Perfect Night (Mason Creek #4) - Terri E. Laine Page 0,42
we were married.” He set it down on the counter. “Keep it as a reminder of what you’ve lost.” Then he left the bar.
Darcy was on her feet. “Make your choice Emma. You can’t have them both. Evan or Aiden. I know who I would choose.”
I said nothing. She shrugged and followed Evan. They deserved each other, I thought.
When I spun around, everyone who’d had front seats to the show turned as if minding their own business. I didn’t care. I was free. I didn’t look at the glass ring, uncaring if anyone took it.
On the way, I pointed to Jack. “My office, now.”
For a second, he was startled. I was too. That was the first time I’d claimed Dad’s office as mine. As I continued forward, I’d accepted that I’d made up my mind about several things after reading Dad’s letter.
“Close the door,” I commanded when we went in.
Jack did, albeit a little slowly. “Emma?”
I held up my hand. “You’re not my father. I don’t need lessons from you on how to run this bar. And don’t try to deny it.”
He kept his mouth shut.
“Whatever game you think you’re playing ends now. And let me tell you, I’m not going anywhere. If you can’t work under me, then quit now. But if you stay, you’ll treat me with the same respect you treated my father. Your choice.”
He stared at me, creating an uncomfortable silence I wasn’t willing to give into. I folded my arms instead.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“You know, I’m really tired of being asked that question today. I’m not a little girl.” I pulled a copy of Dad’s will from under a pile and handed it to him. “Dad left me the bar. He trusted me and you need to as well if you want to continue working here.”
He glanced down at the paper and I watched as he scanned the page. When he looked up, I saw the anguish on his face. “This is all I got, Emma. I’m not qualified to do anything else.”
That wasn’t true. He could go to work for the mill or the ranch if either would have him, but I didn’t say that. “Then, you’re going to have to work with me, not against me.”
He nodded. “Would you consider me being a partner?”
“No. You haven’t shown enough respect for me to trust you as a partner.” Though I wouldn’t commit to anything more, regardless. “I don’t want to get your hopes up either. I’m not sure I need a partner.”
“Yeah, okay.”
I needed more confirmation than that. “Are you in or out?”
“In,” he said.
He might have agreed to it, but I could see in his eyes he would likely be making other plans. I would need to hire a new manager soon. Someone I could trust.
After he left, I sagged in my chair, emotionally exhausted. I glanced down at my naked finger and smiled. I picked up my phone and dialed.
“Emma.” My name had never sounded so sweet.
“I have news,” I announced.
Damn, his chuckle was sexy. “What’s that?”
“My finger is bare and so is my bed.”
“Is that an invitation?”
Was it? “I guess you’ll have to find out.”
Chapter 20
Aiden
Well, fuck my life. How was I supposed to work after an invitation like that?
I was painfully hard and trying to calm myself down when Bess came in my doorway. “Got a call, Wyatt and Sam are tied up. You’re going to need to take it.”
Her appearance softened everything that had been hard seconds ago. I had no trouble getting up from my desk and strapping my vest on as Bess explained the who, what, and where of it all.
Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of a dilapidated house in need of much repair. Bess had warned me what I was walking into, but it was my job to show up regardless.
A woman in her early forties with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth stepped out onto the porch.
“Thank goodness you came. It’s smells like something died in there.”
From the state of the home’s exterior and the abandoned toys overgrown with vegetation, I wouldn’t have doubted something had died. Her husband had passed away over two years ago, and she wasn’t handling it well. According to Bess, she called the station every few days about something. Bess speculated the woman wanted company or needed a handyman and couldn’t afford one.
When I reached her, she said, “Aiden Faulkner, oh, how you’ve grown.”
I came to a sudden stop as