull. “Janet felt guilty for knocking me out of my inheritance.” He exhaled loudly. “And I …” His voice faltered as he shoved