Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Nix,” he stammered.
“Go now, run before I try to sleep with you to get my hands on your billions.” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably and I let them fall as I kneaded the dough that would end up with the Lombardo family for their Christmas pizza tradition.
When he was finally gone, Torey spoke. “I am so sorry Nix. Shit, it was just a joke and I’ve ruined everything.”
It would be easy to blame Torey but this wasn’t on her. “No, you didn’t ruin anything. He did. He never believed in us and never trusted me so really you did me a favor.” It was always going to end, I told myself over and over. It just ended earlier than I expected. “Seriously Torey, don’t worry about it.”
“So we’re moving on to angry baking now?”
“Oh yeah.” More like heartbroken baking but angry sounded less pathetic.
Chapter 14
Lee
“Why the hell did I let you talk me into this?” I walked beside my brother with a scowl on my face as we traipsed through town. Everywhere I looked was decorated like a scene from a Christmas card, which pissed me off because it only highlighted my terrible mood. I couldn’t rid my brain of the devastated look on Nix’s face when I hurled those awful insults her way.
“Because you might be a grumpy bastard but you’re not as heartless as you want people to believe.”
“That’s what Nix said.” A woman had finally seen me, all of me and she didn’t stay for the money. She’d stuck around for me. And I went and pushed her away, dammit.
“I don’t want to kick you while you’re so clearly down, but man you screwed up. Big time.”
“I know,” I growled but Mac was completely oblivious.
“I mean, this was a major screw-up and it’s so unlike you.” He shook his head. “You’re normally so calm and rational when you make decisions. Usually you end your entanglements with jewelry.”
I felt terrible but I couldn’t say if I screwed up or not. “You didn’t hear what Torey said.” I hadn’t stopped thinking about since I heard it through the bakery kitchen door.
“Yeah, you told me a dozen times Lee. But you know what you didn’t tell me? That Nix laughed with Torey and agreed to it, jokingly or not. That she had ever asked you not to develop that land. You said she hated it and was worried about Holiday Grove, which is great by the way, but you never said she outright asked you not to do it.”
“No, she hadn’t.” My shoulders fell at my realization and my feet slowed to a stop. “But how will I ever know the truth?”
“Easy. Every day that she doesn’t ask for your money. Every day that she doesn’t request that you shutter your business, that’s how you’ll know.” Mac shrugged and turned to face me. “You sabotaged this. I think you’re actually worried that you might disappoint Nix because she likes you for who you are, not what you are.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is. Maybe you don’t dislike the vapid airheads and gold diggers as much as you pretend to. You’re afraid to be with a woman who challenges you.”
“Who has ulterior motives.” Why was he forgetting that part?
“You can prove it, right?”
“I can’t. Obviously.” That’s what had me in such a foul mood. Well that and Nix’s words. Actually falling in love with you. “She said she was falling in love with me, but I can’t unhear what Torey said.” Which was unfortunate because I missed her like crazy.
“The heart what the heart wants,” Mac said with a level of wisdom I didn’t often associate with my little brother. “Do you really need to build this resort?”
“Of course I don’t need to, but the land is bought and the crews have been hired. It’s moving forward like a freight train.”
“Then why not reconsider it? Or at the very least reconsider your plans for the resort now that you have more information.”
He was right and I had no response to that so I remained silent.
“Hey Mac!” Torey stopped in front of us, smiling at my brother before she sent me an angry glare. “Who’d you piss off to end up on dickhead duty?”
Mac laughed. “Nature, I guess, since the dickhead is my brother.”
She rolled her eyes and then sent Mac a look of pity. “I guess that why you got to be a handsome rockstar.”
“Just handsome?”
Her lips twitched playfully. “Your ego is big enough, you don’t need me to add to it.”
“But you have all of my albums so that ship is sailed. Go on, stroke the ego a little bit, Tor.”
Tor? “What the hell is going on here?”
Her smile vanished and she glared at me. “I can’t believe you broke her heart, you asshole.” She let out what sounded like a growl and shoved me. “I went to bat for you. I told her to go for it and she did and she fell for you, and you proved me wrong.”