Page 61 of Honeycombs & Homecomings

“They got you to sign a fraudulent contract,” Cash said. “They’re trying to steal your business.”

Cynthia pulled the contract out of her purse. “Not trying, we did.”

Cash held out a hand. “Give it to me. Now.”

“Or you’ll what?” Ryan asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Cash caught sight of the loan sharks. No mistaking them in those costumes. Allie’s handiwork. He pointed to the loan sharks. “Or . . . these guys will have to deal with you.”

The loan sharks nodded their shark heads.

Ryan and Cynthia looked at the big men and guffawed.

“Those guys?” Cynthia said. “Please. Besides, your company was going under. We did you a favor.”

Cash had had enough. He was just about to step in and remove the contract with force if need be, when Allie spoke beside him.

“Favor?” Allie snarled and lunged at Cynthia.

He should’ve seen that coming.

***

It was only because Jo knew Allie so well, that she was able to catch her arm before she hurled herself at Cynthia. Jo was still a little confused about what was going on, but she knew Allie assaulting someone wouldn’t help.

Jo held Allie’s arm tight, as she turned to Cynthia. “Our company wasn’t going out of business. If anything, we had too many orders, which is why we needed investors, not buyers.”

“Then you shouldn’t have signed,” Ryan said.

Jo set her jaw, glanced at her sister, and then back to the contract. Her eyes widened, and then she smiled. “I didn’t. I signed Allie’s name, not my own.”

Cash’s gaze whipped to her, a smile spreading over his handsome face.

“You are Allie.” Cynthia put the contract back in her bag.

Jo stepped forward. “No, I pretended to be Allie. I’m Jo, but since you refused to work with me, I had to pretend to be my sister while Allie was on a forced vacation with these guys.”

The loan sharks turned their stares on the Warners, and Cash grinned. Leave it to Allie to make friends with those guys.

Cynthia opened the contract, flipping to the last page. Ryan stared over her shoulder.

Once again, steps sounded behind them through the bristling of stalks being pushed aside. Brandon stepped through the path Jo had started, and Cash had cleared.

“What’s going on here?” Brandon asked.

Cynthia’s face turned ten shades of red before settling on puce. Jo didn’t think it looked good on her.

“This will hold up in court,” Ryan asked. “Who’s to say who really signed the contract. It’ll be your word against ours.”

“I have witnesses that wasn’t me,” Allie said, pointing to the sharks.

“A couple of criminals? That’s who has your back?” Cynthia laughed.

Ryan smiled. “No wonder Tony said you’d never figure out what was going on.”

Jo and Allie turned on Tony. He raised his hands as if to cover his face. “I didn’t. I swear.”

“They’re both idiots,” Ryan said.

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