Page 60 of One Spicy Summer

Maybe it was just pure exhaustion.

Whatever it was, it didn’t make my father a good man. It made him a monster. One who’d tear the world apart to get what he wanted.

And me? I was supposed to be his final masterpiece. The golden boy.

The one who would carry the bloodline forward, expand the oil fields and rake in the millions he thought he deserved. But Sylvia and I had other plans.

Our wedding day was supposed to be the pinnacle of his success. We were dressed to the nines, Prada, Armani, Tiffany’s diamonds glittering under the lights. All of it felt hollow to me.

Presley should’ve been the one beside me.

Sylvia, though? She used it. She flaunted every penny, every stolen moment.

“Fuck them," she said. “They owe us more than money can pay. Might as well bleed them dry.” I couldn’t agree more. We set up accounts no one could trace. Enough money tucked away to start over. Freedom bought and paid for.

When the preacher asked if there were any objections, our fathers didn’t expect it to come fromus.

Jaws dropped. Curses flew. Threats were made.

But we didn’t care.We rode off into the sunset, finally free.

That was almost two years ago.

A plan years in the making.

I steer my Ford King Ranch down Main Street, taking it all in. Some things have changed. Not much. Just enough that someone who's been gone this long would notice.

Hooking a right, I pull into Harper and Grace Realty, kill the engine, and climb out. The second I walk inside, a wave of heavy floral scent hits me like a brick wall.

“Damn, that’s strong,” I mutter, heading toward the counter.

"Hiya! How can I help you?" a woman chirps, popping up from behind the desk.

"Name’s Rygaard Garrison. I’ve got an appointment with Bill Baxton. Looking to buy a house and some land."

She squints at me, shifting her glasses like she’s trying to dial me in.

"Rygaard? Is that really you?"

I pause, study her. Nothing. No recognition. "Sorry, what's your name?"

She blushes. "Mindy. Mindy Kaplan. We had English Lit together. I was a cheerleader, too." She rounds the desk and pulls me into a quick hug.

"Oof. Mindy, now I remember. You could do ten flips without breaking a sweat. Always thought that was badass at the games."

She beams. "Thanks! So, you’re buying land?"

"That’s the plan."

"Does that mean you’re back?"

Fucking-A, it does. "Yeah. I’m back." I lean in a little closer. "And I’d appreciate it if you kept that between us."

She presses a finger to her lips. "Sealed. Come on, let’s get you to Bill."

Before we part ways, I promise to grab coffee with her sometime so she can catch me up on all the local gossip.God knows I’ll need it.

Rafe and I haven't spoken in years. Time, and circumstance, has a way of tearing people apart. But if everything goes the way I hope, he’ll be family again soon enough.

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